Mental Health Hotline for Moms Launched Nationwide to Support New and Expecting Mothers

Text or call: A new, confidential, toll-free hotline gives expecting and new moms free mental health support. 

Need to Know

• Mothers: Call or text 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS.
• You’ll connect with a free counselor able to provide a wide range of support. 
• In 2019, Michigan moms had higher-than-average rates of postpartum depression

MICHIGAN—Michigan moms and moms-to-be have a new, free way to get mental health help. Whether stressed, struggling with postpartum depression, or anything else that comes with the mental challenges of being a parent, moms can now text or call counselors 24/7. 

This national Maternal Mental Health Hotline may be especially important to Michigan moms. In 2019, moms in the Great Lakes State had a higher-than-average rate of postpartum depression. Recent studies have shown that the pandemic has made things worse, too – according to research from the University of Michigan School of Nursing and Michigan Medicine, one in three people who had new babies early in the pandemic experienced triple the rates of pre-pandemic postpartum depression. And one in five new birth parents had major depressive symptoms.

A study by Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network highlighted that Black and Latino people are 20% more likely to develop a mental health illness, such as depression or anxiety, either during pregnancy or within a year of giving birth. 

In an effort to improve maternal health and equity, the US Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the Maternal Mental Health Hotline as part of ongoing efforts by HHS to support safe pregnancies and childbirth, and eliminate pregnancy-related health disparities. Mothers can call or text 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS and connect with a counselor at no charge. 

“We are creating a safe space for expecting and new moms who are experiencing maternal depression, anxiety or other mental health concerns to have confidential conversations and get the support they need,” HHS Administrator Carole Johnson said in a statement. 

Anyone contacting the hotline will receive a range of support, including brief interventions from trained counselors who are culturally and trauma-informed, as well as referrals to both community-based and telehealth providers as needed. Callers will also receive evidence-based information and referrals to support groups and other community resources.

The hotline had an initial investment of $3 million, but President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget would more than double this initial investment, expanding the hotline’s expert staffing and building additional capacity for the future.