Our Mission
The Heard Foundation exists to reimagine perinatal mental-health care so no parent faces illness in silence and no family navigates this journey alone. We work to break stigma, expand access to compassionate care, and build a lasting culture of support for families affected by Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs).
Our Vision
We are working to establish Massachusetts’ first dedicated postpartum treatment center, developed in partnership with leading medical experts. Designed as a home for healing, this center will provide parents facing perinatal mental illness with dignified, compassionate, and evidence-based care—while supporting connection, recovery, and community and care that is human, accessible, and rooted in compassion.
Why This Vision Matters
Behind every statistic is a family searching for hope and support.
Perinatal mental-health disorders are among the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting as many as 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers. Yet the majority of those impacted do not receive appropriate treatment, and suicide remains one of the leading causes of maternal death in the first year postpartum.
Despite this urgent need, screening remains inconsistent, access to care is limited, and Massachusetts still lacks a dedicated inpatient mother–baby psychiatric treatment center. Families are often left navigating complex systems at the moment they are most vulnerable
This vision exists to change that.
What We Envision
In partnership with clinical leaders and community stakeholders, we envision a postpartum treatment center that:
Provides compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to PMADs
Supports parent–baby bonding as part of the healing process
Coordinates with outpatient providers for continuity of care
Feels warm, welcoming, and affirming—never clinical or isolating
This is not just a facility, but a new standard for perinatal mental-health care.
Our Role
The Heard Foundation will not deliver clinical services or operate the center. Instead, we are:
Championing the vision, raising awareness, and building public will
Mobilizing resources through fundraising, grants, and sponsorships
Partnering with a world-class medical facility to oversee and deliver clinical care
Ensuring accessibility so families from all backgrounds can benefit from this care
Beyond brick and mortars, Heard is also building a culture of care—mobilizing acts of love and kindness year-round so that families feel supported long before they ever need clinical help.
Making it Happen
This movement is powered by people choosing love—neighbors, friends and strangers. And this project is powered by community and collective action:
Over 1,000 grassroots donors have already joined the movement
Corporate sponsors, grants, and nonprofit partnerships are fueling the mission
Signature fundraising events—like With Love From Duxbury Day and the Heard Golf Classic—are rallying communities year-round
Ongoing advocacy and awareness campaigns are keeping PMADs at the forefront of maternal health conversations
