FAMILY MENTAL WELLNESS
BY ERIN PAGE Parents and Substance Use New programs help improve maternal health, strengthen families and break cycles
Oklahoma has historically experienced high rates of parents with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), which has contributed to increased incarceration of women, maternal deaths and children being removed from their homes, and the statistics have only worsened in recent years. In 2019, Oklahoma had the eighth highest proportion in the nation of children in foster care whose removal was due to substance abuse, according to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). In 2018, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and other local and statewide agencies studied how to improve outcomes of individuals with SUD, moms in particular, to benefit not just the parent but their children and families. ODMHSAS identified three sites in which to implement a pilot program, including Tulsa’s Center for Therapeutic Intervention (CTI), the STAR (Substance use Treatment And Recovery) Prenatal Clinic at OU Health Sciences Center and Okmulgee’s CREOKS Behavioral Health Services center. When the pilot program began, if a mother was using substances while pregnant, there wasn’t a clear path to connect her with recovery services until her baby was born substance exposed or substance affected. Even that didn’t always result in treatment. In 2018, 1,040 women gave birth to infants affected by opioid withdrawal symptoms in Oklahoma licensed medical facilities, according to ODMHSAS; 70 percent of those mothers were not connected with treatment after delivery. “Child Protective Services (CPS) doesn’t have the ability to intervene until after a child is born, so, unfortunately, it can be a challenge to identify folks who may benefit from treatment or intervention during the prenatal period,” said Katie Harrison, senior program manager for Adult and Family-Centered Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Services within ODMHSAS. “The same thing could happen at the hospital level. If a baby is born substance exposed or affected, they are referred to CPS to be assessed for safety. If it is determined during the investigation that the family can provide a safe environment, a referral to treatment may not necessarily be made. And we know that there are often times, even though safety may not be a risk, the family could still benefit from treatment and support.” The agencies considered what positive outcomes could occur if they intervened and offered solutions earlier. “We really wanted to enhance supports by moving upstream to increase recovery during pregnancy,” explained Harrison.
What is a Family Care Plan? One key component has been the development of Family Care Plans (FCP), which were officially launched as part of the larger 2020 SAFER (Safely Advocating for Families Engaged in Recovery) statewide effort addressing the continuum of care for persons who have a substance use, mental health or co-occurring disorder and are pregnant, parenting or are wanting to become pregnant. Kept either digitally or in a binder, FCPs are client-owned compilations of documents that help moms and their providers keep track of all key paperwork, check lists, appointments and resources needed in their journeys toward recovery. FCPs also highlight the owner’s accomplishments, identify goals and address needs. An FCP could include things like the log from a mom’s participation in a 12-step recovery program, notes from prenatal appointments, resources on safe sleep for infants, information on local domestic violence support services and much more. The client is encouraged to take the plan to all prenatal, treatment, court and agency appointments to be updated or added to by each provider they encounter. “These families can have a lot of intensive social needs and are trying to coordinate care across systems and providers,” explained Harrison. “This tool can bridge some of the gaps between systems and aid not only the person keeping track but also demonstrate the steps they are taking toward recovery to CPS and the court.” “Our primary goal is to prevent family separation whenever safely possible and provide enough robust community supports to that family that they can discharge home with their infant.” Katie Harrison, ODMHSAS
14 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / MAY-JUNE 2023
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