For Providers – RI MomsPRN

About RI MomsPRN

The Rhode Island Maternal Psychiatry Resource Network (RI MomsPRN) is a free psychiatric telephone consultation service for health care providers who treat pregnant and postpartum women. RI MomsPRN is a collaborative project between the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Women & Infants Center for Women’s Behavioral Health, funded by a five-year grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It was established to build the capacity of providers to screen for behavioral health and substance use disorders in their pregnant and postpartum patients, and respond with appropriate treatment and referral. 

The program is modeled after Rhode Island’s successful Pediatric Psychiatry Resource Network (PediPRN) and similarly offers real-time perinatal psychiatric telephone consultation and resource/referral services to obstetricians, midwives, general practitioners, pediatricians, or any provider who encounters pregnant and postpartum women. The goal is to empower providers to effectively manage their perinatal patients’ behavioral health and substance use concerns, by initially providing treatment guidance from RI MomsPRN perinatal psychiatric specialists, and/or offering information and referral for additional supports and services in their patients’ geographic area.

Call the Resource Network Now

 

Contact Information:

RI MomsPRN
P: (401) 430-2800

Providers can call (401) 430-2800 or email RIMomsPRN@CareNE.org Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to be connected to perinatal psychiatric specialists in real-time.

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RIDOH-Logo

 

Supports and Services Offered

Resource and referral (Social worker)
  • Call intake and triage
  • Make connections to treatment and support services
  • Schedule provider teleconsultation with perinatal behavioral health experts
Clinical consultation (Psychiatrist and psychologist)
  • Same-day, provider-to-provider psychiatric teleconsultation services
  • Diagnostic support
  • Treatment planning
  • Medication and dosage recommendations
Continuing education (RIDOH and CWBH staff)
  • Deliver continuing medical education sessions on a variety of perinatal behavioral health topics
  • Why do we need RI MomsPRN?
  • How does RI MomsPRN work?
  • How else can RI MomsPRN help?
Why do we need RI MomsPRN?

Up to one in five women in Rhode Island suffer from a mood or anxiety disorder during their pregnancy or postpartum, making it the most common medical complication of childbirth. Health care providers often discontinue or delay psychiatric medication in their pregnant or breastfeeding patients due to concerns about medication safety. RI MomsPRN specialists are available to provide real-time medication consultation and guidance, thus promoting high-quality care and improving healthy maternal and infant outcomes.

There is also growing evidence that perinatal substance use is increasing. Gone untreated, these complications can have long-lasting negative impacts on both mom and baby, including low birth weight, impaired mother-infant attachment, and cognitive and behavioral impairments during the child’s development. They can also negatively impact the relationship and mental health of partners, compounding the effects on the whole family. 

Perinatal mood and substance use disorders are highly treatable. Rhode Island has a robust community of perinatal mental health experts and the unique programming of the Women’s Behavioral Health department and Day Hospital at Women & Infants. Still, there is a shortage in availability of specialized providers.

RI MomsPRN seeks to fill this need by offering education, guidance and support to build front-line prenatal and primary care providers' confidence in treating mild to moderate cases of perinatal mood complications, thus allowing specialty resources to be devoted to high-risk women with more complex conditions.

How does RI MomsPRN work?

Health care providers can call RI MomsPRN at (401) 430-2800 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Your call will be answered by a Perinatal Clinical Social Worker who will gather information to assess and triage your patient’s needs and help determine the best next steps. This could include same-day telephone consultation with a RI MomsPRN Perinatal Psychiatrist, referral for an in-person evaluation with a perinatal mental health specialist, referral to a community-based support group or perinatal therapist, or other case-dependent resources.

For a list of specific patient information we recommend having when making a call to RI MomsPRN, see our helpful hints for calling RI MomsPRN.

How else can RI MomsPRN help?

