Pregnancy, Parenting, and Depression
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Pregnancy Resources
Texas Pregnancy Care Network
Visit the Texas Pregnancy Care Network. website to find a provider in your area.
Pregnancy Resource Center
- Visit the Pregnancy Resource Center Directory for centers in your area.
- Visit our other MCH webpages for additional resources.
Information for Parents of Newborn Children
During the 2005 regular legislative session, legislators passed Senate Bill 316. The bill requires hospitals, birthing centers, physicians, nurse-midwives, and midwives who provide prenatal care to pregnant women during gestation or at delivery, to provide a resource pamphlet to:
- The woman;
- The father of the infant; or
- Other adult caregivers for the infant.
The pamphlet includes information on:
- Postpartum depression;
- Shaken baby syndrome;
- Immunizations; and
- Newborn screening.
Providers must document in the client's chart that she received this information. The documentation must be retained for at least five years. It is recommended that the information be given twice. Once at the first prenatal visit and again after delivery. Find more details about the law in the Texas Health and Safety Code Section 161.501.
Agency responsibilities: DSHS must develop a resource that contains the required information. It must make it available online and for distribution in English and Spanish. The resource will be updated regularly.
You can get this pamphlet in .pdf format by downloading it from here:
Information for Parents of Newborns
- Information for Parents of Newborns - English (PDF, Stock number: #1-316) Revised Sept. 2024
- Information for Parents of Newborns - Spanish (PDF, Stock number: #1-316a) Revised Sept. 2024
- Information for Parents of Newborns - Rack Card (English/Spanish)
You may also order it through the HHSC Warehouse website.
Another useful resource for new parents is the Pregnancy, Parenting, and Depression Resource List.
COVID-19 and Pregnancy
According to CDC, if you are pregnant or were recently pregnant, you are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 compared to those who are not pregnant. CDC reports that COVID-19 vaccination before and during pregnancy is safe and effective. Learn more at COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding (cdc.gov)
Find where to get vaccinated near you on the federal Vaccine Finder website.
COVID-19 and Pregnancy Poster
Our TexasAIM program developed a free poster in English and Spanish. The poster encourages the following individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine:
- Pregnant women
- People who are breastfeeding
- People trying to get pregnant now or in the future
Download the posters by clicking the links below. Place these posters in hospitals, clinics, or other places where families visit.
- English color poster (PDF)
- English black and white poster (PDF)
- Spanish color poster (PDF)
- Spanish black and white poster (PDF)
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and help to protect mothers and babies. There is no evidence of miscarriages, stillbirths, or preterm births linked to COVID-19 vaccines. We need your help to encourage this population to get vaccinated. Together we can help protect Texas mothers, mothers-to-be, and babies against COVID-19.
More COVID-19 vaccine information is available on the DSHS coronavirus webpage.
Parenting Resources
- Texas Education Agency (TEA)
- TEA provides links to resources that provide information on education and support services for pregnant and parenting women.
- Office of the Attorney General (OAG)
- The OAG works to support the children and families of Texas. They partner with agencies and community organizations. Visit their site for links to resources.
- Get Parenting Tips
- The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) supports this program to provide parenting tips from top experts in children and families. They include tips about children of all ages.
- Texas Home Visiting
- The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) supports this program by matching parent(s) with someone who can answer questions, give advice, and recommend services. This helpful person lives in your community and visits you in your home or another convenient location. We call this person a “home visitor.”
- Partners Resource Network (PRN)
- PRN is a statewide agency that supports the Texas Parent Training and Information Centers. Visit their website for more information.
Depression Resources
Mental Health TX
Mental Health Texas provides information and resources to help with depression. This includes a treatment services locator. Visit their website mentalhealthtx.org for more information.
Toll-Free Telephone Assistance Lines:
Texas Department of State Health Services
Family Health Services, Information & Referral Line
1-800-422-2956
2-1-1- Texas
2-1-1 Texas, formerly First Call for Help, is a service for the entire community. 2-1-1 is the new abbreviated dialing code for free, bilingual information and referrals to health and human services and community organizations. 2-1-1 serves as the number to call for information about community organizations, and it links individuals and families to critical health and human services provided by nonprofit organizations and government agencies in their own community. 2-1-1 Texas is currently available statewide:
On-line Assistance
Texas 2-1-1 Information & Referral Networks
SAFETY ALERT: If you feel out of touch with reality (you see or hear things that other people don’t), or if family/friends are worried about your safety or that you might hurt others, get help now.
Options for getting help now include:
- Go to the local emergency room
- Call 9-1-1
- Call, text, or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free and confidential emotional support. If you are hard of hearing, you can chat with a Lifeline counselor 24/7 by online chat – Lifeline Chat : Lifeline (988lifeline.org) or, for TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.
Pregnancy, Parenting and Depression Resource List
This list contains the names and addresses of Resources by County A-Z professional organizations that can help you find a local resource that meets your needs. There are also some toll-free assistance phone lines. The list will be updated regularly. If you do not see an organization on this list that you feel comfortable contacting, we encourage you to check with your health care provider or a clergy member as he or she may be able to give you some ideas as well.
Center for Parent Education, University of North Texas
Contact: 888-662-7457 Email: parenting@unt.edu
The Texas Department of State Health Services does not endorse external links to other websites or documents created by other agencies. These links and documents are informational and may not be accessible to persons with disabilities.