Spotlight on the Staff: Denise Cervantes

Denise Cervantes has worked for Welcome Baby at Maternal and Child Health Access almost since the program’s inception — just about 15 years. Her background and experience in mental health support for low-income families made her an obvious fit for Welcome Baby’s support and education for new parents. Along the way, she rose from a Parent Coach providing home visits, to a Team Supervisor, to a supervisor leading program outreach while still working on some of the most challenging case situations. Through it all, she earned her Masters in Social Work from USC and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Denise’s area of work has focused around perinatal health and mental health, trauma healing, and equitable access to mental health services.

With over a decade of support for pregnant and postpartum women behind her, it’s no wonder Denise was tapped to be a panelist on a 2022 LAist presentation focusing on pregnancy and birth: “Speak Up, Get Support, Turn Off The News: Expert Tips for a Successful Pregnancy.” Denise is not a medical clinician, but the focus of the event was on support for birth and beyond, the most commonly asked questions people have about birth, and creating connections.

Denise’s training kicked in with one of the first questions from the audience: “I’m thinking about getting pregnant and I’m very scared of the delivery experience. What should I know?“ Denise: “As humans, we do something called mental filtering where it’s really easy for us to remember all the bad things. Ask people about the positive things: What did you like about birth? What do you wish could have happened? Get support from somebody like a doula or a midwife to answer those questions about the birthing process, or join a home visiting program; there are many throughout L.A. County. Take a class. You can call and ask your insurance about childbirth education. I think the more informed you are, the better you are able to make a plan about how you wish your birth to go, and that just makes you feel more in control about the process.”

Thanks, Denise, for all your wonderful work supporting families in L.A. County over the years!

Welcome Baby

• Do you know someone who is pregnant and planning to deliver at California Hospital in downtown L.A.? Tell them to contact Denise and her team — use this form or call 213-342-3127 — to get Welcome Baby’s free resources and support.
• Delivering at another hospital? See if they offer the free Welcome Baby program.
• WelcomeBabySupport.org: Learn more about the free Welcome Baby program.

This post is adapted from the Maternal and Child Health Access winter 2022 newsletter. MCH Access administers the Welcome Baby program for California Hospital, but they do so much more. Visit MCHAccess.org to learn about their terrific service to the community.