Press Releases

Pine Rest is pleased to announce the start of a new Mother and Baby Program which will open Dec. 10. Only the second of its kind in the country, the program is a day treatment program lasting on average five days.  

The partial hospitalization program will treat a number of perinatal mood disorders including postnatal depression, postpartum psychosis, postpartum anxiety and perinatal depression. It provides a unique opportunity for women with perinatal mood disorders to receive treatment in an environment which enhances mother/baby bonding.  

The program includes the addition of a nursery, allowing mothers to bring their babies with them on a daily basis. This feature removes many barriers to women seeking treatment such as separation from their baby, childcare and feeding issues and it allows staff to work with mother and baby, eliminating poor outcomes for the baby.  

Pine Rest currently treats women with postpartum depression and perinatal mood disorders in the hospital, adult partial program and in our many outpatient clinics. Yet the research indicates that better outcomes are achieved when the patient can bring her newborn with her during treatment.  

The development of this program began more than three years ago and included contributions by many colleagues, care providers and community organizations. All of the information and research identified a regional gap in care.  

Women receiving services in the Mother and Baby Program will benefit in a number of ways not available in current treatment programs:
   ·   Groups and classes are specifically tailored to the needs of women who are pregnant or
       postpartum.
   ·   Participants will benefit from spending time with women encountering the same issues.
   ·   Women will receive treatment provided by psychiatrists and clinicians specifically trained in
       perinatal mood disorders.
   ·   Clinical staff will help women with pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options
       while considering physical needs such as pregnancy and lactation.
   ·   Women can learn skills to help bond with their child and manage challenging symptoms.
   ·   Treatment will help reduce the long term effects of the illness on children.  

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About Pine Rest
Pine Rest is one of the five largest free-standing behavioral health providers in the U.S., offering a full continuum of services including inpatient and partial hospitalization, residential and outpatient services, addiction treatment and recovery, extensive child and adolescent programs, senior care services, as well as specialized assessment and treatment clinics. In addition to the main campus in Grand Rapids, Pine Rest also has 16 outpatient locations throughout Michigan and two in Iowa. Pine Rest achieved a historic milestone in June 2010 when the organization marked 100 years of service to the greater Grand Rapids and national community.