Four training cohorts completed in Mafraq and North Aghwar, with evaluation findings showing improvements in participants’ knowledge
The Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) has trained around 30 primary healthcare providers, community health workers, and supervisory and liaison staff to strengthen the integration of maternal mental health and family planning services into routine perinatal care in Jordan.
The four three-day training sessions were delivered between August 3 and 26, 2026, bringing together participants from two intervention sites: Khaldieh Primary Health Care Centre in Mafraq and the Kraimeh Primary Health Care Centre catchment area in North Aghwar.
The trainings form part of the project “Integrating Family Planning and Mental Health Services into Postnatal Care for Migrant, Refugee, and Underserved Jordanian Women,” implemented by the Jordan Ministry of Health and EMPHNET, with funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Across the four cohorts, participants received training in reproductive health and family planning, maternal mental health with focus on postpartum depression, psychosocial support, counselling and communication, referral pathways, community engagement, and service documentation. The training focused on strengthening their ability to recognize early signs of maternal psychological distress, provide supportive counselling, and guide women through family planning options within a coordinated approach to care.
The training also included an orientation on the implementation of the multicomponent intervention package as part of the study, which includes service delivery protocols, communication materials, community outreach guidance, and digital support tools. Together, these components aim to support the integration of maternal mental health and family planning services into routine care for migrant, refugee, and underserved Jordanian women.
Evaluation findings showed significant improvements in participants’ knowledge, with the largest gains recorded in practical, time-sensitive areas, particularly responding appropriately to elevated scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and understanding emergency contraception timing. These findings highlight improvements in knowledge relevant to clinical decision-making in maternal mental health and family planning.
“Postnatal and perinatal care provide an important opportunity to address women’s reproductive and mental health needs together. Strengthening the knowledge and practical skills of frontline health workers is an essential step toward delivering more coordinated care, while generating evidence on how this integration can work effectively within primary healthcare settings,” said Prof. Yousef Khader, Director of EMPHNET’s Center of Excellence for Applied Epidemiology.
Through the wider project, the Ministry of Health and EMPHNET, with support from IDRC, aim to generate locally relevant evidence, assess implementation, and inform the development of more comprehensive and sustainable postnatal care services in Jordan by leveraging existing systems and building on previous successes. Here, the project responds to the need to integrate maternal mental health care into routine postnatal services for women in Jordan.
