D6 - Cultivating State Support for Pregnancy Loss

Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH’s) Pregnancy Loss Services Project builds the capacity of community organizations to provide pregnancy loss support and education services to individuals and families who have experienced pregnancy loss. By supporting culturally congruent and responsive programs to families who have experienced loss and promoting community awareness events, VDH’s program is creating a space for these important conversations, with the ultimate goal of improving maternal mental health outcomes across communities. VDH intends to build upon this program to develop a statewide strategy for addressing maternal mental health. The overarching strategy will encompass a wide variety of areas, including pregnancy loss, perinatal mood disorders, and perinatal substance use.