Maternal health plays an important role in supporting the well-being of families and communities. May marks Maternal Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize the importance of supporting the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of mothers and caregivers. While this month brings awareness to maternal mental health, it is important to recognize throughout the year that supporting mothers also includes access to mental health resources and equitable care and services that help families and communities thrive.
Across the country, WIC agencies continue working to strengthen support systems and improve access to care and resources for families. Through the WIC Hub and other initiatives, the National WIC Association provides resources and educational tools that support WIC staff, participants, and families across different stages and experiences.
Below are a few resources that support maternal mental health awareness, accessibility, participant support, and family well-being that you can take back to your own communities:
Mental Health Resources
Real stories of mothers who struggle with postpartum depression and how they found support.
Provides statistics related to maternal mental health disorders, who they affect, and how they can be treated.
A collection of mental health fact sheets on a variety of mental health topics, such as black maternal mental health, birth trauma, veteran maternal mental health, and more:
NWA Resources
Strengthening Information Exchanges between Healthcare Providers and WIC: This resource collection features resources designed to improve care coordination, referral processes, and information-sharing between healthcare providers and WIC to better support families.
Local Agency & Translated Resources: This collection features participant-facing resources, outreach materials, and translated tools developed by local agencies and organizations to support accessible communication and family-centered care for diverse communities.
AHEAD 3.0 Journey Map: Provides a visual overview of the WIC participant experience across six key phases, highlighting barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to improve equity and participant support for families.
AHEAD 3.0 Journey Map Report: Examines the experiences of WIC participants across the WIC journey and offers recommendations to strengthen participant-centered support, accessibility, and equity within the program.
Maternal Mortality Toolkit: Educates WIC staff on maternal mortality, the importance of postpartum care, and trauma-informed approaches that support compassionate, participant-centered care for families.
The WIC Hub is a resource hub that provides WIC staff, researchers, and advocates with access to research, tools, and educational resources that support families and communities.
NWA Upcoming Webinars
Where Clinics Can Act: Barriers, Facilitators, and Opportunities for Improvement – Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 3:00pm ET
This webinar is part two of a three-part series, where it will focus on translating participant insights into practical improvements that WIC clinics can implement to strengthen participant experiences and reduce barriers to care and services.
AHEAD 3.0 Journey Map Report Summary: Findings, Recommendations, and Next Steps – Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 3:00pm ET
As a final webinar in part three of a three-part series, this webinar will highlight findings and recommendations from the AHEAD 3.0 project to help strengthen participant experiences and improve equitable access across the WIC journey.