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 About Us & Our Services
The BC Reproductive Mental Health Program is a multidisciplinary group of healthcare workers who specialize in women's reproductive mental health and well being. Together, the team has many years of clinical experience working with women and their families who are dealing with emotional difficulties related to the reproductive life cycle.
The program is part of BC Mental Health and Addiction Services, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority. We are located at BC Women's & BC Children's Hospitals in Vancouver BC.
Our team provides expertise and experience using an interdisciplinary, women and family-centered approach across a range of services including:
Outpatient Services:
Perinatal Mental Health Services - Preconception to One Year Postpartum
- Referral from a physician or midwife
- Patients receive an initial assessment from one of the team psychiatrists.
- Treatment planning and recommendations are made based on the initial assessment.
- Treatment options available through RMH include individual, couple and group therapy, nutritional counseling and social work services.
Premenstrual Sydrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) Services
- Referral from a physician
- Patients are scheduled to attend a mandatory 3 hour educational session. This session is based on the manual “A positive approach: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)” facilitated by a clinical counselor and nutritionist.
- Intake appointment with a psychiatrist.
- Treatment options include services of PMS counsellor and RMH groups and workshops.
Menopause
- Referrals from physicians are for psychiatric consultations services only.
- The assessment and treatment suggestions will be sent back to the referring physician to follow-up with the patient.
- Our team psychiatrists and nurse clinician receive referrals from the BC Women’s Antenatal and Postpartum wards including Fir Square and provide inpatient consults.
- Follow-up outpatient appointments are made as needed.
- For urgent consults after hours page the psychiatrist on-call.
We provide a variety of education and training services across the province. These include:
For more information, please email the Provincial Outreach Coordinator or call 604-875-2424 x 5693.
Clinical Training & Practicum Opportunities
The BC Reproductive Mental Health Program offers clinical placements and practicums to residents, medical students, nursing students, psychology interns and counseling students who are interestd in learning more about psychiatric disorders seen in women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. These placements also offer expereince in the assessment and treatmetn of patients with psychatric conditions related to infertility, pregnancy loss and the premenstrual period. Trainees are exposed to different members of our multi-disciplinary team including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse clinicians and counselors.
For more information on these training opportunities please contact:
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We have participated and conducted numerous studies in the field of reproductive mental health.
Our current focus of research aims to contribute to the knowledge on optimal treatment options for perinatal women’s mental health and increase understanding on the effects of psychotropic medication in the perinatal period.
Research Opportunities:
We also collaborate with the Women's Health Reseach Institute who are engaged in various projects with the goal of better understanding mental health in the perinatal period. Find out about current research projects and how you can help.
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