St. John's-based clinic breaking down barriers for new parents

A St. John's psychiatrist says new mothers in Newfoundland and Labrador are struggling, so she's launched a virtual clinic tohelp them access the care they need.

According to Dr. Archana Vidyasankar, 28 per cent of women in the province among the highest rates in Canada experience perinatal mood and anxiety problems.

"What people need isn't always acute medical care or psychiatry," she said.

Instead, Prakash Pathways will co-ordinate people with specific practitioners who specialize in different areas that contribute to perinatal stress and anxiety.

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Whether they're looking for advice on what to expect during pregnancy, labour/delivery and postpartum, or if they're struggling with the difficulties of nursing and sleep deprivation, new parents will be able to access support at the click of a button from anywhere in the province.

"The idea behind the whole thing is that you don't have to search 10 different web sites to find what you need," said Vidyasankar.

The site can connect parents who need support in a range of areas, including couples counselling, lactation and sleep support, with the goal of reducing barriers and providing accessible care.

"A lot of times the followup gets missed after delivery," said Vidyasankar. "The focus is on baby for so long and then all of a sudden, you go home and have to figure it out all by yourself. We realized there needs to be a better way of navigating the system, so why not put it all together?"

Vidyasankar has been practising perinatal psychiatry in St. John's for four years. During that time, she's seen how counselling and therapy can play a big role in a new parent's recovery and transition.

Patients don't need a doctor's referral to make an appointment with Prakash Pathways. The services are not covered by MCP, but some of them may be covered through an individual'smedical insurance.

"This is a collection of what we would call allied health counsellors, therapists, practitioners. People can book right in [themselves]. They can choose the availability, the practitioner they want, the time that they want."

For those who aren't quite sure what kind of support they need, they can book an online assessment to figure out where they need to go.

"Sometimes we're not sure in the thick of it all," she said. "We're sleep-deprived and have difficulty leaving the house with all the things. It's hard to know what your needs are."

Vidyasankar launched the clinic Monday. Shesaid there's already been a lot of interest about 600 visitors to the site on its first day.

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