**Growing Need for Parent-Infant Mental Health Units** Monique Aulich recognized something was wrong when her newborn daughter was just four weeks old. She experienced distressing suicidal thoughts and intrusive ideas that she had never encountered before. "I was struggling with suicidal ideation at home and intrusive thoughts," Aulich said.

After discussing her situation with a counselor, she was referred to the Bendigo Health perinatal mental health unit. The counselor assured her that the staff could provide medication support quickly. Initially, Aulich was apprehensive about the unit, fearing a restrictive environment. However, she found it to be a calm space where she could stay with her baby and receive the support she needed.

"I wasn't on any medications before, so it was waiting for them to kick in," she explained. After two weeks, Aulich felt better but faced challenges upon returning home. "As soon as I got home I thought, 'I wasn't allowed a knife half an hour ago but now I'm in a kitchen surrounded by knives,'" she recalled. This feeling of vulnerability led her to return to the unit for another two weeks.

"There was more suicidal ideation going on. The next wave of hormones hit," she said. Four years later, Aulich works as a peer support worker in the parent-infant unit, helping women facing similar postpartum struggles. "I just wanted to talk to someone who has been there and knows just how scary this is. It felt like no one got it," she said.

The need for more parent-infant units is evident. Last year, nearly 100 parents utilized the five-bed unit at Bendigo Health, averaging two weeks of stay. The Bendigo Parent-Infant Unit is one of only six public units in Victoria. Aulich expressed concern about the accessibility of care, stating, "I couldn't imagine having to travel hours to receive that care, as people would be isolated even further from their main supports."

Megan Galbally, a representative for the Section of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, noted that while the number of public parent-infant units is increasing, some regions still lack adequate services. "Tasmania, ACT, and Northern Territory have no public beds, so we have a gap there," she said. Galbally emphasized the need for pathways to ensure that individuals in rural and remote areas can access these essential services.

Dr. Natalie Pierotti, a psychiatrist at the Bendigo unit, highlighted that despite a waitlist, the service remains under-utilized. "I think people don't always understand what we do," she said. Without specialized services, women may be admitted to adult wards, separating them from their infants.

Dr. Pierotti also pointed out that referrals from general practitioners (GPs) are rare. Aulich stressed the importance of educating GPs, as they are often the first point of contact for new mothers seeking help. She called for reduced barriers for mothers in need of support. "Sometimes you're told just to reach out for help, but when you make that first appointment with the GP, you're doing risk assessments, then the floodgates open, you're doing triage, and you might get told to go to emergency," she said. "But you just want someone to talk to."