If you or someone you love is in crisis right now, call or text 988. If there is immediate danger, call 911. In Utah County, Wasatch Behavioral Health's Receiving and Outreach Center at 1175 East 300 North, Provo is open around the clock. For anyone pregnant or postpartum, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline answers calls and texts at 1-833-852-6262 (1-833-TLC-MAMA), 24 hours a day.
That is the short version, and it is the part worth saving in your phone before the baby comes. The rest of this page is the map: what screening is, which doors are local, which groups meet in Utah County, and what to do when the problem is that you cannot get out of the house to get help.
This page lists resources. It is not medical advice and it does not diagnose anything. If something feels wrong, a doctor, midwife, therapist or crisis counselor is the right next call.
How common this is here
Utah's Maternal and Infant Health Program, drawing on the state's PRAMS survey of new mothers, puts it bluntly: depression and anxiety are the most common complications of childbirth. About 1 in 7 Utah women report symptoms of postpartum depression, and about 1 in 3 report symptoms of depression or anxiety at some point during pregnancy or after birth.
The state's list of conditions is wider than "postpartum depression." It includes anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress after a hard birth, bipolar disorder and, rarely, psychosis, and it runs from pregnancy through the first year after birth. It also names who can be affected: moms, dads, adoptive parents, grandparents, parents after miscarriage or infant loss, gestational carriers and non-gestational parents.
In a valley where the birth rate is high and the expectation of cheerful competence runs strong, that list is worth reading twice. A lot of people here have had a hard postpartum. Many of them did not look like it.
The baby blues, and where the line is
Utah's provider toolkit describes the baby blues as common (about 80 percent of women) and short: two weeks or less after delivery. The state's public guidance draws the line in plain language. If you are not feeling like yourself two or three weeks after the birth, or caring for yourself or the baby has become hard, it may be more than the blues.
The state's list of signs to reach out about includes avoiding friends and family, irritability or anger, changes in sleep and eating beyond what a newborn explains, hopelessness, scary or intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, not feeling connected to the baby, obsessive hypervigilance, guilt and shame, distressing memories or nightmares, and, at the urgent end, thoughts of harming yourself or the baby, thinking the baby would be better off without you, or seeing and hearing things that are not there. The last group is a call-today situation, and 988 is open now.
Screening: the questions you will be asked
Screening is a short questionnaire, not a test you can fail. Utah's maternal mental health toolkit, written by the state and the Utah Women and Newborns Quality Collaborative for providers, recommends the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, a 10-question form, and recommends asking at these points when they apply:
- the first prenatal visit, and once each trimester
- one or two days after birth
- two weeks and six weeks postpartum
- every well-child visit for the first six months
The toolkit also notes that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening parents at the 1, 2, 4 and 6 month well-baby visits. That means your baby's pediatrician may hand you the form even though you are not their patient. The toolkit says all parents should be screened, partners included.
Not every office follows the full schedule. If nobody asks, you can raise it yourself at the postpartum visit or at a well-baby check. Our pediatrician guide covers what those early visits look like.
Who to call, by situation
| Situation | Call | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crisis, thoughts of suicide or harm | 988 (call or text) | 24/7; 911 if immediate danger |
| Want to talk to someone now, not in crisis | 1-833-852-6262 | National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 24/7, call or text |
| Want a parent volunteer who has been there | 1-800-944-4773 | PSI HelpLine; returns messages daily; not a crisis line |
| Need care in Utah County, with or without insurance | (801) 373-4760 | Wasatch Behavioral Health, Utah County line |
Crisis Text Line also takes texts: send HOME to 741741, according to PSI Utah's helpline page.
The Utah County public option: Wasatch Behavioral Health
Wasatch Behavioral Health is the public behavioral health center for Utah and Wasatch counties. Three pieces of it matter to a new parent.
The Receiving and Outreach Center, 1175 East 300 North in Provo on the Parkview campus, is open 24 hours. Wasatch says adults can walk in for crisis evaluation, with or without Medicaid, and stay up to 24 hours.
Mobile crisis outreach teams can come to a home. Wasatch says mobile services can be provided regardless of a person's insurance, and that family members and friends can call the crisis line if they are worried about someone and unsure what to do.
Maternal Mental Health Services. Wasatch has a dedicated program with therapists and prescribers trained in perinatal mental health, offering therapy and medication management through its family clinics. For people without Medicaid, Wasatch says grant and contract funding may cover specific services, so call the clinic before assuming you cannot afford it.
Finding a therapist who knows perinatal care
The state and PSI Utah built a directory for exactly this: the Utah Maternal Mental Health Referral Network at maternalmentalhealth.utah.gov. It lists therapists, prescribers, doulas and support groups with training in pregnancy and postpartum mental health, including help for birth trauma, miscarriage and infertility.
PSI Utah's advice for choosing one is practical: ask what kind of therapy they use (it names cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal therapy as the approaches research supports), ask about their perinatal training, and keep looking if the fit is wrong. It also suggests picking a few names during pregnancy so you are not searching from scratch at 3 a.m.
For the general mechanics of therapy in this valley (the license letters, costs, the campus counseling centers, faith fit), our guide to finding a therapist in Utah Valley goes deep. BYU and UVU students should read its campus section first.
