Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) affect countless families during pregnancy and the postpartum period, yet identifying when someone needs support isn’t always as straightforward as administering a screening questionnaire.
On November 4, 2026, AutoNotes Academy is hosting Beyond the Blues: Screening, Assessment, & Early Intervention for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, a free, live online training led by Dr. Chyna Hill, PhD, LCSW, PMH-C.
Designed for mental health professionals and other healthcare providers, this 60-minute session explores how clinicians can move beyond routine screening to recognize warning signs, build trust with patients, and connect families with appropriate care.
Participants who meet the completion requirements can earn 1 NBCC continuing education credit.
Why Perinatal Mental Health Deserves More Attention
Pregnancy and the postpartum period bring significant physical, emotional, and psychological changes. While temporary mood fluctuations are common after childbirth, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can involve more persistent and serious symptoms that require clinical attention.
These conditions can include perinatal depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, bipolar disorder, and postpartum psychosis.
Although screening is an important part of identifying potential concerns, screening alone doesn’t guarantee that someone experiencing symptoms will receive appropriate care.
For some mothers, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, fear of judgment, stigma, or child welfare involvement may discourage honest disclosure during routine assessments.
Effective perinatal mental healthcare requires more than asking the right questions. It also requires creating an environment where patients feel safe answering them.
What You’ll Learn During the Training
Beyond the Blues takes a practical, culturally responsive approach to screening, assessment, and early intervention.
During the session, Dr. Hill will explore:
- Screening and assessment tools: When and how to use validated instruments, including the EPDS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, MDQ, and PCL-5.
- Culturally responsive care: How trust, stigma, and systemic barriers influence disclosure and access to mental health services.
- Differential diagnosis: Recognizing distinctions between perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and psychosis.
- Early intervention: Identifying urgent clinical concerns and responding appropriately to potential postpartum mental health emergencies.
- Building continuity of care: Using warm referrals, follow-up practices, and community support networks to improve outcomes for mothers and families.
The training also incorporates clinical case discussions to examine how warning signs can be overlooked or misunderstood within healthcare and social service systems.
Attendees will leave with practical considerations they can apply when supporting patients during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Meet the Instructor: Dr. Chyna Hill
Dr. Chyna Hill, PhD, LCSW, PMH-C, is a therapist, researcher, and Co-Founder of the Black Girls Mental Health Foundation.
Licensed in Georgia and California, Dr. Hill specializes in perinatal mental health and trauma. She is also an EMDR Certified Therapist.
Her background combines clinical practice, academic research, and technology, including previous experience as a Senior User Experience Researcher at Google.
Dr. Hill earned her PhD and Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California.
During Beyond the Blues, she will draw on her clinical and research experience to help providers better understand the challenges of identifying and responding to perinatal mental health conditions, particularly among underserved populations.
Training Details: November 4, 2026
- Course: Beyond the Blues: Screening, Assessment, & Early Intervention for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
- Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026
- Time: 12:00–1:00 PM Eastern
- Format: Live online training via Zoom
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Cost: Free registration
- Continuing Education: 1 NBCC CE credit
- Eligibility: Open to all providers
- Instructor: Dr. Chyna Hill, PhD, LCSW, PMH-C
How to Earn Your CE Credit
To receive continuing education credit, participants must attend the full live training, complete the post-training evaluation, and pass a 10-question posttest with a score of at least 80%. Unlimited retakes are permitted.
AutoNotes users must complete account verification. A $19.99 certificate fee applies to non-users.
Certificates are emailed within 14 business days after the training once all requirements have been completed.
This program has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) for NBCC credit. NBCC Approval No. SP-5510. Auto Notes AI is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Register for Free and Expand Your Clinical Knowledge
Whether you regularly work with expectant and postpartum mothers or want to strengthen your understanding of perinatal mental health, this training offers an opportunity to develop practical assessment and intervention skills.
Join Dr. Chyna Hill and AutoNotes Academy on November 4 for an important conversation about screening, culturally responsive assessment, and supporting families through perinatal mental health challenges.
Registration is free, and the training is open to all providers.
