The MommaConnect project is rooted in the compelling research and statistics surrounding postpartum depression (PPD) and its impact on maternal mental health and infant outcomes. PPD affects approximately 1 in 5 women, with higher rates observed among African American/Black (AA/B) women after giving birth. The adverse effects of untreated PPD include chronic and treatment-resistant depression, functional impairment, dysfunctional family relationships, and increased suicide risk in mothers. Furthermore, PPD negatively affects mother-infant interaction, leading to decreased attention to infant safety, reduced breastfeeding rates, and poor infant developmental outcomes. Infants of mothers with PPD are at significant risk for long-term cognitive, emotional, and neurobehavioral issues. Access to specialized mental healthcare for AA/B women with PPD is limited, exacerbating healthcare disparities. MommaConnect addresses these challenges by offering evidence-based therapies, such as Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Mother-Baby Interaction Therapy (MBI), targeting both mothers with PPD and their infants. By leveraging a tailored mHealth platform, MommaConnect improves treatment accessibility, reduces mental health stigma, and addresses social determinants of health. It provides a comprehensive and innovative approach to perinatal mental health, aiming to enhance therapy sessions, facilitate ongoing monitoring and support, and ultimately improve outcomes for AA/B mothers and their infants. MBC is one of only three programs that target intensive mental health treatment among low-income postpartum women of color.

MommaConnect’s innovative features include: 

● MommaConnect combines evidence-based therapies for maternal mental health and mother-infant interaction. 

● MommaConnect utilizes a customized digital platform for remote psychotherapy and support. 

● MommaConnect overcomes access barriers by offering online/offline capabilities and targeting low-income postpartum women (African American/Black mothers with PPD). 

● MommaConnect enables patient data collection and promotes collaborative treatment decisions between clinicians and patients.

For the project, we are doing an iteration of the development of a mobile app for clinicians. For the Springboard project, we want to develop initial mock-ups and test them with the clinicians. We have some initial themes/concepts drafted based on the focus group sessions and we would like for the team to work on design iterations.

The design of the system component must include: 

• Allow for the creation of mobile education applications for use by clinicians focused on PPD/maternal and MBI/IPT education. 
• Provide a design system for the current and future expansion of the program including style guides
• Two iterations of the interactive wireframe for A/B testing with clinicians
• Hi-fi revisions for the clinician-side app design and functionality 
• Implement 12-week educational content 

Throughout the duration of the project, learners will receive support and mentorship to facilitate their success in completing the tasks. This support will include regular access to staff time for guidance and assistance, ensuring that learners have the necessary resources and expertise at their disposal.

Learners will benefit from ongoing communication and collaboration with a research assistant from Benten, who will provide a more in-depth introduction to the project and work closely with learners to define weekly objectives. Additionally, learners will have the opportunity to engage with project managers for guidance and feedback sessions to ensure alignment with project objectives and expectations.