Greetings!
As we closed out 2025, we took time to reflect on the depth and reach of support our community made possible. Our new Impact Report shares the numbers behind that work, highlighting how many parents and families were supported across Washington during one of the most vulnerable seasons of life. We’re grateful to walk into the new year grounded in impact and accountability. Thank you for joining us as, together, we navigate the complexities of 2026.
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"The everyday work of PS-WA is life-changing. I am pleased to share PS-WA's 2025 Annual Impact Report so you too can see the life-changing work that is being done. Not all impact can be expressed through numbers, I welcome you to take the time to read the stories and the work that we were most proud of this year. As we move into 2026, I am energized to guide PS-WA through strategic planning, expand community connections, raise awareness of perinatal mental health, and grow our presence across Washington. We are especially excited to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Parent Support Warm Line and look forward to honoring its impact all year long."
-Emma York-Jones, Executive Director
| Join the Warm Line Volunteer Training | |
Training Dates & Time: Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 9:00-2:30 pm
Location: Zoom
Make a difference in others’ lives – offer hope and community to other parents!
Volunteers offer peer support, wellness planning, and resources and referrals to callers on a short-term (2 weeks) or long-term (up to 3 months) basis.
Are you a parent who has experienced and recovered from postpartum depression, anxiety, postpartum psychosis, or other perinatal mental health issues, or suffered a perinatal loss, birth trauma, or experienced the NICU? We are looking for parent volunteers, including dads, LGBTQ+ parents, and BIPOC parents, to assist those reaching out to our Warm Line for support.
The line is staffed by volunteers who are parents who have experienced a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder and have recovered. Parents who call the line often feel alone in their feelings or ashamed of the feelings they have. Talking with another parent who has been in a similar situation validates their struggles and helps with their healing journey. Receiving and providing peer support is unique and powerful for both the volunteer and parent!
Currently training for:
- Evening Volunteer: Volunteer 2 evenings, every 4 -7 weeks by responding (same day or within 12 hours) to callers who leave a voicemail, email, or text.
- Weekend Volunteer: Volunteer 3 days, every 5-8 weeks by responding (same day or within 12 hours) to callers who leave a voicemail, email, or text.
Volunteers offer peer support, wellness planning, and resources and referrals to callers on a short-term (2 weeks) or long-term (up to 3 months) basis.
| Mom Prom Tickets on Sale Now! | |
Join us on Saturday, May 16th for a night of FUN to raise money for our work here at Perinatal Support Washington! Now in its 16th year, Mom Prom is a one-of-a-kind event focused on community and celebration. Each ticket includes one drink ticket, candy & snacks, unlimited photos with our photographer, and dancing the night away to jams spun by our awesome DJ. Take the night off and join us!
If you are interested in sponsoring Mom Prom please email: info@perinatalsupport.org
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This year, Perinatal Support Washington proudly celebrates 35 years of our Warm Line, a compassionate lifeline guiding parents and families through the tumultuous perinatal period. The Warm Line was started by volunteer parents who never wanted another parent to feel alone, and that same spirit continues to guide us today. Now serving over 1,000 callers each year, the Warm Line remains a trusted, judgment-free space for connection and support. Stay tuned throughout the year for special events, stories, and offerings as we celebrate 35 years of impact and community!
Do you have a story to share about the Warm Line? We want to feature it! Please email info@perinatalsupport.org for more info.
| | February marks Black History Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black individuals throughout history. It is an opportunity to reflect on the struggles and triumphs that have shaped our society and to celebrate Black Excellence. Check out the Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement's 28 Day Anti-Racism Challenge to get daily opportunities to reflect, learn, and act. | |  | National Caregivers Day is coming up on Friday, Feb. 20th. The celebratory day was established in 2015 and today has grown into a widely recognized observance, celebrated by communities, healthcare organizations, and advocacy groups across the United States. The day not only acknowledges caregivers’ efforts but also raises awareness about the challenges they encounter and the resources they need to thrive. or "only 7 remaining!" | | | The WA State Department of Health recently released its Maternal Mortality Review Panel Report, a devastating reminder that many perinatal deaths are highly avoidable and deeply impact our communities. American Indian/Alaskan Native birthing people continue to face the highest risk, with maternal mortality rates 7.3 times higher than those of white people. Behavioral health–related causes account for 45% of pregnancy-related deaths, making them the leading cause, and more than 80% of all deaths were deemed preventable. The panel calls for improved health care quality and access, stronger community support services, and equitable, culturally responsive, trauma-informed care that actively addresses racial injustice. Through our open and accessible direct services, culturally matched peer support, provider trainings, and deep community partnerships, we are working across all of these areas to help save lives every day. | | | We, and so many others in the perinatal space, are saddened by the sudden passing of Dr. Janell Green Smith. Dr. Smith, a 31-year-old South Carolina-based midwife and Black maternal health advocate, died from complications while delivering her first child on January 2, 2026. She was widely known as the “Loc’d Midwife” and devoted her career to promoting safe, equitable childbirth and improving outcomes for Black mothers, including partnering with the nonprofit Hive Impact Fund. The American College of Nurse-Midwives called her death “heartbreaking and unacceptable” and described it as a profound failure of the systems meant to protect birthing people. Her passing highlights the persistent racial inequities in maternal health care in the U.S., where Black women face disproportionately high risks during pregnancy and childbirth. | | |
Parent Support Warm Line 1-888-404-7763
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| | With your support, we can shine a light on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and give families the care they need. Please support our lifesaving services. | | | | |
