When Lanie first became a mom, everyone told her how happy she’d be. But honestly? She was overwhelmed. When the time came to start exploring child care options, she felt lost. “The calculations never stop running through your mind: What’s best for my child? Am I doing enough? Will they be safe? Will they thrive?” The anxiety and “mom guilt” creep in.
Elizabeth and Wilson had similar feelings when they became parents. “The postpartum phase was a challenging time in our house as a family unit AND as individuals.” Bringing a child into their family was new and exciting, but it also brought new challenges and unknowns that are scary. “Is our son meeting the milestones he should be? How would we know if he isn’t?”
Then they found the Mental Health Association of Frederick County.
With the help of MHA’s Child Care Choices team, Lanie learned she wasn’t alone. These professionals work with childcare providers to get them trained and licensed. They build solutions and create access to affordable, quality childcare that first time parents like Lanie can trust.
MHA’s Healthy Families Frederick was just the assistance and guidance that Elizabeth and Wilson needed. Their Family Support Specialist eased their anxieties by building relationships with each parent and their child, getting to know them and ensuring they were each getting the mental and physical support they needed. Support could look like counseling, Healthy Families resources, or even just a person to call when you aren’t sure what to do.
Stories like these are happening every day, right here in our community. Across the country, approximately 1 in 5 mothers experience depression or anxiety during or after pregnancy. But most never get the help they need. That means countless parents are suffering in silence—and so are their children.
When a parent or guardian’s mental health suffers, the whole family feels it. Children notice when something isn’t right. They might worry, act out, or start believing that the sadness at home is their fault. Those feelings can stay with them for years. But when adults get the care they need, the whole family heals.
That’s what your support makes possible at MHA.
You help moms and dads get affordable counseling. You help families find hope during their hardest days. YOU make sure that no parent or guardian in Frederick County has to face their mental health struggles alone.
Because when parents heal, children thrive. Homes grow calmer. Laughter returns. Futures brighten.
Your gift today will make that difference for another family like Lanie’s or Elizabeth and Wilson’s. You’ll help us reach parents before they reach their breaking point. You’ll give children a chance to grow up in a home filled with safety, love, and understanding.
You have the power to change at least two lives at once—a parent’s and a child’s. That’s an incredible gift.
Thank you for caring so deeply for families in our community. Together, we can make sure no one faces their struggles in silence.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Suzi Borg
Interim CEO
Mental Health Association of Frederick County
P.S. Your gift today can bring hope to a parent who feels alone—and give a child the comfort of seeing their parent smile again. Please give today.
