{"id":83248,"date":"2022-07-07T15:15:43","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T19:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.send2press.com\/wire\/?p=83248"},"modified":"2022-07-07T15:29:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T19:29:45","slug":"black-maternal-mental-health-week-begins-july-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.send2press.com\/wire\/black-maternal-mental-health-week-begins-july-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Maternal Mental Health Week Begins July 19 – Shades of Blue Project will host a week-long event"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOUSTON, Texas, July 7, 2022 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Black maternal morbidity is on the rise and the numbers are higher than originally reported. According to a study by the Maryland Population Research Center at the University of Maryland, Black mothers are 3.5 times more likely to experience death by pregnancy. Kay Matthews, founder of The Shades of Blue Project<\/a> and Black Maternal Mental Health Week says the mental health of Black mothers is also a factor in the significantly higher numbers.<\/p>\n

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IMAGE CAPTION: Black Maternal Mental Health Week.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Shades of Blue Project is hosting a week-long event focused on Black maternal mental health and will launch with a press conference and balloon release on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at Houston\u2019s City Hall – Hermann Square Park from 4 to 8 P.M.<\/p>\n

Black Maternal Mental Health Week<\/a> will be held July 19 through July 25 and includes an in-person training session, a two-day summit, a community awards brunch, a walk and family fun day, and ends with a State of Black Maternal Mental Health Roundtable discussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have many issues in our city around mortality and morbidity and its ties to postpartum mental health complications,\u201d Matthews stated. \u201cWe’ve always had a problem, but what will we do to solve it?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Matthews and her collaborative partner, Kimberly A. Baker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Health Promotion & Behavioral Science, say they know that it will take \u201ceducation, awareness, and action\u201d to finally see a decrease in Black maternal morbidity.<\/p>\n

The two-day hybrid summit will be held July 21-22, 2022 and Matthews and Baker are excited the event is back in person and for the continued virtual component. Matthews grinned, \u201cI\u2019m excited to see people excited about it being in person.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s summit includes local, national, and international speakers. A partial list of speakers and topics include:<\/p>\n