OhioHealth doctor outlines perinatal mental health gaps and local resources

Dr. Scott Gushbondle, a board‑certified psychiatrist and clinical lead for outpatient behavioral health at OhioHealth, told Gahanna City Council on May 18 that roughly one in five women experience a perinatal mental health condition during pregnancy or the postpartum period. "About one in five women during pregnancy or the postpartum period will experience a perinatal mental health condition," he said.

Gushbondle described perinatal mental health conditions as a leading preventable cause of pregnancy‑related morbidity and mortality and said diagnosis and treatment gaps are large: "Even if we are successful in diagnosing women in this period over 50% of them actually are not treated." He highlighted racial disparities, saying Black and Indigenous women are two to three times more likely to experience maternal mental‑health conditions but significantly less likely to receive care.

The doctor reviewed treatment pathways and local supports: primary‑care–based behavioral health integration, psychiatry referral for medication management, partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient programs, substance‑use treatment, and community mental health centers that receive state and federal funding. He noted OhioHealth’s Four Trimester Clinic in Dublin and partnerships with peer‑support groups and national resources such as Postpartum Support International. "If you're interested, I have a handful of flyers...There's a QR code and a phone number on the back," he said, offering local contact options.

Councilmembers thanked the health team and linked the presentation to local advocacy and prior outreach. Vice President Jones, speaking of her own experience, said publicly that awareness can prompt people to seek help: "I remember being postpartum almost 12 years ago...not realizing it was postpartum depression and really suffering in silence."

The presentation closed with a request that the conversation continue locally to reduce stigma and improve referral pathways. No formal action was taken; council received the presentation and acknowledged local programs and partnerships.