Become a 2020 Mom Ambassador, Pledge to do Two of the activities.
And join our community of do-gooders on Facebook to inspire and support each other in completing projects noted below. Together we can improve MMH awareness and outcomes.
Once you do two you'll earn your Ambassador badge to proudly display on social media profiles and/or website.
Once earned, you may proudly display your Ambassador badge on social media, let your networks know of your Ambassadorship and promote your ambassador activities as such. Share our website content and social media posts freely. However, please do not post any written articles/statements/etc. written by you using 2020 Mom's name or your status as an ambassador without first obtaining 2020 Mom's written consent and submitting the content you wish to post/publish.
Yearly Ambassador Badges are distributed twice a year, in April & October. Those who have completed qualifying activities by March 31 will receive their badge by the first week in April, and those who've completed their qualifying activities by September 30 will receive their badges the first week in October.
Congratulations to the class of 2021 Ambassadors who have earned their badges!
Emily Bosio
Kristen Cook
Bridget Croteau
Becca Dom
Heather Dopp
Kristina Dulaney
Rachel Ebert
Missy Ellison
Ashley Emmons
Sharon Fisher
Samantha Foley
Mandi Gross
Becky Harman
Taylor Hooge
Danielle Kaizer Bonura
Kasie Kitson
Meredith McCurry-Webb
Heather Martin
Leila Martinez
Casey Mercado
Mary Miller
Allison Nguyen
Anne-Constance Nixon
Hanna Rodriguez
Rachel Stuhler Sarnowski
Yelena Shtyrkalo
Ataahua Tukaramaene
Lisa Westhorpe
Kate Wytrwal
Linda Zaffram
Congratulations to Heather Martin, our 2021 Ambassador of the Year
Heather Martin – Salem, NH
I have worked so hard this year in spreading awareness of the importance of maternal mental health. This pandemic continues to be challenging for our moms and their mental health. One way to recognize the moms who were struggling was to start a depression screen program at the pediatrics office (Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock) where I currently work. I created a workflow where the moms get screened for postpartum depression (Edinburgh on a confidential tablet) at their baby's visits and provide resources/groups for these moms that screen positive. They also get a follow-up call in 1-2 weeks to check-in to see how these moms are doing and if they contacted their OB/Gyn or a mental healthcare provider. This step is the most important! Just a simple check-in with these moms has proved a world of difference for them. This successful workflow was recognized by the hospital and by the local news here in New Hampshire. Also, I have written multiple articles that have appeared in the local newspapers, hospital websites, and the 2020 Mom blog to help spread awareness about maternal suicide. My goal is to continue advocating for maternal mental health here in my state and beyond. Screening should be done everywhere and access to maternal mental health for everyone. The fire has been lit, and I will continue on my journey! Thank you, 2020 Mom, for giving me the platform to reach so many of my goals.
View our past badge-earning Ambassadors and Ambassadors of the Year here.
Click image to enlarge.
Engage in Advocacy
Become a Member of Mom Congress
Join as an Individual Member, and receive one Ambassador activity credit.
LEARN MORE HERE
City, County or State MMH Month Proclamations
1. Find your local or state elected officials:
For a village/city proclamation, determine who is your Selectman, Alderman, County Commissioner or City Councilor. This can be done by visiting your city or town’s website or contacting the city or town clerk's office and telling them where you live and asking who represents you. Ask the clerk for the best way to contact your elected official. Some elected official's websites will have a link specifically to request proclamations.
For a state proclamation, visit your state’s website or contact the governor's office and ask who should be contacted to request a state proclamation.
2. Download the template and edit all the RED text areas in both the cover letter AND the 2nd page with proclamation wording with the information appropriate for your local official & area.
You can find the number of births in past years from your state, city or county vital records. Check your local/state department of public health and look for birth statistics, and use the latest stats you can find.
Make sure that you change all the text back to black after you have edited it.
3. Send the proclamation request to your elected official(s) via email or US Postal Mail.
4. If there is an opportunity for you to go to your local public official's meeting to obtain the proclamation and you are comfortable doing so, please do and make sure someone can get a photo of you with your local community leader who confirmed the proclamation, you may be offered a chance to speak briefly at that meeting. Please let us know if this is the case and we are happy guide you through this.
Thank your elected official(s) & community for their part in advocating for Maternal Mental Health!
5. Take a picture of the official proclamation and email it to Stacey@2020mom.org along with the name of your elected official(s) who helped get it named so we can acknowledge.
Have a Legislative Meeting
Meet with your state or federal elected official to tell your story and share whether your community is doing enough to address maternal mental health.
Don't worry, we connect you with other Ambassadors and provide support.
