Perinatal Wellness Program

Family-Centered Services

Father and mother holding 3-week-old newborn

A supportive partnership between parents and home-visiting professionals can make an enormous difference in a family's life. The Perinatal Wellness Program (PWP) is designed specifically to make that kind of impact.

Bilingual perinatal and infant mental health specialist visit families weekly in their homes to provide individual, dyadic, couple, and/or family therapy. Ongoing weekly perinatal support groups are offered to reduce isolation and promote social engagement.

The goals of our intensive home visiting program are to:

  • Improve the family's coping skills
  • Reduce the family's feelings of stress and isolation
  • Promote bonding and a secure attachment between babies and their caregivers
  • Ensure that families get the support they need

Our mental health professionals help families address their needs, build on their strengths, and develop a family-driven plan to meet their goals.

PWP services start with a complete evaluation. We assess each family's unique needs, including social supports, parent-child interaction and developmental growth. Based on the unique needs of the children and the family, our professional team provides mental health services and linkages to community resources.

Additional services include reproductive psychiatry, in-home lactation consultation and connection to community resources. PWP collaborates closely with Venice Family Clinic, Providence Saint John's Women's Health Department and Westside Family Health Center. Services for PWP families may also include Well Baby Center parent-child groups and the Community Partners "Love, Dad" program.

Real Help Based on Real Needs

Free services assist families for up to one year postpartum and include:

  • Regular home visits to provide parental support and infant development information
  • Mental health counseling for personal and family issues
  • Help with basic needs, such as car seats and infant items
  • Linkages to community resources such as in-home lactation consultation

Who We Serve

Perinatal Wellness Program services are available to expecting moms and new parents (self-referred are referred by a community agency) who are coping with any of the following:

  • Poverty
  • Domestic violence
  • Stress and or mental health issues
  • Substance abuse challenges

Working Toward Family and Community Wellness

The Perinatal Wellness Program provides an innovative continuum of services to address the needs of vulnerable, high-risk, and under-resourced families suffering from perinatal and infant mental health challenges. The program provides mental health support to prenatal women and families with babies up to one year of age. Promotion of attachment and bonding is the primary focus of our relationship-centered services. A secure attachment in an infant's early life promotes resiliency and lays the foundation for healthy development across the lifespan.

We treat each adult, child and family holistically -- physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually -- within the context of their homes and communities. Through robust, collaborative partnerships, we work to build true community wellness.

Contact Us

Call Luisa Amighetti, LMFT: 310-829-8495.

Fees and Funding Sources

The cost of services may be met through Medi-Cal. Funding is also available for families with no insurance. The Perinatal Wellness Program relies on the generous support of the Saint John's Foundation and on private donations from foundations and individuals.