Although there are many benefits of

Although there are many benefits of joint admission,
barriers can limit implementation of such programs. One
concern is the possibility of increased health risks to the
infant if admitted to a hospital setting (i.e., exposure to
infectious disease). Another barrier is the additional
space and staffing required for accommodating the care
of infants. Finally, an important obstacle is difficulty obtaining
approval and financial reimbursement by insurance
companies due to lack of familiarity with this
approach. To the knowledge of the authors, there are
no inpatient mother-baby units in the US, and there is
one established mother-baby day hospital program, the
one described in the present report. Wisner et al (1996)
have articulated the clinical problems and dilemmas that
exist because of the lack of mother-baby units. Although
mother-baby units are still relatively new and require
empirical evaluation, several reports have provided preliminary
evidence suggesting that this form of treatment
is effective and acceptable to patients (Boath et al,
2003). To begin addressing the mental health needs of
perinatal women in the US using this approach, a
mother-baby psychiatric day hospital was established
under the auspices of a university-affiliated obstetrical
hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.