Inner Beauty Institute
Maternal Mental Health Continuum Network

Care that stays with every mother, from pregnancy through her baby's first year.

Inner Beauty Institute leads the Maternal Mental Health Continuum Network (MMHCN), a physician-led, nonprofit-driven initiative that connects pregnant and postpartum women to screening, psychiatric care, therapy and community support. Alabama is our flagship hub.

Support the Network How MMHCN works
501(c)(3) nonprofit Alabama flagship hub Clinical partner Inner Community Health
Dr. Mirica Sanders leading an Inner Beauty Institute women's wellness session
Dr. Mirica Sanders leading an Inner Beauty Institute session for women
About Inner Beauty Institute

An emotional health learning center for women.

Inner Beauty Institute was built to guide women through a preventive mental health journey of self-exploration and self-discovery, and to strengthen how they care for themselves. We help women become stronger emotional leaders and navigate the stressors of everyday life, inside a community that keeps one another accountable for whole-person wellbeing.

Today that work extends to one of the most important seasons in a woman's life. Through the Maternal Mental Health Continuum Network, Inner Beauty Institute brings coordinated behavioral healthcare to women during pregnancy and the first postpartum year.

501(c)(3) Registered with the IRS as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization

Pillar oneInner Awareness

Teaching women to recognize their emotions, stressors and early warning signs, so they can act before strain becomes crisis.

Pillar twoInner Wellness

Building practical skills for self-care, coping and resilience, grounded in evidence-based mental health practice.

Pillar threeInner Circle

Forming a supportive community of women who encourage one another and stay accountable to their own wellbeing.

The need
Maternal mental health conditions are among the leading complications of pregnancy.

Too many women face fragmented care and long waits for psychiatric help. These barriers fall hardest on underserved communities and contribute to poorer outcomes for mothers and babies. MMHCN answers them by joining behavioral healthcare with community partnerships and social support.

  • Fragmented care
  • Provider shortages
  • Transportation barriers
  • Financial hardship
  • Delayed psychiatric access
Our initiative

The Maternal Mental Health Continuum NetworkMMHCN

MMHCN integrates screening, psychiatric care, telehealth, care navigation, community partnerships and evidence-based treatment into one coordinated continuum. It is designed to improve maternal and infant health, reduce disparities, strengthen healthcare partnerships and become a model other states can replicate.

Our vision

A statewide framework that ensures every pregnant and postpartum woman has timely access to coordinated maternal behavioral healthcare, regardless of race, geography or socioeconomic status.

Our mission

To improve maternal and infant outcomes through evidence-based psychiatric care, education, prevention, care navigation and strategic partnerships.

The MMHCN framework

Eight connected services carry a woman from the first conversation about her mental health to long-term postpartum support.

Community awareness & prevention

Education that reduces stigma and helps women and families recognize symptoms early.

Universal behavioral health screening

Routine screening built into prenatal and postpartum visits.

Rapid psychiatric assessment

Timely evaluation by a psychiatric clinician when a screen shows need.

Individualized treatment planning

A care plan shaped around each woman, her pregnancy and her goals.

Therapy & medication management

Evidence-based treatment, in person or by telehealth.

Intensive outpatient services

A higher level of support when it is clinically indicated.

Care navigation

Help with transportation, food, insurance and community resources.

Long-term postpartum follow-up

Continued contact through the first postpartum year and beyond.

Alabama is the MMHCN flagship hub, with Georgia, Ohio, Virginia and New York as future replication sites ALABAMA FLAGSHIP HUB GEORGIA OHIO VIRGINIA NEW YORK FUTURE REGIONAL REPLICATION SITES
Where we begin

Alabama is our Flagship Innovation & Excellence Hub.

MMHCN launches in Alabama, where we will build the clinical infrastructure, partnerships and evaluation that prove the model. Four more states are identified as future regional implementation sites.

