By Dianne Anderson

Ever since January, the big buzzword is uncertainty –  in housing, anticipated spikes in food and daily cost of living, threats to medical coverage and proper health care, education and access to vital resources.

If mental health wasn’t already a crisis, many are now questioning the widely recognized “Trump Slump” and whether tariffs will soon result in depression-era food lines.

A lot of people are anxious.

For expectant moms, they are not just eating for two, they may be worrying for two.

To help ease their concerns, the first of three upcoming Black Maternal Mental Health Workshop will cover Understanding & Managing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. The community is invited to attend an interactive workshop led by Dr. Nicole L. Arkadie, Ed.D., LCSW, who is a Mental Wellness Strategist.

Riverside County’s Black Infant Health continues to enroll eligible moms into their program, focused on empowering local families, creating a strong support system, and identifying stress-reduction strategies.

“While this journey brings joy and laughter for so many, there are many who are not able to fully embrace that joyous aspect because they are dealing with depression or anxiety or other mental health challenges,” said Curley Palmer, Program Coordinator II with the Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Program, Riverside University Health System – Public Health.

On Saturday, May 3, the workshop wants to eliminate the stigma of mental health and treatment by getting Black moms and dads into a culturally affirming space to expand their awareness of common mental health issues, and provide them with free resources.  The event will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Cottonwood Golf Center, located at 13671 Frederick Street, Moreno Valley.

The community is also invited to connect with the Black Infant Health program at Riverside County for other workshops coming up in July and October.

Palmer said studies show that anxiety disorders are among the most common complications during pregnancy, or the first 12 months after delivery. She emphasized it’s important for Black expectant moms to attend the free workshops.

“Despite the negative effects on maternal, obstetric, birth, offspring, partner, and family outcomes, perinatal mental health disorders often remain underdiagnosed, and untreated or under-treated,” she said.

Throughout the Inland Empire, mental health therapist Marty Sellers is in the thick of it, and he hears what everyday people are stressing over lately. There is a definite link between stress impact on personal finances. Mothers and fathers, even teens, seem worried about basic necessities.

Top companies took a serious nose dive in recent weeks, and it is far-reaching.

Sellers said he knows people with community-based organizations, some of which are federally funded at county and city levels, who are nervous about not meeting payroll.

“Because you have a federal or state contract, now they’re changing how they pay without sharing how or why. The rate of reimbursement, what used to be 30 days, is now 45 or 60 days. Most of us CBOs don’t have 2-4 months in reserve,” said Sellers, marriage and family therapist, and CEO of MarSell Wellness Center.

For himself and his organization that serves federally funded youth programs, there is a bit of anxiety over current political shifts. Other organizations and agencies also are preparing for changes in programs due to looming federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion cuts.

“These aren’t just nonprofit organizations that have been affected. There are questions of DEI, that they’re taking it down, and their employees feel like, ‘I’m not valued any longer,’” he said.

But there is one place to turn to talk it out with familiar faces.

Sellers, whose wellness centers have grown over the years, has over 150 employees and a clinical team of over 25 therapists at nine locations, including Moreno Valley and the corporate office in Ontario.

They also offer therapy services online, and accept several forms of insurance, including Medicare. By July 1, they will take Medi-Cal.

“We want to get the message out. My desire is just like everybody has a primary care doctor, we get to the point where everyone has a therapist,” he said. “A lot of times we think of therapy for people in crises, but imagine if we used therapy as a preventive measure.”

This year, Sellers is also focused on helping veterans, who have seen severe cuts in services in recent months. Veterans are overrepresented as unhoused, and like with most other categories, Black veterans make up a large population in need of mental health help.

Sellers has increased partnerships with San Bernardino and Riverside counties to help with support as the Veterans Administration is now backlogged.

Despite unending stressors, he said the good news is that he sees a growing awareness and openness in the Black and Brown community about the benefits of mental health therapy.

It also helps that his clients and therapists have grown to fill the void in services for the community.

His contracts continue with Riverside County domestic violence, anger management, SafeCare parenting, and those who are on 15 to 20-week mandated programs. So far, he said they have successfully graduated over 1,500 individuals.

“I think we have been doing a better job of reaching out. I would say, in my group practice, about 50% of the therapists are Black/African American, and another 45% are Hispanic,” he said.

He said anyone can reach out and be connected with mental health support.

Their centers take cash pay, offer sliding scale, accept various insurance plans, and starting July 1 will take Medi-Cal and Kaiser as well. With Medi-Cal, they will soon be set to accept IEHP.

“It all can be done safely online through Telehealth. Many people get their therapy on their lunch break. It’s easy,” he said.

For Black Infant Health, Mental Wellness for Moms, see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/riverside-county-black-maternal-mental-health-workshop-tickets-1270777823679

To connect with MarSell Wellness Center, see https://marsellwc.com/