Women’s Mental Health Clinic

Mar 14, 2023

AHS’s Women’s Mental Health Clinic is a specialty perinatal service that provides psychiatric assessment and treatment for patients with mental health concerns during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum.

The clinic offers psychiatric consultation and individual and group therapy.

The clinic will not provide medical-legal documentation for court-mandated assessments for Child and Family Services.

Eligibility

Patients in Calgary with moderate to severe mental illness who are pregnant or within 12 months postpartum.

Inclusion criteria:

Moderate to severe mental health symptoms or illness with new onset or exacerbation during pregnancy or up to 12 months postpartum
Patient must have a physician who is managing their obstetrical care

Exclusion criteria includes patients:

With substance abuse as the primary mental health issue
Who would benefit from psychotherapy rather than a psychiatric assessment and medication
Already receiving other psychiatric support in the community
With fetal alcohol syndrome or low IQ
Not living in the city of Calgary

Referral Process

Only physicians and nurse practitioners can refer by using the referral form (fax to 403.944.2409 or through Connect Care).

Recommended documentation for referrals:

Complete medical and surgical history and updated medication profile
Past psychiatric records if available
Recent diagnostic imaging and lab work, including thyroid functioning

Clinic process upon receiving referral:

The clinic contacts the patient to arrange their attendance at a required orientation session.
Triage coordinator does a phone assessment* of the patient and triages them based on the results.
The clinic books the patient an appointment with a psychiatrist.

*If deemed appropriate for a physician-to-physician consultation rather than full psychiatric assessment, the coordinator will fax you about it.

Women’s Mental Health Clinic