Broward Health honored for preventive care, maternal mental health effort

Broward Health was recognized by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Lauderhill for its Stay Healthy Together initiative, a neighborhood-based effort aimed at preventive care and maternal health in Broward County.

At the June 24 county commission meeting, Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis read a proclamation declaring May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Broward County. The recognition tied Broward Health’s work to a broader message that maternal mental health does not end at childbirth, but can shape postpartum recovery, infant health and the stability of an entire household.

That message is backed by national guidance that Broward Health has been using to frame its outreach. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says postpartum depression can last months or years after a birth and can affect bonding and infant care, while the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are among the most common complications during pregnancy and the first 12 months after delivery. CDC data cited in maternal-depression materials found that 13% of women with a recent live birth reported postpartum depressive symptoms, one in five were not asked about depression during prenatal visits, and one in eight were not asked during postpartum visits.

Broward Health leaders joined community partners at the meeting, including representatives from Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Broward County, Healthy Start Coalition of Broward County, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, Memorial Healthcare System, Journey Institute and the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. Their presence underscored how the system is linking maternal mental health with screening, follow-up care and community support across Broward County.

The county honor also pointed back to work already happening on the ground in Lauderhill. Broward HealthPoint and the city hosted a Stay Healthy Together wellness event on Feb. 21 at the Inverrary Community Center, offering free health screenings, food baskets for the first 600 guests and connections to community resources. Broward Health said the event drew more than 600 residents and included medical services, education and community support.

Broward Health says Stay Healthy Together uses mobile health units, workshops, screenings and on-site services to bring preventive and primary care into neighborhoods, regardless of ability to pay. The initiative extends Better Together, the collaboration Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System launched in February 2025 to expand access to primary care and maternal health services through brick-and-mortar, mobile and virtual care.