So every 15 minutes in the US, a baby is born with prenatal exposure or addiction
to drugs according to a recent
report.
>> It is an uphill battle for
the child to could have issues
for the rest of his or
her life. More than 300 staff
from a number of organizations
came together late last year
for a training to help these
babies thrive after birth
and also in the world if they
are exposed to drugs and also
keep families together so they
all can be rehabilitated
joining me now to discuss this
partnership magistrate kimber
Strawbridge and Sarah Smith
with family support services of
North Florida. Thank you for
coming this morning and thank
you for your efforts, you know
to keep our baby’s healthy and
our families together I’m Sarah
to talk to you about
you know because a lot of
people don’t really understand
or know if the babies exposed
to drugs that mom was using
drugs while the babies in the
womb. How does that affect
the child.
>> Affect them in a numerous
way so they could have severe
withdrawal symptoms where
they’re in the hospital for
a very long period of time they
can also
have lifelong issues such as
health issues or even mental
health concerns and that she
sharp Strawbridge of a tough
job.
>> I mean you you hear a lot of
stories you know families that
are trying to get it together
that it’s just a difficult
battle and the goal is really
to kind of keep those families
together and rehabilitate them.
Yes, so the laws supports you
know the reunification of
at us to see up here locally we
all work together to do what we
can to help reunify families.
>> But have been separated.
Through abandoned abuse or
neglect family support services
got a grant to help support
this effort because if you can
get
in there and address it early
you have a better chance of
keeping those families
together. How is that
money used.
>> The money was used to
comprise our early childhood
court steering committee and we
have numerous organizations
such as Florida Department of
Health Department of children
and families Northeast healthy
star Memorial health.
All come together to really
help that’s possible
population. We also created
education materials surrounding
our protocols such as pressures
that we have given
to various organizations
throughout our community.
We have 30,000 that we’re
giving out
hospitals obj Ryan’s really
anybody that supports our
infants and
substance, misuse and I said
32500 people were trade by your
train last year which is a
great number of it they’re like
soldiers on the streets trying
to really.
>> Rehabilitate families.
the healthy start coalition in
Volusia County was really the
pioneer plan a safe care so
we’re fortunate enough to have
their executive director in
leadership.
>> Come down and train over 500
professionals with 38 different
agencies.
So we are we just feel
so passionate about the
population and we’re just great
to have this collaboration,
what is that intervention look
like because you know you’re
dealing with a mom who may be
addicted to drugs that itself
is is a hard battle.
She wants to have a healthy
baby wants to keep the family
together. What does that
intervention look like
so we’ve created a safe pathway
for these individuals who have
substance use disorder
to be able to seek treatment
without fear of having their
child promote we want to and
sure parents that there is
support
out there in order to help them
have a safe and healthy baby.
And you know in the end though
you’ve got to have parents who
cooperate and know that it’s a
safe space for them to come and
actually get that help. Yeah me
too and that’s why we’re here
we want families to know an
opioid epidemic has touched
every family every
socioeconomic group.
>> Doesn’t matter who they are
someone knows the person who
has used substances are
struggling with substance use
disorder. And we want them to
know that it’s safe to tell
someone and that we can provide
and interventions to help them
and it starts with their
doctor.
And unfortunately though a lot
of moms and get that prenatal
care. They But it can be a
different interventions that
can happen at the hospital even
after discharge.
>> We’re there up until at
least one year postpartum.
>> So if you’re struggling and
you hear this interview know
that there’s help
out there. He just got to
trigger it and get it and
people with heart and passion
to help you. So
if you miss any of this