What Is PMH-C?
PMH-C stands for Perinatal Mental Health Certification. It is awarded by Postpartum Support International (PSI) and recognizes clinicians and support professionals who have the knowledge to help mothers, fathers and families with mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and after birth.
PSI launched it in 2018 as the world’s first certification in perinatal mental health, and demand has grown quickly. Through 2025, PSI had delivered 8,904 exams and issued 8,179 certifications, including 1,947 in 2025 alone, its busiest year so far.
PMH-C is a voluntary certification, not a license and not a board certification. It sits on top of whatever credential you already hold.
Is PMH-C Accredited?
Yes. According to PSI, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, granted accreditation to the PMH-C program on May 29, 2026, for a five-year term ending in June 2031. PSI announced it on June 11, 2026. NCCA accreditation is the same independent standard used by many established healthcare certifications, and it applies to how the exam is built, scored and governed.
Who Can Get PMH-C?
There are three tracks, and you do not have to be a therapist to qualify.
| Track | Who it is for | Education required |
| Mental Health / Psychotherapy | Licensed clinical social workers, licensed counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychotherapists and psychologists | Graduate degree from a mental health program |
| Psychopharmacology | Psychiatrists, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse midwives and doctors of pharmacy | Medical degree or advanced practice nursing degree |
| Affiliated Professional | Registered nurses, lactation consultants, occupational therapists, doulas, non-prescribing midwives, peer specialists, support group leaders and community health workers | A professional credential or specialized training for your role |
Experience Requirement
- At least two years of work experience in your professional track, counted after graduation for tracks that require a degree.
- That experience must include some work with pregnant and postpartum clients. It does not need to be exclusively perinatal, and PSI does not set a minimum number of hours.
- Internships and practicum placements do not count.
PMH-C Training Requirements
You need 20 hours of evidence-based perinatal mental health training in two parts:
- Foundational course, at least 14 hours, including at least one hour on psychopharmacology. It can be taken live, in interactive online format or self-paced online. PSI’s two-day course, Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care (14.5 CE hours), qualifies, as do several approved equivalents from other training organizations.
- Advanced course, at least 6 hours, specific to your track and attended live, in person or virtually. Affiliated Professionals can instead count at least 6 hours of live sessions at the PSI annual conference.
PSI training certificates earned from 2018 onward count toward both requirements. Clinicians trained outside the U.S. can submit other evidence-based courses for review.
The PMH-C Exam
| Format | 125 multiple-choice questions (100 scored, 25 unscored); no essays |
| Time | 3 hours |
| Where | Computer-based and proctored at Pearson test centers |
| Languages | English, Spanish and Canadian French |
| Passing score | 700 on a scale of 0 to 1,000; results are pass or fail |
| Fee | $500 per attempt, paid to Pearson when you schedule |
| Retakes | A three-month wait between attempts, with the full fee each time |
| Content | 12 domains, the largest being perinatal mental health disorders |
Most candidates pass. Across all years, 92% of first-time test takers passed, though the first-time pass rate was 87% in 2025, the first full year after the exam outline was updated.
A few practical details: your test authorization lasts one year from application approval, missing an appointment or rescheduling with less than 48 hours’ notice forfeits the fee, and you get your result at the end of the appointment, with a digital certificate within one to three business days.
How to Apply
- Complete the 20 hours of training and keep your certificates.
- Gather your documents: an employment verification form or private practice attestation, your training certificates, proof of your degree or credential, and a résumé.
- Submit your application to PSI. Review takes up to 10 business days while employment and training are verified.
- Schedule and pay for the exam with Pearson within a year of approval.
- Pass the exam and receive your PMH-C.
PSI does not waive any requirement: every candidate must meet the eligibility criteria and pass the exam.
Keeping Your PMH-C
- Renew every two years by submitting 12 continuing education hours related to perinatal mental health and your track. Courses you already use for license renewal can count.
- There is no renewal fee. Submit your CE documentation in the three months before your certification expires.
- If you need more time, PSI offers a six-month extension for a $75 fee.
- If you go more than 12 months past expiration, you have to retake the exam.
How Clients Verify a PMH-C
PSI keeps a public directory of current PMH-C holders that anyone can search by name or PMH-C ID. IDs earned by exam begin with “PSI”; IDs ending in “-H” were awarded through an application route in 2021. This list is PSI’s official status record, and it is separate from PSI’s opt-in provider directory.
Is PMH-C Worth It?
Here is what the evidence does and does not show.
- No study has measured whether PMH-C itself improves patient outcomes. Anyone who tells you it does is going beyond the research.
- Perinatal mental health training does make a measurable difference to clinicians. A systematic review of 39 studies covering more than 10,000 providers found that training consistently improved knowledge, skills and confidence, and was linked to more screening and referral, while evidence of direct patient benefit remains limited.
- The need is large. A federal task force found that most U.S. counties lack the resources to care for pregnant and postpartum people with mental health conditions, and recommended free training toward the PSI certification as part of the national response.
- PMH-C is now part of how access is counted. A 2025 analysis found that 84% of women of childbearing age live in maternal mental health professional shortage areas, and it counted PMH-C certified providers among the maternal mental health workforce.
In practical terms, PMH-C gives families a recognized signal that you have specific perinatal training, in a field where many people search for exactly that and struggle to find it.
PMH-C Compared With Other Perinatal Training
- National Curriculum in Reproductive Psychiatry (NCRP): a teaching curriculum used by most U.S. reproductive psychiatry fellowships, not a certification. Reproductive psychiatry has no board subspecialty.
- PSI Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color: a PSI program and professional community, not a credential. Members get priority for scholarships toward certification training and the PMH-C exam.
- PSI advanced courses and webinars: training that can count toward PMH-C requirements or renewal, but not a certification on their own.
List Your Practice Where Families Are Searching
Parents searching for help after a birth often look specifically for a therapist who treats postpartum depression. Our guide to how to find a therapist walks them through exactly that search. Our directory lists licensed providers by state and city, highlights PMH-C certification, and shows whether you offer online sessions and are accepting new clients.
Join our postpartum therapist directory
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PMH-C stand for?
Perinatal Mental Health Certification, a credential awarded by Postpartum Support International to professionals trained to support families with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
How much does PMH-C cost?
The exam costs $500 per attempt, paid to Pearson. There is no separate application fee listed by PSI and no renewal fee. Required training courses have their own costs, set by the training provider.
How long does it take to get PMH-C?
You need two years of professional experience and 20 hours of training first. After that, application review takes up to 10 business days, and you can schedule the exam any time within a year of approval.
Can I take the PMH-C exam online?
PSI’s candidate materials describe the exam as computer-based and proctored at Pearson test centers. Check PSI’s current handbook for testing options before you schedule.
Do I need a license to get PMH-C?
Not necessarily. The psychotherapy and psychopharmacology tracks require graduate or medical-level degrees, but the Affiliated Professional track is open to roles such as doulas, peer specialists, support group leaders and community health workers.
Is PMH-C accredited?
Yes. PSI reports that the National Commission for Certifying Agencies granted the program accreditation on May 29, 2026, for five years.
How do I renew my PMH-C?
Submit 12 continuing education hours in perinatal mental health every two years, within the three months before your certification expires. Renewal is free.
How can I check whether a therapist has PMH-C?
Search PSI’s public directory of current PMH-C holders by name or PMH-C ID.
