The philosophy that drives For My Baby and Me is driven by providing a holistic approach to addiction and recovery.
Not every woman has a smooth pregnancy, especially those who are dealing with addiction.
Fortunately, women who enroll in Capital Health’s For My Baby and Me receive medical care through all stages of pregnancy; medication-assisted addiction treatment; peer recovery, relapse prevention counseling and support; housing assistance; transportation; employment services; and child care for dependents.
Stacey Negron, MSN, RN, care manager, project evaluator, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton
The program meets a critical need in addictions treatment, because many recovery programs don’t accept pregnant women, who require complex, specialized care.
Stacey Negron, MSN/ RN, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton’s care manager/project evaluator, recently spoke to NJ Advance Media about the For My Baby and Me program.
Q: When was the For My Baby and Me program established, and what population does it serve?
A: The For My Baby and Me Program was established in December 2017, serving women of child-birthing age who are pregnant or postpartum for up to 12 weeks with opioid use disorder (OUD).
Q: What are some of the main challenges faced by the women you assist?
A: Some of the challenges faced by the women we serve begin with stigma, not having access to prenatal care, homelessness, and not having a safe place to reside. Other challenges include access to providers who can treat opioid addiction in pregnancy and access to mental health services.
Q: What services do you provide, and what other organizations are involved in the effort?
A: For My Baby and Me is powered by the efforts of collaboration. Collaboration between Grantor Capital Health and partners. Capital Health provides prenatal and postpartum care, and Rescue Mission conducts outreach and first contact via a hotline to the Program. Catholic Charities operates an intake process for For My Baby and Me and assesses overall needs and Mental Health and Addiction Services. HomeFront provides housing for our young women who are homeless or in an unsafe living environment. While also providing case management services to ensure our women are provided tools for a well-rounded foundation for independent living.
Q: How would you describe the philosophy that guides the For My Baby and Me initiative?
A: The philosophy that drives For My Baby and Me is driven by providing a holistic approach to addiction and recovery. They are promoting health for mom and baby, empowering our women, helping to give birth to the strength that lives within them by meeting them where they are in their journey and providing the support and treatment they need to succeed.
Q: Can you give us an example of how the program has had an impact on a new mother and her child?
A: The most significant impact the program has on mother and baby is unification. The program assists mothers through recovery during pregnancy and significantly increases the chances they can leave the hospital with their babies. Under other circumstances, they would not be able to. Moms who engage in our program postpartum and, after showing compliance, are reunified with their babies. This is the most rewarding part to see.
Q: What is the main message for expectant or new mothers dealing with substance use and other challenges related to housing, income or access to care?
A: The most important message one can give to our new mothers is that “You Are Not Alone.” Regardless of where you’ve been and what you have been through, we have a collaborative team fully dedicated to your healing and success.
For information about Capital Health’s For My Baby and Me program, call 609-256-7801, or visit www.formybabyandme.org.
