Postpartum Support International

Delaware
PSI-DE

Postpartum Support International (PSI) is the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to helping those suffering from perinatal mood disorders, the most common complication of childbirth.

Our Mission is to increase awareness, education, prevention, and treatment of perinatal mental health issues affecting individuals, their families, and support systems in all areas of Delaware.

Our Vision is that all pregnant and postpartum individuals and their families, including those from underserved communities, will have access to perinatal support, mental health/healthcare providers, education, and resources to improve overall well-being through advocacy, training, and increased awareness of perinatal mental health.

President: Amy Didden, LCSW

Amy Didden, LCSW is the current president of PSI-DE and one of the founding members. She is committed to improving access to perinatal mental health care in areas of DE with few or no resources. To this end, she has provided trainings, promoted scholarships, developed a Provider listserv and recruited new Board members in lower DE.  Ms. Didden has been offering specialized treatment for PMADs in her private practice since 2011. She has a special interest in mindfulness skills and has served as a peer facilitator for a local meditation group. Amy received her foundational certification in EMDR in 2021 to better treat women who have experienced birth trauma or perinatal loss.

Secretary: Anne Decaire, MSN, PMHNP

Anne DeCaire, MSN, PMHNP is the sole Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for the Christiana Care Health System’s Center for Women’s Emotional Wellbeing where she provides virtual and office setting outpatient services to women in the perinatal period. Ms. DeCaire enjoys promoting holistic mental health care for this population by educating patients, using therapeutic interventions, collaborating with CWEW therapists, providing specialized Perinatal assessments and medication management. Ms. Decaire has a passion for mentoring future perinatal mental health practitioners. Additionally, Ms. DeCaire is a founding board member of PSI Delaware Chapter.

Treasurer: Elizabeth Feichter

Elizabeth Feichter is a founding member of PSI-DE, motivated by her personal experiences with PMADs to make a difference in maternal mental health care. She brings a background in business to running the organization and served as our first chapter president. Ms. Feichter founded The Mother’s Space, Delaware’s first perinatal community center in 2017. She serves as a state care coordinator for the PSI warmline, helping families connect with local resources.

Outreach and Education Chair: Lindsay Griffin, LCSW

Lindsay Griffin, LCSW is a Social Work Ph.D. student at Bryn Mawr College and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with ten years of experience in the mental health field. Ms. Griffin received her Master of Social Work with a clinical/direct concentration from the University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of her career, Ms. Griffin has worked in several community-based positions and managed care in her work with children, adolescents, and their families. Ms. Griffin also has experience working with adults individually and with couples. She currently facilitates a monthly support group for women experiencing fertility issues at RADfertility (formerly known as Reproductive Associates of Delaware). Ms. Griffin is committed to incorporating anti-racism and trauma-informed care principles in social work practice. Her research interests broadly focus on reducing disparities in treatment access for marginalized communities and promoting mental wellness for the Black/African-American community across the lifespan.

Access to Care Chair: Carrie Snyder, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

Carrie Snyder is from Sussex County, Delaware. She received her BSN from the University of Delaware and her MSN from Wilmington University; she is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at Georgetown University. Ms. Snyder became board certified by the ANCC as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2008.  She began her nursing career as a Critical Care Nurse.  Her experiences as an FNP include primary care, pediatrics, school-based wellness centers, walk-in clinic, and her current role as the Service Line Nurse Navigator for Beebe Healthcare. With a passion for women’s health and a focus on treating the whole person mind and body, she became certified by Postpartum Support International in Perinatal Mental Health in 2021. Ms. Snyder serves as the chair of the Health Committee for the Sussex County Health Coalition. She also serves on the Fetal-Infant Mortality Review Committee for the State of Delaware.  She is the appointed representative on the Medical Executive Staff at Beebe Healthcare for all Advanced Practice Providers.

