VIA LINK to Address Maternal Mental Health

VIA LINK, a Louisiana nonprofit, is expanding mental health assistance for mothers and caretakers
across the state — all available at no cost to moms and their families. VIA LINK will provide these
services through its established “Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana (PCAL)” program.
In Louisiana, 26% of mothers reported anxiety, depression, or both in 2023, a number that has grown at
an alarming pace in recent years. With grant funding from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Foundation, VIA LINK will enable Louisiana hospitals to send each new mother home with information on
how to access mental health services, including a 24/7 crisis line and local support.
The grant from the Blue Cross Foundation will also enable VIA LINK’s licensed clinicians to train hospital
staff on recognizing and responding to suicidal ideation in new mothers — an overlooked need, according
to LaVondra Dobbs, the CEO of VIA LINK:
“Any new mother knows that, while parenthood can be rewarding and wonderful, it can be really difficult
to cope with all of the changes that it brings – caring for someone else becomes your most essential
priority, you’re adjusting to a new erratic sleep schedule, you’re not feeling your best physically, and the
feelings of isolation and disconnection after giving birth can be severe,” Dobbs said.
“Our society places so much pressure on moms to be perfect parents from the very first day of
motherhood. The most important thing is that any woman we might reach knows two things: first, you are
not alone in feeling the way you do; and second, we are here to help,” she added.
“Louisiana has some of the highest rates of infant and maternal death, and research suggests that suicide
accounts for as much as 20% of the overall mortality rate among new mothers,” said Michael Tipton,
president of the Blue Cross Foundation. “This terrifying statistic shows us how crucial it is to make sure
the people providing care to pregnant and new moms are able to spot the signs that a woman is in crisis,
and know how to help them access the help they need.
(more)

Accessing Mental Health Support and Training Through VIA LINK
For mothers and other caregivers in need of support, VIA LINK and Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana
(PCAL) offer services including:
● LA Parentline, a 24/7 phone and text service for emotional support and parenting resources in a
safe and confidential space. Parents can call 833-LA-CHILD (833-522-4453) to speak with a live
specialist, or can text 225-424-1533.
● Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana website and resources for education, local events, and other
resources: www.PreventChildAbuseLA.org
Healthcare providers who want to access VIA LINK’s clinician-led training and services, including
recognizing and responding to suicide ideation in pregnant and new mothers, can contact PCAL’s
director, Sherrard Crespo, LCSW, at screspo@vialink.org.

About VIA LINK
VIA LINK is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides a range of services to the people of Louisiana.
They provide crisis intervention to those in crisis, help people connect with critical services, give suicide
intervention, offer opioid counseling and more.  These services are provided over phone, text, and online
chat services 24/7, 365 days a year. They also provide many regional and national programs using their
database and key service capabilities in service to others. VIA LINK services include Crisis and Suicide
Intervention, Information and Data Management Solutions, Care Coordination Services, Hotlines, Prevent
Child Abuse Louisiana (PCAL), Opioid Text Line, Survivors of Suicide Loss Groups, Teen Crisis Text
Line, Kinship Foster Support, Youth NOLA and more.