Supporting Maternal Mental Health: Care, Connection, and Advocacy
Presented by:
Elizabeth Muñoz, DNP, CNM, FACNM (she/her)
Susan Petrus
12-1pm CST Jan 7, 2026
1 FREE General Knowledge CE Credit
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective #1
Identify key maternal mental health challenges and discuss how interdisciplinary collaboration between social work, nursing, and community-based care can improve outcomes for families.
Learning Objective #2
Examine effective models of maternal care, including nurse-midwifery and doula support, to understand strategies for enhancing communication, coordination, and respect in care delivery.
Learning Objective #3
Describe approaches for advocacy and systems-level change that strengthen access to maternal health services and promote sustainable community partnerships.
Speakers
Elizabeth Muñoz, DNP, CNM, FACNM
Elizabeth Muñoz, DNP, CNM, FACNM (she/her) is a Certified Nurse-Midwife with experience in midwifery education, scholarship, and clinical practice. She is a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and received her Master’s and Doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, TN. She is an Assistant Professor of Nursing and the Interim Director of the Nurse-Midwifery Pathway at UAB School of Nursing. Her scholarship activities include integrating nurse-midwifery models of care in rural Alabama through the AL MOMS HRSA Grant at UAB School of Nursing, preventing size-bias in those providing pregnancy care, and innovation in nurse-midwifery clinical education. Dr. Muñoz is also passionate about improving access to full-scope midwifery care and expanding public knowledge about the profession of midwifery, including deepening the understanding that midwives can lead the charge for practice change in a variety of settings. Originally from Atmore, AL, Dr. Muñoz now resides and practices as a Certified Nurse-Midwife in Champaign, Illinois.
Susan Petrus
Susan Petrus co-founded BirthWell Partners in 2011 and serves as Executive Director. With a Master’s in English from Auburn University and a Welding Diploma from Bessemer State Technical College, Susan brings a unique blend of communication, technical, and hands-on skills to her leadership. She is a DONA-certified birth doula, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, former president of the Alabama Birth Coalition, and a past participant in the Women’s Foundation of Alabama’s Women’s Policy Institute. Susan has over a decade of experience in maternal health support and nonprofit administration, including strategic planning, operations, grant writing, and program development. A mother of two, she is deeply committed to improving birth outcomes and ensuring that every birthing person receives the care and respect they deserve.