Community-Based Solutions to Support Maternal Health, Parental Well‑Being, and Reduce Social Isolation
Jan 22, 2026
Thursday, January 22nd, 9am-12pm
This workshop training will feature innovative and community-centered partnerships across Maine that are working to bridge service gaps and improve family, maternal, and child health outcomes. The focus of the presentations will be on improving social isolation, including in rural and underserved communities. Together, these examples will illustrate how Maine is weaving together policy, peer support, and technological innovation to strengthen family wellness across the state. The Maine Doula Coalition and The Maine Women's Lobby underscore how doula and childbirth education services foster social support, reduce isolation, and improve maternal mental health, with doulas serving as vital connectors in rural communities. The Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition spotlights how parent support groups build community resilience, improve parental confidence, enable peer relationships, foster long-term mutual support, and reduce loneliness. Maine Family Planning shares about their pilot of the Mammha smartphone app and how it improves access to perinatal mental health care and support. The app integrates screening, SMS check-ins, peer support, mindfulness tools, and telehealth counseling, delivering critical care via digital platforms.
Objectives:
- Understand gaps in perinatal and maternal healthcare by exploring how doulas, childbirth education, and innovative community-based strategies can enhance social support and improve health outcomes.
- Identify community-based strategies to reduce social isolation and boost confidence among new parents, and outline steps to replicate or support similar models.
- Understand the risks of isolation, poverty, and limited access to health care faced by perinatal individuals in rural Maine, and their relationship to a successful smartphone‑based support app pilot.
Presenters:
Maine Women's Lobby: Community-Based Solutions to the Maternal Health Crisis: Doulas Improving Social Support for Birthing People
- Lily James, Maine Women's Lobby
- Sarah Tewey, Maine Doula Coalition
- LeAnne Dunham, Maine Doula Coalition
Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition: From Isolation to Empowerment: How New Parent Support Groups Build Community and Confidence in Maine
- Kara Kaikini, Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition
Maine Family Planning: Mammha: Using Technology to Bridge The Gap and Provide Critical Perinatal Mental Health Support
- Tamara Wilson, Maine Family Planning
- Mathew Scease, Maine Family Planning