Massachusetts Mind the Gap Steering Committee
Danielle Beasley, Founder, Daughters of Yahweh Community Outreach
Jessie Colbert, Executive Director, Mass. PPD Fund
Stephanie Crawford, M.Ed, Founder, Propa City Community Outreach, Owner, Belle Joie Doula & Family Services
Manoucheka Dasse, Propa City Community Outreach Peer Support Mentor
Amanda Hollis Garaffo, Esq.
Ashley C. Healy, Esq.,
Jessica Paulino, The EMA Project
Dr. Jo-Anna L. Rorie, CNM, PhD, Associate Professor, Boston University School of Medicine, OB GYN Foundation
Chloe Schwartz, MPH, Director, Maternal Infant Health, March of Dimes Boston Market
The Massachusetts Mind the Gap Coalition is a large, statewide group of health care and community-based organizations, other nonprofits, mental health and maternity care providers, survivors of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and other advocates working to improve state policies impacting perinatal* mental health (PMH).
*During pregnancy and up to one year or more after birth.
Massachusetts Mind the Gap organized in 2022 with the support of Postpartum Support International’s Mind the Gap State Policy Series. We successfully passed the Moms Matter Act (MMA) in 2024 as part of the Commonwealth’s groundbreaking omnibus maternal health bill. The MMA establishes a grant program investing in community-based programs supporting perinatal people, particularly in Black and Brown and other communities impacted by maternal health and mental health disparities. We are now proud to be a standing coalition focused a range of issues impacting PMH, from birth justice, to diaper need, to adequate mental health services.
For more information, including joining our list for meeting registration and updates, please contact Jessie Colbert at jcolbert@massppdfund.org
2025-2026 priorities and action alerts coming soon!
2025-2026 PRIORITY LEGISLATION
An Act to establish a perinatal behavioral health care workforce trust fund
HD.2877/SD.992 Rep. Fluker-Reid & Sen. Miranda
In order to address the lack of adequate perinatal mental health services in the Commonwealth, and culturally congruent services in particular, this bill would establish a perinatal behavioral health care workforce trust fund. It would direct the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to make grants from the fund to entities to establish or expand educational or training programs for mental or behavioral health care providers, including in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) care, to train in perinatal mental health.