Host a Gathering
Host a Screening of a maternal mental health documentary.
Invite at least 3 friends, family members, co-workers or neighbors over to watch a documentary and have a conversation about maternal mental health.
Return to Zero: A true story of love, loss, and hope
October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. Consider having a community screening of the Return to Zero film. It's a great way to build a community of both bereaved parents and health providers.
If you are interested and need images for a poster or any ideas/support, please email kiley@rtzhope.org
When the Bough Breaks: A Documentary about Postpartum Depression (Available on NetFlix & iTunes)
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/when-the-bough-breaks/id1210503223
NetFlix https://www.netflix.com/title/80175828
The Dark Side of the Full Moon
Lead a discussion with a maternal mental health expert and share 2020 Mom's pathway to change.
- Though there are several documentaries on maternal mental health disorders, the only documentary currently available to the U.S. public via purchase or "Tugg" screening is The Dark Side of the Full Moon. Learn more about showing the film here: http://www.darksideofthefullmoon.com/rentitnow/
Some suggested starter questions:
What did you feel?
What did you learn?
What surprised you the most?
What resonated with you most?
Could this have been someone you know and do you think you would you have been able to tell if they were suffering? Why or why not?
Host a Webcast
Host a webcast of 2020 Mom's annual forum in February with at least one local agency/non-profit.
Fundraise
Be a Lifesaver: Help spread the hope, and support our work, through a Facebook or Instagram Fundraiser
A fundraiser can be set up for your birthday or at any time. Earn $150 or more and receive credit for 1 Ambassador activity.
Instructions for both Facebook and Instagram are available here.
Download a Facebook cover image.
(Note: Instagram doesn’t have a cover image for fundraisers.)
Host a Fundraiser of Your Choice
Earn $300 or more for 2020 Mom. You can raise money anyway you see fit. The simplest way is to join a ColorWalk walking team in your community (even if you can't walk), or the main annual walk in Los Angeles, and send out e-mails to your family and friends telling them why you believe in 2020 Mom and would love their support of this important organization.
Here are some more ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Consider a documentary viewing at your home, with cocktails for our cause.
Partner with a local restaurant to host brews and a local reproductive psychiatrist and legislator to speak about women's health.
TheBlueDot Virtual Run/Walk
Participants choose their own course, start time, to run or walk, and who walks next to them! It’s easy to set up your run/walk fundraising page and invite friends and family to support your walk. LEARN MORE HERE.
Share Your Story
If you struggled with an MMH disorder and would like to share a #MyMMHStory in our database (a.k.a. story bank) please do so here.
Donate Your DNA
Donate your DNA through MomGenes to Fight MMH Disorders Mom Genes analyzes DNA from women who suffered from maternal depression or psychosis to find a genetic connection and lead to additional cures. The goal of MomGenes Fight PPD is to rally 100,000 women who have suffered to donate their DNA via a simple at-home saliva collection kit.
Out in the Community
Hang Posters
Grab some girlfriends and spend 2-3 hours hanging posters like this one and/or distributing awareness materials in your community. Check out the available materials HERE.
Hold a Diaper or Baby Formula Drive
Organize a diaper baby formula drive to raise awareness about the link between a diaper or formula need and postpartum depression. You choose the non-profit in your community to donate to. LEARN MORE HERE.
Speaking Ambassador
Speak about MMH in your community or even at state or national levels on the range of disorders, prevalence, barriers to care and the 2020 Mom pathway forward. To be eligible you must have received at least 6 hours of certificate based training in maternal mental health, use a powerpoint deck provided by or approved by 2020 Mom and have presented to a 2020 Mom team and adopted feedback provided into your presentation. Email Stacey@2020mom.org to learn more. This activity counts as two 2020 Mom Ambassador Projects.
Local Initiatives & Partnerships
Engage your Hospital to Inspire Change
Engage your hospital staff to inspire change. Start by asking for a short meeting with the Labor and Delivery manager to inform her of free training and resources available to her and her staff.
See attached hospital engagement overview for more information.
Host a Stakeholder Meeting
Join with at least one local agency to hold a multiple stakeholder meeting, presenting an overview of MMH (if you are a Speaking Ambassador) or have a clinician trained in MMH present the overview. Work with your community to create 2-3 evidenced based action steps by using tools created by 2020 Mom, including a template invitation, powerpoint and more. Email Stacey@2020mom.org to learn more. This activity counts as two 2020 Mom Ambassador Projects.
MMH Passion Project
Do it your way! Make it personal.
Have a way to make a difference in MMH in your community?
Contact Stacey@2020mom.org to talk about your idea and how it may work with our Ambassador program.