Florida's Inaugural Perinatal Mental Health Conference:
The Intersection of Mental Health and Parenthood
May 5, 2016 Wyndham Garden, Gainesville, FL
Presented by the Alachua County Perinatal Mental Health Coalition
May 1-7, 2016 was proclaimed by the City of Gainesville and Alachua County to be recognized as Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Week! May 5th was the very first conference in Florida solely focused on perinatal mental health. This conference is a product of the work and collaboration of the stakeholders of the Alachua County Perinatal Mental Health Coalition. Attendees included a variety of professionals from across the state who interface with women, men and families from preconception to postpartum. The purpose was to bring together an array of professionals and community members to improve knowledge regarding recognition, screening, treatment and communication within the perinatal period.
Conference activities included Gainesville's own expert, Dr. Kay Roussos-Ross of UF College of Medicine; Dr. Heather Flynn of FSU College of Medicine and presentation by Coalition Founder/Chair, Lauren DePaola, LCSW.
Attendees also had the opportunity to experience the impactful film documentary, Dark Side of The Full Moon with panel Q&A afterwards.
It is the Coalitions' intent to produce an annual conference to shine light on perinatal mood disorders, maternal mental health and emerging considerations within this field.
Interested in partnering, sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2017 conference? Contact us HERE
 Commissioner Ken Cornell gives opening remarks and reads Alachua County Commission proclamation of the first week in May, 2016 as "Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Week" |  Keynote speaker, Dr. Kay Roussos-Ross of UF/Shands |
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 Keynote speaker Dr. Heather Flynn, FSU College of Medicine |  Founder/Chair, Lauren W. DePaola, LCSW |
 Panelists: Dr. Elias Sarkis, Dr. San Chang, Erin Smith, ARNP/CNM |  Panelists: Dr. Ashley Walsh, OBGYN; Jennifer Hentz-Moyer; Lauren DePaola, LCSW |
 Sponsor Alliance Pediatrics and Office Manager Carol |  Sponsor North Florida Women's Physicians; Barbara Woodmansee, Clinical Director |
 Sponsor NAMI Gainesville |  Sponsor Sarkis Family Psychiatry & Clinical Trials |
 Jennifer Hentz-Moyer, Author, "A Mother's Climb Out of Darkness" |  Coalition member, James Andrisin |
 Sponsor Healthy Start |  Dr. Elias Sarkis and Lauren DePaola, LCSW |
 Sarah Kotranza, Warrior Mom Ambassador and Jennifer Hentz-Moyer |  Sponsor table for MIECHV |
 Dr. Kay Roussos-Ross, Lauren DePaola and Dr. Ashley Walsh |  Sponsor Postpartum Wellness & Family Counseling |
 Terri Huss at sponsor table UF Health Psychiatry |