Maternal Health ECHO
Program Description
Pregnant and postpartum women deserve comprehensive, trauma-informed care, yet many face challenges in accessing behavioral health and substance use services, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas. In collaboration with Be Well Texas and the Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN), this Maternal Health ECHO program is designed to equip perinatal healthcare providers with the necessary training, consultation, and support to enhance care delivery. This initiative seeks to bridge knowledge gaps, strengthen provider capacity, and improve maternal health outcomes across Texas. The program will include instruction in screening, interventions, care coordination, trauma-informed care, and other critical maternal health topics.
Who is this ECHO for?
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- Prescribers (e.g., physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and advanced practice registered nurses)
- Obstetricians & Gynecologists (OB/GYNs)
- Midwives & Doulas
- Psychiatrists & Addiction Medicine Specialists
- Behavioral Health Clinicians (e.g., social workers, counselors, psychologists)
- Recovery Support Service Professionals
- Case Managers & Care Navigators
Learning Objectives
- Apply evidence-based screening tools to accurately identify and assess mental health and substance use disorders in pregnant and postpartum women.
- Implement evidence-based treatments for mental health and substance use disorders.
- Develop skills to improve care coordination and support positive maternal and infant health outcomes.
- Understand the co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions associated with maternal substance use and develop strategies for their integrated and concurrent treatment.
- Recognize and address unique challenges in care access for women in underserved and rural areas.
Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN)
Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN), in collaboration with Be Well Texas, is working to enhance the capacity of health care providers to provide perinatal mental health and substance use treatment and care. This initiative seeks to bridge knowledge gaps, strengthen provider capacity, and improve maternal health outcomes across Texas.
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Be Well Texas. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
Learn more about our Credit Designation for this session by visiting here.
Maternal Health ECHO
This Maternal Health ECHO meets every 1st Tuesday of the month.
Hub Team
Anastasia Ruiz, MD
Medical Director of PeriPAN Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Joy Subrin, LMSW, DBH
Medical Social Worker,
OB/GYN Clinic,
University Medical Center – Tucson
Muhammad Ali Chaudhary, MD
Adolescent Addiction Medicine Physician,
Assistant Professor,
UT Health San Antonio
Poorvanshi Alag, MD, DABOM
Director of Substance Use Disorder Services,
Assistant Professor,
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Emily Humphrey, DNP, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner,
Federally Qualified Health Center, Waco Texas
This project is funded in part by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission through federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, grant award number: HHS001472700001