Perinatal depression (PND), depression that occurs during pregnancy or in the first year following delivery, is a common and debilitating mental health condition. In New York City, it is estimated that at least one in ten women suffer from PND. The clinicians who serve these women require training in acceptable, feasible, and effective treatments. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a time-limited, evidence-based psychotherapy that has been found to be effective in the treatment of PND in community and primary care settings. The present study investigates the nuances of an IPT training program for licensed mental health providers who treat perinatal depression within integrated care settings in NYC. Using a qualitative-focused mixed-methods design, this study aims to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, sustainability, and preliminary effectiveness of the training program, and of the providers’ perceptions of IPT as a treatment for the patients they serve.

To achieve these aims, five of the eight providers who participated in the training program were interviewed at two timepoints and quantitative data including demographics, use of IPT, satisfaction with training experience, and effectiveness of the training program were collected. Results indicate that providers viewed their training experience as acceptable and feasible and viewed IPT as an appropriate, relevant, and helpful treatment for their perinatal patients’ depression. Quantitative results provide preliminary support for the training model’s potential effectiveness, demonstrating that provider-trainees were able to obtain and retain knowledge of IPT and achieve certification as IPT practitioners. Overall, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores show that patients who were treated by the study’s provider-trainees self-reported depression symptoms improved over the course of their IPT treatment. Recommendations for future directions and implications for future provider training programs are discussed.