Extending Substance Use Treatment Resources to Women to Improve Safety of Children with Prenatal and Environmental Substance Exposure

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Children prenatally exposed to substances tend to show some rather dramatic developmental effects that may or may not meet criteria for ASD but need to be addressed as soon as possible to provide the best possible future outcome. Providing the Incredible Years’ experience is important in this population, because many of the babies and toddlers at Beyond Birth show significant neurodevelopmental challenges including speech and language delay, hyperactivity and impulsivity and difficulty with social reciprocity. They are difficult to parent under the best of circumstances and at high risk of abuse due to these behaviors. By providing child development services in the place where women receive outpatient treatment for a diagnosed substance use disorder, they are receiving guidance in a place that is safe and familiar for them. Referrals for developmental services often require months of waiting and anxiety about the outcome for mothers. Women have often expressed fear that they will be blamed or judged if their child has a developmental delay because of her substance use during pregnancy. By incorporating screening, parenting classes and resources women need to meet basic needs for clean water, a clean home that is heated or cooled, screening for legal service needs, and resources for transportation and employment, we believe that women will experience decreased stress and have increased motivation to engage in her treatment program. The Beyond Birth Clinic offers a safe environment for women to learn, grow and heal while bonding with their children.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date7/1/196/30/20

Funding

  • Lexington Fayette Urban County Government: $150,000.00

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