  • AlabamaFlagship hub
  • GeorgiaFuture site
  • OhioFuture site
  • VirginiaFuture site
  • New YorkFuture site

Implementation

A three-year plan to launch in Alabama, then grow statewide.

Year one

Build & launch

Infrastructure, staffing and community partnerships, then the launch of MMHCN services in Alabama.

Years two & three

Expand statewide

Expand across the state of Alabama while strengthening evaluation, health equity reporting and long-term sustainability.

We collaborate with OB/GYN practicesHospitalsFQHCsPediatric providersCommunity organizations
Expected outcomes

What MMHCN is built to change.

  • More maternal behavioral health screenings
  • Faster access to psychiatric care
  • Fewer disparities in who receives treatment
  • Stronger care coordination across providers
  • Improved depression and anxiety outcomes
  • Greater engagement in treatment
  • Better health for mothers and infants

How we measure success

Progress is tracked with standardized clinical tools and reported by race, ethnicity, insurance status and geography. Continuous quality improvement guides every stage of implementation.

PHQ-9Depression
GAD-7Anxiety
EPDSPerinatal depression

We also track behavioral health screenings, psychiatric evaluations, treatment engagement, referral completion and patient satisfaction.

Built to last

After the grant period, MMHCN is sustained through clinical reimbursement by Inner Community Health, partnerships with commercial health plans and Medicaid managed care organizations, hospital collaborations, foundation and government support, corporate philanthropy and individual giving.

Inner Community Health clinical offices
Clinical implementation partner

Inner Community Health

Inner Community Health delivers the clinical care inside MMHCN: psychiatric assessment, therapy, medication management, telehealth and care coordination, under physician leadership.

Inner Beauty Institute leads the network, its community partnerships and its outreach. Inner Community Health provides the licensed clinicians who care for each woman.

Leadership

Board of Directors

Clinical, nonprofit and community leaders who guide Inner Beauty Institute and the Maternal Mental Health Continuum Network.

Dr. Mirica Sanders

Board-certified adult psychiatrist

Dr. Mirica Sanders is a board-certified adult psychiatrist, healthcare leader, and advocate for women's mental health. With a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Ohio University, she completed her psychiatry residency at Cleveland Clinic, serving as Chief Resident, and a fellowship in Community Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University.

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As Medical Director and Founder of Inner Community Health, Dr. Sanders specializes in holistic mental health care, stress management, and emotional wellness. Her dedication has earned her prestigious accolades, including the President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Passionate and relatable, Dr. Sanders empowers individuals to achieve balance, emotional well-being, and lasting resilience.

Mia Powers

Clinician & clinical supervisor

Mia Powers is a seasoned mental health professional with over a decade of experience in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, and leadership. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the Georgia School of Professional Psychology, she holds multi-state licensure and a Georgia Professional Counselor Supervisor certification.

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Specializing in several evidence-based treatments, Mia has effectively treated various complex mental health and trauma-related disorders. Known for her expertise in program development, clinical supervision, and psycho-educational outreach, Mia delivers compassionate care while advancing mental health initiatives. She combines warmth and expertise to promote emotional well-being and growth for both clients and supervisees.

Steve Sanders

Nonprofit & community leader

Steve Sanders is a dynamic leader with extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and personal development initiatives. He has founded and directed impactful programs, including Training Camp For Life and The Steve Sanders Academy, improving literacy and fostering mental well-being among student-athletes and underserved youth.

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A former NFL athlete and graduate of Bowling Green State University, Steve served as Metro Cleveland Executive Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), where he cultivated partnerships with major sports teams and spearheaded fundraising efforts. Renowned for his leadership, public speaking, and philanthropic expertise, Steve continues to inspire through his commitment to character development and community growth. His dedication to the community has earned him national recognition, including the President's Lifetime Achievement Award and an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Watch

Meet Inner Beauty Institute.

Dr. Mirica Sanders shares the vision behind Inner Beauty Institute and the spaces where women come to learn, heal and grow together.