By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) A new “60 Minutes” interview with Patrick Clancy has renewed attention on postpartum mental health and the support available to mothers and families.
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Clancy said he did not understand postpartum mental illness or how to navigate it as his former wife, Lindsay Clancy, struggled. He said he reached out to Postpartum Support International, psychiatrists and other experts after the deaths of their three children, Cora, Dawson and Colin.
Lindsay Clancy’s attorneys argued she was experiencing postpartum psychosis. Her trial ended with a hung jury.
The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health gave Massachusetts a B in its 2026 report card, the highest grade it awarded to any state. Arizona received a C. No state received an A.
Arizona scorecard identifies gaps in care
The report credits Arizona for its perinatal psychiatry consultation program, known as the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line, or APAL.
However, the report says Arizona does not meet its benchmark of five maternal mental health therapists and other non-prescribing providers for every 1,000 births. It also does not count Arizona as having a dedicated maternal mental health inpatient or residential treatment program.
Dr. Saira Kalia, director of the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, said access to care depends on more than whether a provider is available.
“Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum,” Kalia said. “It’s not like I can prescribe you medication and find you a therapist. But if you don’t have child care, are you going to go to therapy?”
Mental health conditions cited in pregnancy-related deaths
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported mental health conditions were the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths in its 2018-19 review period.
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Heidi Christensen, the Maternal Health Innovation Program manager at the Arizona Department of Health Services, said the deaths are preventable.
“We don’t have to lose our mothers to this, and we just need to have those support systems around them,” Christensen said.
The Policy Center’s report also identifies screening as a gap. Arizona does not require Medicaid managed-care plans to track and report whether pregnant or postpartum patients are screened for depression.
The scorecard finding does not mean Arizona providers do not screen mothers for depression. It means the state does not require Medicaid plans to report those screening measures.
Resources for Arizona families
The Arizona Department of Health Services provided the following resources for people seeking maternal or perinatal mental health support:
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for free, confidential support available 24 hours a day. Trained counselors provide emotional support, information and referrals in English and Spanish, with interpreter services for other languages.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for immediate help with a mental health, suicide or substance-use crisis.
- Perinatal Mental Health Alliance of Arizona / Postpartum Support International: The statewide network connects pregnant and postpartum people and their families with resources, education, support and providers.
- HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773
- Text in English: 800-944-4773
- Text in Spanish: 971-203-7773
- Women’s Health Innovations of Arizona: An Arizona nonprofit providing maternal and perinatal mental health services and support during pregnancy, postpartum and parenting.
- 4th Trimester Arizona: Provides support, education, resources and connection for Arizona parents during pregnancy and the early years of parenting.
- Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line, or APAL: A free statewide consultation resource for health care providers treating pregnant and postpartum patients with mental health or substance-use concerns. Providers can call 1-888-290-1336, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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