Updated: August 2023

Author: Planning Unit, Vermont Department of Health

More than one-quarter of adults with children in their home have depression (27%). This has remained statistically similar since 2012, despite mental health being a priority across many sectors and systems.

This represents a significant number of families and children who are impacted.

Studies indicate that parental stress may undermine an adult’s ability to bond with or care for their children, and that children’s emotional and cognitive health may suffer as a result. Depression and anxiety can impact children from birth into adolescence and beyond, affecting:

• Birth outcomes (poor nutrition, preterm birth, low birth weight, spontaneous abortion)
• Cognitive development and behavioral challenges in infancy, toddler, and school age children
• Academic problems in adolescence

Specific to parents of infants and young children, as many as one in five childbearers are affected by symptoms of depression and anxiety before, during or after pregnancy. Mental health issues is this one of the most common complications of pregnancy. Depression and anxiety before, during, and after pregnancy (also known as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders) can have serious impacts on parental and family health and well-being, and long-lasting impacts on children’s cognitive, behavioral, and academic development.

New findings contradict the longstanding view that symptoms begin only within a few weeks after childbirth. In fact, depression often begins during pregnancy and can develop any time in the first year after a baby is born. Recent studies also show that the range of disorders people may face is wider than previously thought.

The Health Department understands that to address this issue we need to partner with traditional public health programs and other partners like social service organizations and other government agencies. Mental health is a complex issue with many protective and risk factors to be considered.

Improving the health of everyone living and working in Vermont will require trusting and equitable partnerships with many organizations, communities, and people. 

Some of our current partners include:

• Vermont Department of Health
• Vermont Department of Mental Health
• Blueprint for Health Pregnancy Intention Initiative (formerly Women’s Health Initiative)
• Children’s Integrated Services
• Vermont Child Health Improvement Program
• Designated mental health agencies
• Family health and pediatric health care providers
• Community organizations

This topic demands a multi-tiered approach that includes the coordination and integration of public health, healthcare, and social service organizations. Many types of services provide support for families and children, and mental health challenges. These include primary care (adult and pediatric), obstetrics, mental health, community-based services, and education and information to for families, their social networks, and circles of support.

Vermont is one of seven recipients of the Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA)-funded cooperative agreement: Screening and Treatment for Maternal Depression and Related Behavioral Disorders Program. This agreement is for a $627,000, 5-year grant, beginning in 2018.

This program is a partnership between the Vermont Department of Health, Department of Mental Health, Blueprint for Health, Children’s Integrated Services, Vermont Child Health Improvement Program, the designated mental health agencies, perinatal health and pediatric health care providers, and community organizations.

Vermont’s team has identified the following objectives for the five-year grant program. Ther Vermont program is now called Screening, Treatment & Access for Mothers & Perinatal Partners (STAMPP):

1. assess resources, gaps and opportunities in our existing system of care;
2. increase the capacity of Vermont’s health care providers to educate, screen, diagnose, prevent, and treat perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders;
3. increase the capacity of Vermont’s mental health system to diagnose, and treat perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders, including the exploration and implementation of telemedicine and technology innovations;
4. increase the capacity of the human service workforce to screen and support peropl at-risk for perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders;
5. identify and support innovative financing options to support the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of perinatal depression and other related behavioral disorders;
6. ensure access to comprehensive perinatal depression and educational information and support and treatment options;
7. develop up-to-date, real-time referral resources at the community level; and
8. conduct a comprehensive evaluation.

Two years of data are combined for this measure and data is shown on the graph for the most recent year.

The results are weighted to represent the Vermont adult population (18 or older). The baseline year is 2017 and the 5-year target for the SHIP was calculated as a return to the previous longitudinal baseline (24%).

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) tracks risk behaviors, chronic disease and health status of adults using an annual telephone survey. Vermont participates in the BRFSS along with all other US states and territories with the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can read more about the survey on the department's BRFSS information page.