Urban League to Host First Annual Paternal Mental Health Certification Training Program

Timed to Father's Day and the national conversation around the importance of fathers' well-being, the Greater Washington Urban League or GWUL (Washington, DC), in partnership with DC Health, Help Me Grow, and Generation DMV, is proud to announce the inaugural Birthing Black: Fatherhood Liberated: Healing the Mind. Reclaiming the Legacy training program taking place June 17-18 in Washington, D.C.

The first-of-its-kind training is designed for Black wellness providers and other healthcare professionals interested in strengthening the pipeline of certified providers focused on the unique needs of Black fathers, who are often overlooked in conversations surrounding pregnancy, birth, and mental health.

While maternal mental health has gained increasing attention in recent years, paternal perinatal mental health remains largely overlooked. Research suggests that nearly one in ten fathers experiences depression during pregnancy or the first year after childbirth, with some studies reporting rates as high as one in four among first-time fathers. Yet fathers are rarely screened for mental health concerns and often face barriers to seeking support, including stigma, lack of awareness, and limited provider training on paternal perinatal mental health.

Through Birthing Black: Fatherhood Liberated, the Greater Washington Urban League is advancing a new standard of care that recognizes Black fathers as essential to maternal health, family stability, and generational healing.

"For too long, Black fathers have been left out of conversations about perinatal mental health, despite the critical role they play in the well-being of mothers, children, and families. Through Fatherhood Liberated: Healing the Mind. Reclaiming the Legacy, we are working to change that narrative by building a workforce of culturally responsive providers equipped to support Black fathers during one of life's most transformative seasons," said Kimberly Corbin, Chief Administrative Financial Officer for the Greater Washington Urban League.

Led by trainers from Postpartum Support International (PSI), the two-day training provides specialized education in paternal perinatal mental health, equipping clinicians and birth professionals with practical skills for screening, assessment, treatment planning, and intervention. The curriculum emphasizes intersectional, multicultural, and gender-responsive approaches to care while providing participants with evidence-based tools to support fathers throughout the perinatal journey.

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