Support for pregnant and postpartum women's mental health in Georgia
Official title: CORAL CENTER
Funded at Morehouse School of Medicine · NIH-11400942 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This center partners with pregnant and postpartum women, doctors, and community groups to find better ways to prevent and treat anxiety, depression, and birth-related trauma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morehouse School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,479,814 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113292-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400942 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are pregnant or postpartum women—especially those in Georgia—who are experiencing or at risk for anxiety, perinatal or postpartum depression, or birth-related PTSD, as well as community members and providers who serve them.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or postpartum, who live far outside the study area, or whose health issues are unrelated to maternal behavioral health are unlikely to benefit directly from this center's programs.
What this research studies
You can join a team led by Morehouse and Emory that works with local community groups to address anxiety, depression, and childbirth-related trauma during and after pregnancy. The center will listen to women's experiences, collect health and community data, and co-design practical supports and services. Researchers will run observational studies and small pilot programs, and provide training for clinics and community organizations to improve screening, referral, and treatment. The goal is to turn what women and communities say into tools and partnerships that reduce preventable maternal deaths and improve mental health care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier identification, faster access to mental health care, and community-based programs that reduce preventable maternal deaths and improve wellbeing.
How similar studies have gone: Some community-based and perinatal mental health programs have shown promise, but this center's comprehensive, community-engaged approach linking healthcare and community services is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hernandez, Natalie Dolores — Morehouse School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Hernandez, Natalie Dolores
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.