MFMH

A Publication on Maternal & Family Mental Health

About MFMH

MFMH: A Publication on Maternal & Family Mental Health is an open-access publication of the HLC Maternal & Family Mental Health Research Center.

MFMH serves as a platform for sharing research, practice insights, community perspectives, and innovative approaches related to maternal, family, and community mental health.

The publication seeks to bridge the gap between research, practice, advocacy, and lived experience by making information accessible to researchers, practitioners, students, policymakers, advocates, and community members.

MFMH welcomes contributions from multidisciplinary perspectives, including mental health, public health, maternal and child health, human services, social work, counseling, education, healthcare, and community-based organizations.

Scope of the Publication

MFMH welcomes submissions related to maternal, family, and community mental health, including but not limited to:

Publication Schedule

MFMH is published three times annually.

Winter Issue

Publication Date: January 15

Submission Deadline: October 15

Spring Issue

Publication Date: May 15

Submission Deadline: February 15

Fall Issue

Publication Date: September 15

Submission Deadline: June 15

Accepted manuscripts are scheduled for publication in the next available issue at the discretion of the Editorial Team.

MFMH reserves the right to hold accepted manuscripts for a future issue based on publication scheduling, thematic considerations, and available space.

Author Identification and ORCID Policy

For scholarly submissions, authors must provide:

• Full Name

• Professional Credentials (if applicable)

• Institutional or Organizational Affiliation

• Professional Email Address

• Short Author Biography (50–150 words)

• ORCID iD

• Conflict of Interest Disclosure

MFMH requires ORCID identifiers for all authors of DOI-bearing scholarly publications.

ORCID provides a persistent digital identifier that improves discoverability, supports accurate attribution, and integrates with scholarly systems including Crossref, Google Scholar, OpenAlex, and institutional repositories.

Authors may register for a free ORCID iD through the ORCID Registry.

Peer Review Policy

MFMH utilizes a double-blind peer review process for scholarly submissions.

Each scholarly manuscript is reviewed by at least two qualified reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewer and author identities remain confidential throughout the review process.

Manuscripts are evaluated based on:

• Relevance to maternal and family mental health

• Originality and contribution to the field

• Clarity and organization

• Scholarly rigor

• Practical significance

• Ethical considerations

Following review, manuscripts may be:

• Accepted

• Accepted with Minor Revisions

• Accepted with Major Revisions

• Declined

The Editorial Team makes the final publication decision.

MFMH Conversations, Community Voices, Spotlight Features, and News & Updates are editorially reviewed and do not undergo peer review.

DOI Policy

DOIs are assigned to scholarly works that contribute to the evidence base and may reasonably be cited in academic, professional, clinical, educational, or policy-related publications.

DOIs are assigned to:

• Original Research Articles

• Literature Reviews

• Practice Articles

• Research Briefs

• Commentaries

• Book Reviews

DOIs are not assigned to:

• Interviews

• Podcast Features

• Community Voices

• Spotlights

• Organizational Updates

• Event Recaps

Open Access Policy

MFMH is a fully open-access publication.

All content is freely available without subscription fees, registration requirements, or paywalls.

Readers may access, download, share, and distribute published content for educational and non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution.

Publication Fees

MFMH does not charge publication fees.

There are:

• No submission fees

• No article processing charges (APCs)

• No publication fees

• No access fees for readers

MFMH is committed to reducing barriers to scholarly and professional publishing.

Copyright and Author Rights

Authors retain copyright of their work.

By publishing with MFMH, authors grant MFMH a non-exclusive license to publish, archive, preserve, and distribute the work.

Authors may share, distribute, and archive their work on personal websites, institutional repositories, professional profiles, ORCID records, and educational platforms with appropriate citation to the original publication.

Citation and Attribution Policy

Authors and readers are encouraged to cite MFMH publications using the citation format provided with each article.

All DOI-bearing publications receive a permanent citation and Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to support academic, professional, and policy-related referencing.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Authors, reviewers, and editors should disclose any financial, professional, organizational, or personal relationships that could influence the content or review of a manuscript.

Potential conflicts of interest do not automatically disqualify participation but must be disclosed to ensure transparency.

Publication Ethics

MFMH is committed to maintaining high standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing practices.

Authors are expected to:

• Submit original work

• Properly cite sources

• Disclose conflicts of interest

• Comply with applicable ethical standards

• Obtain appropriate permissions when necessary

Plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, and other forms of research misconduct are grounds for rejection or retraction.

AI-Assisted Writing Policy

Authors may utilize artificial intelligence tools for editing, grammar assistance, formatting, brainstorming, or drafting support.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scholarly quality of submitted work.

Substantial use of AI tools should be disclosed at the time of submission.

AI tools may not be listed as authors.

Retraction and Corrections Policy

If significant errors, inaccuracies, or ethical concerns are identified after publication, MFMH may publish corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate.

The Editorial Team will investigate concerns in a fair and transparent manner.

Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently of funding sources, organizational partnerships, sponsors, donors, or advertisers.

Publication decisions are based solely on scholarly merit, relevance, quality, and alignment with the mission of MFMH.

Digital Preservation and Archiving

MFMH is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of published content.

Published articles are permanently archived through the MFMH website and associated DOI registration services.

Metadata associated with DOI-bearing publications is maintained through Crossref to support long-term discoverability and citation tracking.

In the event of future platform changes, MFMH will make reasonable efforts to preserve and maintain access to previously published content.

Editorial Governance

MFMH is guided by an Editorial Board comprised of professionals with expertise in maternal health, family mental health, public health, human services, counseling, education, healthcare, and related disciplines.

The Editorial Board supports publication quality, peer review oversight, ethical standards, and strategic direction for the publication.

Publication Timeline

Average Timeline:

Initial Editorial Screening: 1–2 weeks

Peer Review: 2–4 weeks

Revision Period: 2–4 weeks

Final Decision: Approximately 1 week

Publication: Next scheduled issue

Actual timelines may vary depending on submission volume and reviewer availability.

Editorial Vision

MFMH seeks to amplify diverse voices while advancing knowledge in maternal and family mental health.

The publication is committed to creating a space where research, practice, advocacy, and lived experience intersect to inform healthier families and stronger communities.

By integrating scholarly work with community-centered perspectives, MFMH strives to be both academically meaningful and practically relevant.