Welcome to CORAL

We are the CORAL Center to Advance Behavioral Health among Pregnant/Postpartum Women.

About

Our center envisions a future where every mother has the opportunity for a healthy pregnancy and a thriving postpartum experience—regardless of background, circumstance, or community. We work hand-in-hand with the people and places most affected, building authentic partnerships that elevate local knowledge and strengthen collaboration across health, research, and policy sectors. By nurturing the next generation of researchers and empowering community voices, we transform innovative ideas into practical, evidence-driven solutions that improve care, and ultimately enhance the well-being of mothers, families, and communities across Georgia.

Our mission

CORAL’s mission is to help women not just survive but thrive during pregnancy and postpartum by turning maternal behavioral health research into meaningful, community-driven action.

CORAL is dedicated to:

Building a strong research network driven by community needs,
Partnering with communities to conduct ethical, impactful research,
Supporting and mentoring the next generation of researchers, and
Working with academic, government, and community partners to share and apply what we learn.

CORAL is based on strong partnerships, ethical research, capacity building, and collaborative dissemination. Collectively we foster a supportive empowered community committed to fair access to maternal healthcare and impactful change.

Maternal behavioral factors, including mental health, substance use, nutrition, stress, and care seeking behaviors strongly influence maternal health outcomes and were the key drivers of pregnancy-related deaths in 2022.

37.9 per 100,000

pregnancy-related mortality ratio in Georgia, one of the highest in the US (2022).

90%

of Black maternal deaths are preventable.

23%

of maternal deaths the US are due to Maternal Mental Health disorders, with suicide and overdose being the most common (2017-2020).

Our name and logo

Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems that provide life-sustaining resources and protection for a number of marine organisms. The name and imagery associated with CORAL were chosen as a metaphor for the community as the ecosystem that we collaborate with and serve as a center of excellence for maternal behavioral health.

The CORAL logo represents a unified commitment to empowering women during all stages of pregnancy and the postpartum stage. The conch shell conveys themes of nurturing, protection, and growth, aligning perfectly with our mission to support and empower pregnant women and new mothers.

Our logo also reflects the partnerships between Morehouse School of Medicine, Emory University, and community leaders among whom we strive to foster a sense of trust and collaboration.

Principal investigators

CORAL is led by three Multiple Principal Investigators with complementary training, experience, and expertise around maternal health, behavioral health, healthy policy, health services research, and fair access to healthcare.

Together they make an excellent leadership team for addressing the maternal behavioral health crisis in the U.S. and Georgia. CORAL’s mission is driven by the MPI’s individual and collective partnerships with local, state, and national community partners, as well as other Maternal Health Centers across the country.