Member at Large: Megan O’Hara, LCSW, PMH-C

Megan O’Hara is a licensed clinical social worker for Christiana Care’s Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness (CWEW) where she specializes in the treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and has helped with developing CWEW’s integrated care model. She is also the State of Delaware’s first Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) clinician and the 2021 Governor’s Compassionate Champion Award Recipient for her work on implementing Trauma Informed Care initiatives in healthcare service. She chaired the annual Climb fundraising and awareness campaign in 2018 and aided in drafting the bill to acknowledge May 5th as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day.  Ms. O’Hara earned a Master’s degree in clinical social work from Widener University in 2003 and completed her clinical training with sexual abuse survivors. Prior to joining Christiana Care in 2007, Ms. O’Hara worked extensively treating women and families effected by sexual abuse and intimate partner violence and is a proponent of trauma-informed care. In Ms. O’Hara’s current role, she provides assessments, education, and treatment to women and their families who are at risk for or experiencing perinatal mood disorders. Ms. O’Hara is involved in ongoing program development for the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness, provides clinical supervision to graduate students and provides professional
education and consultation, including sitting on the Maternal Mortality Review Board.

Member at Large: Jimena Jolley, APRN, WHNP-BC

Jimena Jolley is a board member of PSI Delaware, with over 10 years of experience in maternal-child nursing. Ms. Jolley works as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Westside Family Healthcare providing care to women through their reproductive years and beyond. Originally, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, she strives to provide bilingual culturally competent care in both English and Spanish. She is passionate about perinatal mental health and increasing access and resources to moms in Delaware.

Member at Large: Katie Goemaat, LCSW, CD, SBD, CBE

Katie Goemaat is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of DE.  She is currently employed as a Senior Social Worker and Gender Therapist / Specialist at Christiana Hospital’s outpatient behavioral health program. Ms. Goemaat became interested in perinatal mental health after working as a doula for five years.  She is trained as a bereavement doula and is passionate about helping transgender people grow their families.

Member at Large: K. Starr Lynch, RNC-OB, BSN

K. Starr Lynch has worked in maternal/child nursing since 1989. She is currently a Senior Nurse Manager for Women and Children’s Services at Bayhealth Hospital, responsible for the day-to-day operations including the management of staffing, supplying, billing and budget for this community-based hospital. She has advanced skills in providing support to parents of infants with profound birth defects and palliative newborns, and previously worked in the world’s first birth facility exclusively for mothers carrying babies with known birth defects, where she provided nursing for Laparoscopic and Open Fetal surgery. Ms. Lynch is fluent in Spanish and has experience working in diverse communities.  She is also published on the topic of Universal Postpartum Screening.

Member at Large: Ashley Kilgoe, BSN, RN

Ashley Kilgoe, BSN, RN is a graduate student at the University of Delaware. She is currently enrolled in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program with a focus on maternal mental health. She is also a survivor of Postpartum Depression and advocates for culturally appropriate screening and treatment of women of color in underserved communities.  She has published an article for NAMI’s website in 2021: “Addressing the Increased Risk for Postpartum Depression in Black Women.”

Policy and Legislation Chair: Laura Nastase Najemy, Esq

Ms. Najemy is an attorney in the State of Delaware. She volunteers with the Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program, where she specializes in part on assisting attorneys experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  She is a passionate advocate of the destigmatization of PMADs, and brings legislative advocacy experience to the Board, as she spearheaded the recognition of May 5, 2021 as Maternal Mental Health Day by the Delaware Legislature. Laura is also an advocate for mindfulness and meditation practice through textile arts.  She graduated from the University of Southern California and Fordham Law School.

Want to make a difference in Delaware?

Become a member or donate today!

PSI relies on members and contributions from the community to promote awareness, prevention, and treatment of maternal mental health issues related to childbearing.

All memberships are tax-deductible.

Become a PSI-DE Volunteer

There are many ways to help and volunteer with PSI, and we would love to have you join us. All are welcome at PSI! Survivors, mental health professionals, doulas, clinicians, and anyone else interested and passionate about raising awareness about perinatal mental health can volunteer through the chapter in order to give back to their local communities.

PSI Chapters are made up of a variety of local advocates and stakeholders who further the mission of PSI on a grassroots level. Chapters work on a wide range of initiatives that they develop based on their communities needs. While some chapters may focus on passing legislation, others may create a robust network of peer support groups, and all chapters provide scholarships for PSI trainings and events.

Contact the Chapter to find out about volunteer opportunities near you. Explore other volunteer opportunities on the PSI website.

Scholarships

PSI-DE offers scholarships for PSI perinatal mental health trainings and conferences.

Please contact the Chapter for more information.

PSI-DE News & Events

We gather as a community to walk and socialize. We meet fellow survivors, supporters & providers. #climbout