MUSC's Psychiatric Unit has reached out offering ways to help under served pregnant women and new moms right here in Charleston. They are collecting donations for the women in our community to help with mental health care, child care and provide support for young child education.
Mental Health: For many women their health insurance will lapse 30-90 days postpartum or their health insurance does not include mental health benefits at all. We would like to offer ‘treatment grants’ to women for $1,000 to pay directly to support mental health treatment. A donation of any size will help with this goal!
Childcare: Women we serve have always had issues with needing childcare so that they can attend mental health appointments, and, as part of their overall care, needing childcare so that they can get a break and take care of themselves even for just a few hours to take a nap, shower, go for a walk, go to the grocery store, replete themselves so they are not irritable and frustrated with their kids/partners etc. These breaks are really important for their overall well-being and their ability to parent effectively. In the midst of the COVID-10 crisis, these issues are paramount as women are with their kids 24/7 and have no breaks and families are stressed in general and financially. Additionally there are women that are trying to work from home while having kids at home – which is incredibly stressful - or would return to work but are unable because they can’t pay for childcare unless they are working. If they could start working, they could then afford childcare. We would like to offer ‘childcare grants’ to support women in recovery from peripartum mental health problems as well as those that can return to work but need some additional help in doing so.
Funds for childcare
To attend mental health appointments (4 hours per week, at $15 per hour X 10 weeks =$600)
To replete themselves so they are better parents (8 hours per week, at $15 per hour X 10 weeks= $1,200)
Return to work part-time (20 hours per week, at $15 per hour X 10 weeks= $3,000)
Tutoring: A third area that would be really helpful during COVID-19 is to pay for virtual tutoring for kids. Kids are struggling academically and parents are having a hard time teaching. Having even a few sessions per week with a reading or math tutor could be really beneficial during this time. We would like to offer ‘tutoring grants’ to support the children of women in recovery from peripartum mental health problems.
Funds for tutors
3-5, 1 hour sessions per week for math tutoring (5 hours per week, at $20 per hour, for 8 weeks [rest of school year] = $1,200)
3-5, 1 hours sessions per week for reading tutoring (5 hours per week, at $20 per hour, for 8 weeks [rest of school year] = $1,200)
Donate diapers and other supplies via the unit’s Amazon registry here.
To support: call 843.792.0175 or email psych-events@musc.edu.