Promising Practice

Drug Free Moms and Babies Program

State/Jurisdiction: West Virginia
Setting: Clinical
Population: Women & Maternal
Topic Area: Care Coordination Birth Outcomes Perinatal Substance Use
NPMs:

The Drug Free Moms and Babies (DFMB) program was created by the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership (the Partnership) in 2011 to address the growing concern of substance use in the pregnant and parenting population and its impact on the health of mothers and infants. Pregnancy is a unique time in a woman’s life, and for women with substance use disorders it is often the only time they have access to ongoing medical care. The increased motivation for improved health along with access to coverage that comes with pregnancy makes the prenatal and postpartum period ideal for addressing substance use. Research demonstrates that women who use substances, but who receive prenatal care have improved birth outcomes. Research also demonstrates that maternal, fetal, and child outcomes are improved when pregnant and parenting women receive care that addresses physical, mental and care coordination needs. That is why DFMB was structured using an integrated approach. DFMB promotes universal screening (i.e., first prenatal visit), utilizes the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model, incorporates a multi-disciplinary team that includes care coordinators and peer recovery support specialists, creates a referral network to link mothers experiencing substance use to treatment and other needed services, ensures program adherence through toxicology, and makes available continuing care and support through long-term follow-up.

The goal of the DFMB program is to improve health outcomes of mothers and their infants by providing comprehensive, integrated care for pregnant and postpartum women struggling with substance use disorders. The program seeks to identify women with substance use as early in their pregnancy as possible, and connect them to the medical, behavioral, and social services needed to improve the health of the mother-baby dyad. The program is available to women for up to two years postpartum to help the mom maintain recovery, provide support, and ensure her baby’s needs are met. Key to the program’s success is a dedicated coordinator who provides individualized care by assessing patients’ needs and helping patients access services and navigate complex systems. Peer recovery support specialists are incorporated into the program and play a critical role in engaging patients, establishing trust, and supporting the recovery of participants.



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Implementation Handout



CONTACT INFORMATION
West Virginia Perinatal Partnership
Amna Haque
ahaque@wvperinatal.org
jbreyel@wvperinatal.org

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