Kriti Lodha experienced postpartum psychosis after the birth of her daughter in spring 2021, highlighting significant gaps in mental health care for new mothers in the United States. Postpartum psychosis, a severe condition marked by delusions and hallucinations, affects approximately one to two out of every 1,000 births.
After experiencing a psychotic episode two to three weeks postpartum, Lodha was admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital, where she remained separated from her infant and partner for 10 days. She reported a lack of support for breastfeeding and dietary needs, describing the treatment as focused solely on crisis stabilization rather than addressing her role as a mother. Following discharge, she sought care at an intensive outpatient program specializing in perinatal mental health at Women and Infants Hospital in Rhode Island, where she could be accompanied by her baby.
The ongoing trial of Lindsay Clancy, charged with killing her three children while reportedly suffering from postpartum psychosis, has drawn renewed attention to perinatal mental illnesses and the challenges in providing appropriate care. Advocates and experts argue that dedicated psychiatric units for mothers experiencing postpartum mental health disorders are essential. These facilities acknowledge that perinatal psychiatric conditions differ from general psychiatric disorders due to their time-limited nature, hormonal triggers, and the need for tailored medication regimens that consider pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Specialized mother-and-baby units, common in countries such as Australia, France, and England, enable mothers to remain close to their infants during treatment. A 2025 study from the United Kingdom noted higher patient satisfaction in these units compared to standard psychiatric wards. However, no such units currently exist in the United States where babies are admitted with their mothers, mainly due to insurance and liability hurdles. There are five known inpatient facilities nationwide focused exclusively on perinatal psychiatry, including one in New York.
The University of North Carolina Health System opened the first of these units in 2011, with five beds. Nurse practitioner Christena Raines, who helped establish the unit, described features such as extended visiting hours and provisions for newborns to stay overnight to facilitate breastfeeding. The unit also offers lactation support, group education, and cross-trained staff in psychiatry and obstetrics. Demand often exceeds capacity, with patients sometimes traveling from across 20 states.
Although inpatient options remain limited, outpatient perinatal mental health programs have expanded. According to Postpartum Support International, there are 46 such intensive outpatient programs across the United States, including two in Massachusetts: Root and Rise Perinatal Health in Rockland and solEo Wellness Day Treatment Program in Duxbury.
Root and Rise, launched in September 2025 as Massachusetts’ first dedicated perinatal outpatient program, provides comprehensive mental health services alongside practical supports for mothers. It features a nursery, lactation rooms, and spaces designed for both therapy and childcare needs. The program typically serves up to 18 women at a time with a combination of individual and group therapy, medication management, and support on nutrition and infant care. The average wait time for an initial appointment is two days. During its first year, Root and Rise treated nearly 75 patients from locations ranging from nearby communities to as far as Nantucket, 84 miles away.
Kate Perfetti, a cofounder of Root and Rise, emphasized that a major obstacle for mothers is the fear of separation from their babies during treatment, a challenge their program seeks to address by allowing mothers to participate with their infants. She highlighted the importance of a treatment model specifically designed for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
Expanding access to specialized outpatient programs and establishing inpatient mother-and-baby units in Massachusetts would require coordination among health systems, regulatory adjustments, and financial investment. Governor Maura Healey acknowledged the need for further exploration of inpatient units while affirming support for expanding outpatient services.
The Clancy case underscores the severe consequences postpartum mental illness can have and presents an opportunity for health care providers, policymakers, and advocates to improve perinatal mental health care. Some have proposed naming a future specialized unit after Clancy’s children — Cora, Dawson, and Callan — as a gesture toward fostering progress in this critical area of health care.