GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Kent County Health Department has received money to improve and enhance access to local treatment, support and recovery resources to pregnant women and mothers struggling with substance abuse.
The health department was given $50,000 on Monday, March 9. It is one of five health organizations across the state to receive the funding to begin new projects or expand existing, successful projects that prevent and treat opioid abuse among women, their children and infants during prenatal, pregnancy and postpartum periods.
The funding is provided through the “Addressing Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder” initiative, a new public-private collaboration between the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.
According to the KCHD, women who abuse opioids and who are also pregnant, or likely to become pregnant, face potentially adverse outcomes for themselves and their infants, including preterm labor, stillbirth, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and maternal mortality.
According to MDHHS’ Division for Vital Records, between 2010 to 2017, the rate of infants discharged from hospitals for drug withdrawals has increased by more than 50%.
The grants were targeted toward non-profit organizations participating in one of the 10 Regional Perinatal Quality Collaboratives in Michigan to establish effective and evidence-based projects that will be sustained beyond the grant period.
Here's a video of the press conference Monday, March 9 at the Kent County Health Department at 700 Fuller Ave. NE, in Grand Rapids:
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