2020 State Pilot Grant Program: Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Montana Project Abstract
The MT Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) proposes to enhance substance use disorder (SUD) and family strengthening services for pregnant and postpartum mothers experiencing SUD through the proposed Strengthening Families Initiative (SFI). SFI increases support for mothers and families in the postpartum period through age two. SFI will implement a trauma-sensitive, team-based, community-focused intensive outpatient care model for early family care, promoting safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments. SFI incorporates a range of evidence-based programs to treat women with SUD and their families and environments. SFI incorporates a range of EBPs to treat women with SUD and their families, including clinical therapy and psychological approaches through outpatient and intensive outpatient services, in addition to case management, tobacco cessation, HIV /Hepatitis testing and care, and a family recovery home pilot. SFI will serve approximately 150 women and their families annually, a total of 450 over the project term.
SFI extends successful steps MT Medicaid has already taken to enhance the continuum of care for pregnant and postpartum women with a diagnosis of SUD and their families. Montana Medicaid currently supports a bundled intensive outpatient (IOP) service, which includes individual, group, and family SUD therapy, educational groups, psychosocial rehabilitation, co-occurring mental health treatment, crisis service, and care coordination. Montana Medicaid also pays for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), high intensity residential ASAM 3.5 level of care, HIV/Hepatitis testing and treatment, and tobacco cessation. SFI builds a specialized IOP bundle with a targeted focus on pregnant / postpartum women with SUD and their families.
The proposed project strengthens higher level specialty SUD service delivery for pregnant and postpartum mothers, continues care coordination across extended higher level services, expands the focus to include families, and increases recovery housing supports. The project fills gaps in provider capacity through increased workforce development to expand the number of licensed addiction counselors, dually-licensed behavioral health providers, and peer support specialists with specialized training to support this population. SFI supports continued infrastructure development to improve communication, coordination, and collaboration.
SFI will help the state to achieve it's goal such that:
1. Women with SUD and their families receive services and supports to meet their needs across the continuum of care;
2. Montana has a confident and effective behavioral health workforce committed to serving this population;
3. Programs and services are coordinated to provide seamless services, support quality improvement, and avoid duplication;
4. Families are partners in creating safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments.