From the Clancy case to better postpartum care: evidence-strong steps via peer support
The article uses Lindsay Clancy’s case to underscore postpartum depression as a widespread, treatable public-health issue and argues that scalable solutions—especially collaborative care models paired with trained peer coaches—can improve access and outcomes. Pilots in Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Colorado, and programs like Alma and FamilyWell Health show that peer supports can reduce symptoms quickly, sometimes nearly as fast as licensed therapists, when integrated with medical care. The piece calls for better care coordination, funding, and insurer adoption to connect new mothers with empathetic, experienced peers and to normalize postpartum mental health care as a standard part of postnatal care.