PMAD Support Groups for Mothers Offered in 3 Locations
The Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition is pleased to announce the formation of Mothers Together, a support group for mothers of young children, particularly for mothers facing challenges during their pregnancy or after the birth of their baby.
PMAD stands for Perinatal Mood Anxiety Disorders, encompassing a wider variety of diagnoses formerly known as postpartum depression. Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition is passionate about having resources to address PMAD in the Keys, as it comes to the forefront of maternal and child health in our community.
Thanks to grants from Community Foundation of the Florida Keys in 2016 and Ocean Reef Community Foundation, FKHSC has been developing a program to address PMAD in Monroe County. The Mothers Together group is the first step in this program implementation. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Amy Gertz began holding weekly groups starting July 25. Tuesday groups are held weekly in Marathon at Amy’s office (6799 Overseas Hwy, Unit 7), at 12-2 pm. Wednesday groups are held weekly in Key West at 12 -2 pm in the Gato Building (1100 Simonton Street, Room 1) and at 3‑5 pm at Stock Island Marina (7005 Shrimp Rd, The Captain’s Room). Mothers are welcome to come at any point during the 2 hour time frame, and infants are welcome.
An Upper Keys group will be added once a location can be found. Any Upper Keys organization with a comfortable location willing to host a weekly group at no charge should contact Ms. Gertz.
For more information about these groups, please call, text, or email Amy at (305) 901-1959 or [email protected] . For information about other programs and services, go to KeysHealthyStart.org.