GWUL launches paternal mental health training for Black fathers

The Greater Washington Urban League will host its first paternal mental health certification training June 17-18 in Washington, D.C., aiming to expand culturally responsive care for Black fathers. The program comes as research and providers continue to overlook fathers in perinatal mental health screening and treatment.

Why it matters: - Black fathers are often missing from conversations about pregnancy, birth and mental health, even though paternal perinatal depression can affect family stability and outcomes for mothers and children. - GWUL says expanding the number of trained providers could improve care for Black fathers across the DMV region and beyond. - The training also aims to address stigma, limited awareness and a shortage of providers trained in paternal perinatal mental health.

What happened: - The Greater Washington Urban League, with DC Health, Help Me Grow and Generation DMV, announced the inaugural Birthing Black: Fatherhood Liberated: Healing the Mind. Reclaiming the Legacy training program. - The two-day program takes place June 17-18 in Washington, D.C., and is timed to Father’s Day. - The training is designed for Black wellness providers and other health professionals interested in paternal perinatal mental health.

The details: - Trainers from Postpartum Support International will lead the program. - The curriculum covers screening, assessment, treatment planning and intervention. - The course emphasizes intersectional, multicultural and gender-responsive care. - Research cited in the announcement suggests nearly 1 in 10 fathers experiences depression during pregnancy or the first year after childbirth, with some studies putting the rate as high as 1 in 4 for first-time fathers. - Participants can earn up to 20 continuing education credits for licensure. - Participants can qualify for inclusion in the PSI Online Perinatal Mental Health Provider Directory. - GWUL says participants will also get keynote presentations, coaching, networking, collaboration and community-building. - The program includes inclusion on the Greater Washington Urban League website, which GWUL says reaches more than 10,000 families annually. - The PSI training and exam fee, described as about a $1,000 value, will cost $100 for participants. - Seats are limited, and registration is available through GWUL’s paternal mental health page. - Eligible participants include physicians, physician assistants, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, doulas, midwives, therapists, social workers, holistic practitioners and other birth professionals.

Between the lines: - The launch extends GWUL’s Birthing Black work beyond maternal mental health to include fathers as part of the perinatal care system. - The initiative reflects a broader push for culturally responsive care that treats Black fathers as essential to maternal health, family stability and generational healing. - By tying certification to practical clinical tools and directory access, the program is built to create a pipeline of providers who can be found by families and community members.

What’s next: - GWUL and its partners will train the first cohort of providers in mid-June. - The organization is expected to continue building its network of PSI-certified professionals focused on paternal mental health. - The new program builds on GWUL’s annual Birthing Black Perinatal Mental Health Certification Program for maternal mental health disparities.

The bottom line: - GWUL is using Father’s Day week to push paternal mental health into the mainstream and to make Black fathers a more visible part of perinatal care.