Provider Tools
The Periscope Project exists to increase Wisconsin health care clinician’s capacity to support behavioral health needs of pregnant and postpartum women. Whether you are looking for specific information on managing treatment of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms with antidepressants or just looking to learn more about the broad topic of perinatal psychiatry, The Periscope Project can help.
Full Provider Toolkit
Download the toolkit with validated screening tools, evaluation guides, and treatment algorithms
Education Modules
View online videos featuring topics related to perinatal psychiatric disorders and treatment
National Standard of Care Recommendations
In June 2023, the US Preventative Services Task Force::
“The USPSTF recommends screening for depression in the adult population, including pregnant and postpartum persons, as well as older adults.”
In June 2023, the American College of OB/GYN clinical practice guidelines were updated to include recommendations that:
- Everyone receiving well-woman, prepregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum care be screened for depression and anxiety using standardized, validated instruments.
- Screening for perinatal depression and anxiety occur at the initial prenatal visit, later in pregnancy, and at postpartum visits.
- Mental health screening be implemented with systems in place to ensure timely access to assessment and diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate monitoring and follow-up based on severity.
In January 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- The pediatric primary care physician has a unique opportunity to identify PPD and help prevent untoward developmental and mental health outcomes for the infant and family. Screening has proven successful in several initiatives. Intervention and referral are optimized by collaborative relationships with community resources and/or by collocated and/or integrated mental health in primary care. Routine screening for PPD should be integrated into well-child visits at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Training and continuing medical education programs should be available for all pediatric providers on the subject of PPD screening and referral.
Wisconsin has three types of psychiatric access programs available
In addition to Periscope, Wisconsin has a psychiatric access program to cover adult patients struggling with addiction and pediatric patients struggling with mental health conditions. The UW Addiction Consultation Provider Hotline offers on-call help to health care providers seeking support and direction in treating their patients’ substance use problems. WI CPCP improves mental health care for children and adolescents in the state of Wisconsin. through education, consultative support, and resource support to eligible health care providers.
Available Monday – Friday from 8am – 4pm CST, excluding holidays.
Provider to provider perinatal psychiatric tele-consultations within 30 minutes.
E-mails returned within one business day.
The Periscope Project is a program of the Medical College of Wisconsin – Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine.
