VIRGINIA — May is Maternal Mental Health Month, and St. Louis County Public Health is highlighting resources available for new and expectant parents who may be struggling.
A special “Northland March for Moms and Dads” is planned to raise awareness and bring participants together to support one another. The march will be 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at Olcott Park in Virginia. Participants are encouraged to wear white to represent survivorship, support and community for perinatal mental health.
In a news release, the county reported that experiencing depression and anxiety during the perinatal period — defined as the time spanning from when pregnancy begins, through labor and delivery, to approximately a year after birth — is more common than people may realize.
Studies have shown one in five moms and one in 10 dads may struggle with mental health during this important time in their lives. Maternal mental health conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and birth, affecting 800,000 families each year in the U.S.
"Having a baby is wonderful and amazing, but it's also exhausting and stressful," stated Kelly Lind, a public health nurse and supervisor for St. Louis County, in the release. "Our goal with this campaign is to make it easier for new parents to find the support they need, and make it clear that it's okay ask for help."
To help reduce stigma and connect families with the help they need, St. Louis County Public Health launched a new campaign to remind parents that they are not alone and that help is available. The signs and flyers direct people to a new website, northlandperinatalresources.org.
The website, created with local partners who work to support families, includes links to both local and national support options, as well as education for providers who are looking to learn more.
It also includes two important numbers: 1-833-TLC-MAMA is a free and confidential hotline that connects to a counselor 24 hours a day, and the 988 hotline for anyone needing immediate support for emotional or mental health.
-
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe staff also found starry stonewort in Six Mile Lake, near the city of Cass Lake. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe Bemidji Planning Board voted 6-1 to prohibit new developments of data centers greater than 10,000 square feet during its meeting Sept. 14, 2026. -
Contributed/USFWS Midwest RegionDuring the Phenology Report for the week of Sept. 15, 2026, Staff Phenologist John Latimer discovers Nevada flora and fauna and notes seasonal transitions in Northern MN. -
Plus: DNR cancels mineral lease for Twin Metals; and ICE's immigration crackdown last winter may have ripple effects for farm labor during harvest season. -
Malachy Koons/KAXEThe KAXE Music Team on new music from Ezra Collective, Sylvan Esso, Pokey LaFarge, Downtown Boys, Valerie June, Willi Carlisle, and Ex:Re. Plus our Pick From '76, Sparks. -
Contributed/Twin Metals Minnesota via MinnPostThe action comes weeks after executive action by Gov. Tim Walz halted the mining company's efforts to establish a copper-nickel mine in the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe Bureau of Indian Affairs announced it was assuming operations of family and children services in Red Lake following a raid on Sept. 10, 2026. -
Contributed/Adobe Stock via Minnesota News ConnectionAn estimated 15,000–20,000 seasonal agricultural workers arrive for work in Minnesota during the peak harvesting season, according to the National institutes of Health. -
Contributed/Adobe Stock via Minnesota News ConnectionMinnesota lawmakers heard testimony Sept. 9, 2026, about the domino effects felt by people closely tied to human service programs as the state combats fraud. -
Contributed/MedicAlert UK via Unsplash.comThe standard began Sept. 10, 2026, following approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Aug. 11.