Support with screening
A critical mission of RI MomsPRN is to increase screening for mental health and substance use disorders at all perinatal and pediatric care sites across the state. For practices that are interested in a more intensive engagement with RI MomsPRN, funding may be available through the Care Transformation Collaborative of Rhode Island (CTC-RI) to support a quality improvement project at your practice, focused on implementing or enhancing screening for perinatal depression, anxiety, and substance use. Interested practices may contact us by calling (401) 430-2800 to find out if they are eligible.

Educational opportunities
RI MomsPRN can support you and your practice through educational presentations and training. If you would like to request an in-person presentation or training, please contact eray@wihri.org.

RI MomsPRN FAQs

How do I access RI MomsPRN?

Providers and/or their support staff can call RI MomsPRN at (401) 430-2800, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. In the rare event that we are on the line assisting another provider when you call, please leave a message with your name and callback phone number and your call will be returned promptly.

Can I call RI MomsPRN for crisis services?

No, RI MomsPRN is not a crisis service. If your patient is experiencing an acute psychiatric emergency, please follow your practice’s emergency protocol.

Who can access RI MomsPRN?

Any health care provider who encounters pregnant and postpartum patients can utilize this free service. Obstetricians, midwives, nurse practitioners, family practitioners, general psychiatrists, primary care physicians, and pediatricians are all welcome to call RI MomsPRN. Please note that providers can also have their office support staff call with a provider’s inquiry and call-back info, and the Resource & Referral Specialist will arrange a call-back to the provider directly. For a list of specific patient information we recommend having when making a call to RI MomsPRN, see our helpful hints for calling RI MomsPRN.

 

What kind of questions can I ask RI MomsPRN staff?
A provider can call to ask general questions about perinatal mental health or substance use, or specific questions pertaining to a particular patient. Questions may be about diagnosis and treatment of a specific illness, use of a particular medication, use of a screening tool, help with locating community resources (e.g. individual therapists, support groups) or anything else that will help address the mental health and substance use concerns of your perinatal patients.
What will happen when I call RI MomsPRN?

Your call will be answered by the RI MomsPRN Resource & Referral Specialist. Basic information, reason for contact, and direct call-back number will be collected. Depending on your question, the Resource & Referral Specialist may be able to answer you on the spot, or provide information and referral to local perinatal supports and services for your patient. If an MD teleconsultation is indicated, the Resource & Referral Specialist will facilitate a call-back from a perinatal psychiatrist, who will provide case-based consultation.

Can RI MomsPRN staff provide direct psychiatric treatment and/or prescribe medications for my patient?
No, RI MomsPRN staff cannot provide direct treatment. We will support you in managing your patient’s mental health and substance use disorders, and assist with treatment referral.
Can patients call RI MomsPRN?

No. RI MomsPRN is a provider-to-provider service, not a direct service for patients. Below are some resources directed toward mothers and families:

Can RI MomsPRN provide materials for my practice?
Yes, we can provide program brochures, business cards, and flyers for your practice. To request materials, please call RI MomsPRN at (401) 430-2800 or email eray@wihri.org.
What is the provider toolkit?
The provider toolkit is a set of resources designed for health care providers to assist with screening and treating perinatal mood and substance use disorders. The toolkit includes our screening tool guide, helpful hints for calling RI MomsPRN with information on what basic patient and provider information to have when you make an initial call to RI MomsPRN, and a flowchart of the program's functions and objectives.
Can RI MomsPRN provide education and training?
Yes, we have educational webinars and presentations available on our website and can also provide in-person educational events or trainings. If you would like to request an in-person presentation or training, please contact eray@wihri.org.
I’m a pediatric provider – what can RI MomsPRN do for me?
RI MomsPRN is aware that pediatric providers regularly encounter perinatal women who they suspect are struggling with mood or substance use disorders, but may not know where to turn, because the baby or child is your patient. When this happens, we encourage you to call RI MomsPRN (with your patient’s mother’s consent) so that we can assist you in getting mom the resources she needs and connecting with her prenatal care provider about her behavioral health.