Addressing Maternal Opioid Misuse Through a Statewide Grant

7% of infants in Maine have substance exposure at birth, one of the highest rates in the U.S.

Maine has the 3rd highest rate of substance exposed newborns, following Vermont and West Virginia. Among Maine counties there is wide variation in substance exposure for infants. In 2021, the number of babies born drug exposed and/or affected exceeded 10% in 5 of Maine's 16 counties: Androscoggin, Washington, Aroostook, Piscataquis and Oxford. By contrast, York, Cumberland, Franklin, Sagadahoc and Hancock all had rates below 4% or 1 in 25 births.

Maine鈥檚 Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was awarded $5.3 million to employ the MaineMOM model to provide maternal and substance use treatments to pregnant and postpartum individuals. Through a team-based approach to care, providers work with patients to create specialized treatment plans for counseling, recovery support, treatment and family planning. As of July 2021, Maine DHHS is partnering with AOA体育平台, MaineGeneral Health, Northern Light Health and Pines Health Services to offer MaineMOM services.

Tracking Progress

  • Since July 2021, 80 participants have enrolled through AOA体育平台 practices and about half are still active in the program.
  • 8 out of 9 AOA体育平台 hospitals are actively enrolling MaineMOM patients.
  • As part of this effort, AOA体育平台 has worked to improve perinatal care for all patients by implementing universal screening protocols for:
    • Substance use during pregnancy
    • Hepatitis C in pregnancy

or for providers.

MaineMOM Patient Referrals

MaineMOM improves care for pregnant and postpartum people with opioid use disorder and their infants by integrating maternal and substance use treatment services. Information about MaineMOM service locations and how to refer to services can be found at .

A New Life

Memorial Hospital offers a structured, comprehensive care program for prenatal patient with substance use disorder. By integrating midwifery/obstetric care and substance use treatment we can improve care coordination, the patient experience ongoing maternal success and newborn health.
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Reference:

Kids Count Data Center. (2021). Babies born exposed/affected to substances in Maine. Retrieved from The Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center: