My guest is Joy Burkhard, MBA. Joy is the founder and Executive Director of 2020 Mom. Joy founded 2020 Mom in 2011 after her personal, volunteer and professional worlds collided. She is also the Chair of Mom Congress.

In this role, Joy has used her knowledge of the complex health care system to advance change in maternal mental health. She has over 20 years of experience working in several roles with the health insurer, CIGNA, including working in service delivery, quality improvement, and regulatory affairs. She has a passion for scaling change and putting the patient and customer first.

She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Expert Work Group on Maternal Mental Health and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative Executive Committee.

Joy has been recognized for her leadership and vision with several awards, receiving the "Emerging Leader" award in women's health from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Women's Health (2016), The California American Mother, Mother of Achievement Award (2019), a Women in Business Stevie Award (“Silver”) for Non-Profit/Government Leadership, Cigna's Volunteer of the Year Award (2016), and the Junior League of Los Angeles' Founders Cup (2014) and Community Achievement Award (2016).

She spearheaded the three important legislation laws that passed recently, including the Maternal Mental Health Screening and Support Act (AB 2193) that went into effect as of July 1, 2019. This law requires an OB-GYN to screen their patient for a Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorder during their pregnancy and/or at their followup visit after their baby is born. It also requires private and public (Medicaid) health plans (HMO's) and health insurers (PPO's) to create maternal mental health programs.

1 in 7 women will experience a postpartum mood and anxiety disorder up to a year after giving birth (studies are now concluding postpartum symptoms may last longer than once believed). Suicide is the second leading cause of death in postpartum women. Screening will save lives. Postpartum depression is a misnomer as women can experience "postpartum" during the perinatal period (during pregnancy). When including women who have had a miscarriage or stillbirth, around 900,000 women suffer from postpartum depression annually in the United States - this is not taking into account, traumatic births and the post-traumatic stress symptoms and disorders that also can develop regardless of the birth outcome or loss of the pregnancy.

Joy Burkhard can be reached through her website: joy@2020mom.org

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