Support groups that list Utah County or online meetings
PSI Utah keeps the statewide list. These entries were on it in October 2026; PSI notes that groups change and asks you to confirm with each one.
- New Beginnings Behavioral Health, American Fork: free postpartum support group, first and third Wednesdays, noon to 1 p.m., at its office. 801-683-6830.
- Roots and Branches Wellness, Lehi: perinatal education and support group, Thursdays 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. (385) 352-3251.
- The Healing Group: free online postpartum group, Mondays 6 to 6:50 p.m.; a pregnancy loss group online Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute: free virtual perinatal group, second and fourth Wednesdays, noon to 1 p.m. 801-585-1565.
- Treat Counseling: free pregnancy and postpartum group, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. 801-872-3234.
- Reach Counseling: free virtual moms' group, Wednesdays at 1 p.m.
- Ripple Effect Counseling: "The Mommune," a free Zoom group, Thursdays 9 to 11 a.m. 801-259-7321.
- Parents for Children: Spanish-language support and parenting groups.
Postpartum Support International also runs free online groups for specific situations, which PSI Utah links from the same page.
If weekly therapy is not enough, PSI Utah lists intensive outpatient programs, which meet several times a week. One lists a Provo location: Serenity Recovery and Wellness, which PSI describes as mothers and babies meeting three days a week, three hours a day, in Draper and Provo. Others listed are virtual (Reach Counseling, Tuesday to Thursday mornings) or in Salt Lake (Huntsman Mental Health Institute).
For partners
Utah's health department has a page and fact sheet on paternal mental health, and its toolkit notes that dads are more likely to struggle when their partner is struggling. PSI Utah's dads page lists The Man Cave, a free online group that meets the second Thursday of each month at 8 p.m. (call or text 801-305-3171), a free weekly online dads' group run by PSI, and PSI's "Chats for Dads" phone sessions on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Mountain.
Our new dad's guide to Utah Valley covers the rest of a partner's first month, including leave.
When the barrier is childcare
The most common reason a struggling parent does not make the appointment is simple: there is nobody to watch the baby. Utah County has an answer most newcomers never hear about.
Family Haven in Orem runs a free crisis and respite nursery for children from newborn through age 11. Families enroll first, then call to schedule. Appointments such as therapy or court can be booked up to a week ahead, and parents can schedule a weekly break for self-care the day before or the same day. Family Haven lists its Orem nursery's regular hours as "M-Th 8-9; F 8-5; Sat 4-7" and says the nursery is available 24/7 for emergencies. There is no fee. Call 801-229-1181. PSI Utah lists the address as 1255 North 1200 West, Orem.
Paying for it
Medicaid in Utah now covers pregnancy through 12 months after birth for those who qualify, and the state lists behavioral health services among covered benefits. Our guide to WIC, Medicaid and Baby Your Baby in Utah County has the current income limits and how to apply.
With private insurance, ask whether a therapist is in network before the first visit, and ask Wasatch about grant-funded slots if cost is the obstacle. Our health insurance explainer covers the Marketplace and Medicaid expansion for adults.
A short plan to make now
Utah's health department offers a free worksheet for making a mental health plan, in English and Spanish, on its maternal mental health page. The core of it fits on a sticky note:
- Save 988 and 1-833-852-6262 in your phone and your partner's.
- Write down the name of one person who will call your provider for you if you cannot.
- Pick two therapists from the referral network before the birth.
- Know that Family Haven exists, and enroll if it would help.
For the bigger picture of the first weeks home, see the first six weeks in Utah Valley and the long-running new parent survival guide.
If any thought on the urgent list above is happening now, stop reading and call or text 988.
Related Guides
- Finding a Therapist in Utah Valley
- The New Parent Survival Guide to Utah Valley
- The First Six Weeks in Utah Valley
- Lactation Consultants and Breastfeeding Support in Utah Valley
- NICU Families in Utah Valley
- The New Dad's Guide to Utah Valley
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call in Utah County if a new parent is in a mental health crisis?
Is there a hotline just for pregnant and postpartum parents?
How common is postpartum depression in Utah?
What is the difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression?
Will my baby's pediatrician ask about my mental health?
Can dads get postpartum depression?
Is there a free postpartum support group in Utah County?
What if I need a break from my kids to get help?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Maternal Mental Health, Utah DHHS Maternal and Infant Health Program. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Maternal Mental Health Toolkit v3.1, Utah DHHS Maternal and Infant Health Program. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Position statement: screening for perinatal depression and anxiety, Utah Women and Newborns Quality Collaborative. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Maternal Mental Health Referral Network, Utah DHHS. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Crisis Services at Wasatch Behavioral Health, Wasatch Behavioral Health. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Maternal Mental Health, Wasatch Behavioral Health. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Women's Services and Family Planning, Utah Medicaid. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Support Groups, Postpartum Support International Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Lifelines, Helplines and Warmlines, Postpartum Support International Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Intensive Outpatient Programs, Postpartum Support International Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Resources For Dads, Postpartum Support International Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Providers Trained in Perinatal Mental Health, Postpartum Support International Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Family Haven: Nursery, Family Haven. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Family Haven: Contact Us, Family Haven. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Crisis Childcare Help, Postpartum Support International Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
