The Pregnant, Parenting, Children and Families (PPCF) workgroup voted to prioritize funding for initiatives that transition our systems of substance use disorder (SUD) care so they:

  • Keep children and parents together.
  • Are trauma-informed.
  • Recognize the intersection of racism and the criminalization of substance use.

We are currently focused on the following transformations:

  • Transform prenatal care so anyone pregnant and using substances can easily access prenatal care and substance use care, regardless of their ability to stop using substances or what stage of the pregnancy they are in.
  • Transform the provision of care at birth:
    • Mothers/birth parents who are stable in recovery at birth can room-in with their babies and provide non-pharmacological supports for infant withdrawal.
    • Mothers/birth parents who aren’t stable in recovery at birth can receive medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), withdrawal support, and substance use care at the birthing hospital without being separated from their baby. And then be transferred together from the hospital to a residential/outpatient treatment.
  • Streamlined access to intensive outpatient treatment models that provide housing (Rising Strong) and/or residential treatment that allows parents to bring their children with them.
    • Residential treatment models need to be in more communities and be able to accommodate fathers/partners, more than one child per family, and children over the age of 5.
  • Housing access:
    • Residential treatment wait times are currently 4-6 weeks. Parents and children need transitional housing while they wait to go to treatment. .
    • Direct transfer to permanent housing when families are discharging from outpatient treatment/residential treatment.

The workgroup requests were fully funded in the governor's budget, and we are waiting to see what funding will be allocated by the legislature.