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Jane Honikman is a Postpartum Parent Support Consultant from Santa Barbara, California. In 1977, she co-founded Postpartum Education for Parents (PEP). She founded Postpartum Support International (PSI) in 1987. « I was pregnant, single and alone. I gave birth in a foreign country, and never saw my baby. I had no emotional support ». « I was married, and was finally pregnant. I gave birth, away from my extended family, but with a supportive husband. We had no emotional support » It is these contrasting, yet similar experiences, which have motivated Jane Honikman to become passionate about improving the outcomes for babies and their parents. After the birth of her second child, she co-founded, with some of her friends, Postpartum Education for Parents (PEP). It was conceived from their own needs as struggling young parents, removed from their families, and inundated with professional advice. It was about making friends, learning about community resources, and gaining confidence as new parents. The first ever warm line, staffed entirely by trained parent volunteers, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week was launched and it has been available since July 1, 1977. Communities are human systems where we live, work, learn, pray, and play together. We tend to gather together based on our cultural values and with a common purpose. It is during pregnancy that the first shift in emotional needs occurs. The arrival of the newborn does interrupt a new parent’s existing community, as well as a good night’s sleep. Social connections, our networks, exist within each community, yet how do expectant and new families find or create them? In general, our networks help us find employment, friendship, and provide emotional support and comfort. We may relish these natural human interactions, take them for granted, or in some cases, ignore them. Then, the new baby arrives. The need for community support takes on a different meaning. During this interactive course, Oguz Omay will interview Jane Honikman on how to build efficient and sustainable community networks for new families. The presenters will explore how best a perinatal psychiatry team may work with users’ associations and the participants will be called to comment on challenges they perceive in their own cultural context.