Advocating for Women with Postpartum Mental Illnesstakes the reader into the world of one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses. Through this book, Feingold and Lewis humanize the mothers experience and provide vital tools for mental health and legal professionals. Complete with case studies and the authors experiences in changing the law in their own state of Illinois, this book is a necessary resource for all.

Susan Benjamin Feingold, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist, perinatal legal advocate, and author. She is a co-recipient of the 2018 Maternal Mental Health Innovation Award in Policy and Advocacy and a member of the Postpartum Support International Advisory Council (PSI-AC). She has been a specialist for more than twenty-six years in womens mental health issues related to reproductive function: perinatal depression and anxiety disorders, infertility, pregnancy loss, and relationship issues. She is a nationally recognized expert in the field of pregnancy and postpartum mental health and author ofHappy Endings, New Beginnings: Navigating PostpartumDisorders(2013). Feingold has offices located in Skokie and Chicago, Illinois. You can read more about Feingold at www.drsusanbfeingold.com.



Barry Michael Lewis, JD, is an attorney at law, a perinatal legal advocate, and an author. He is a co-recipient of the 2018 Maternal Mental Health Innovation Award in Policy and Advocacy. His published work includes an article titled A New Model Law Offers Hope: Postpartum Disorders and the Law in theChampion, the magazine of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has worked for more than forty years in the field of criminal law as a litigation attorney in private practice. He is also past chair of the Chicago Bar Association Lawyer Referral Committee, award winner from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, and a continuing legal education lecturer. He has offices located in Chicago, Illinois. You can find out more about Lewis and his work atwww.BarryLewisLaw.com

Preface

Prologue

Introduction

Disclaimer

PART I: UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING WOMEN WITH POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS

1 Maternal Mental Illness Is a Serious Risk to Families

2 Silence and Stigma: A Deadly Combination for Postpartum Psychosis

3 Legal Implications of Postpartum Illness in the Criminal Justice System

4 Laws of Neonaticide and Infanticide in Countries outside the US

PART II: ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN WITH POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS

5 The Road to Public Act 100-0574: Illinoiss New Ground-Breaking Postpartum Law

6 A Tale of Two Women

7 Recognition of Postpartum Mental Illness within the Medical and Legal Community

8 The Origins of the Case against Recognition of Postpartum Mental Illness

9 The Steps for Professionals to Advocate and Enact Legal Change

10 How to Partner with Like-Minded Advocates and Influential Organizations

11 Networking and Support for Postpartum Psychosis: Help from Our Friends

12 Working with Local Issues and State and Federal Laws for Change

13 Expert Witness Training and Educating Attorneys and Judges

14 Maternal and Infant Mortality Linked to Postpartum Illness

Epilogue: Legal Advocacy and Changing Postpartum Laws

Appendixes

Index

About the Authors