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FOR PROVIDERS, FRIENDS & FAMILY
REFER A FAMILY TO PPSC
Maybe you're a pediatrician, doula, or nurse who's noticed a patient struggling. Maybe you're a partner, sibling, or close friend who's worried about someone you love. Either way, here's how to help them find support — and how to be steady support yourself in the meantime.
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HOW TO MAKE THE CONNECTION
THREE WAYS TO REFER SOMEONE
01. SHARE THE CLIENT INTEREST FORM
Send them the link below, or fill it out together. A PPSC team member will follow up directly once it's submitted.
02. CALL OR TEXT THE SUPPORT LINE TOGETHER
415-320-6707 connects to trained peers who listen, offer emotional support, and can point toward local treatment options. Sitting with someone while they make that first call can make it far less daunting.
03. POINT THEM TOWARD A SELF-SCREENING
If they're unsure whether what they're feeling "counts," PPSC's anonymous online screenings for depression, anxiety, and OCD can be a low-pressure first step toward getting clarity.
WHILE YOU WAIT FOR CARE TO START
PRACTICAL WAYS TO HELP RIGHT NOW
Family and friends are often the first to notice something's wrong. Specific offers help more than vague ones — try "Can I hold the baby while you shower?" instead of "Let me know if you need anything."
Listen first
Validate, don't fix
Let her feelings be true without rushing to reassure or advise. Understanding matters more than agreeing, and advice is usually only welcome once it's asked for.
Stay close
Don't let her feel alone
Keep showing up, even in small ways. Isolation makes everything harder — consistent presence is one of the most protective things you can offer.
Take a task
Handle something concrete
A meal, a load of laundry, an hour of baby-holding so she can nap — small, specific, recurring help does more than a single grand gesture.
No judgment
Make it safe to say the hard thing
If she admits she's struggling more than she expected, resist minimizing it. Gently discourage alcohol or other coping habits that could make things worse.
Say it out loud
Name what's going well
New parents rarely see their own progress. Point out that the baby is thriving, that she got through a hard morning, that she's doing better than she thinks.
Encourage help
Frame treatment as strength
Reassure her that reaching out for professional support is a sign of strength, not failure — and offer to help her find it, rather than telling her what to do.
SUPPORTING A SUPPORT PERSON
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF, TOO
Being someone's steady person is real work. Keep your own support network close, take real breaks, sleep and eat well, and stay honest with yourself about when you're running low — a well-supported supporter is a better one.