RI MomsPRN ECHO Learning Series

CTC-RI, with funding and support from RIDOH and RI EOHHS, hosted the first RI MomsPRN ECHO session on "Understanding the needs of birth people with substance use disorders." This was the first session of our eight-session series that focuses on strategies to promote recommended screening tools and resources to address maternal behavioral health, and provides a renewed focus on respectful, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate care.

Margo Katz, RIDOH Chief of the Substance Exposed Newborns and Safe Sleep Programs reviewed the RI prenatal substance use landscape and provided public health and community-based interventions for this population. Katie Gozalez, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and VNA of Care New England Community Health Worker, began the case presentation by sharing her personal history with substance use, treatment and recovery during pregnancy. Katie’s experience is at the heart of her work as a Peer Recovery Specialist and Community Health Worker. She was able to share two cases showing the impact that substance use disorders can have on prenatal moms--one with an adverse outcome and one with a positive outcome. All ECHO sessions provide participants with the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters.

Eighty-nine participants attended to improve their understanding of the needs of birth people with substance use disorders. Overall opinion of the ECHO session was 97% good or excellent. When asked if “This session emphasized respectful, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate care”, 95% agreed or strongly agreed.

Our next session on Trauma-Informed Care (including cultural considerations and implicit bias), presented by Dr. Carrie Griffin will be held on Tuesday, October 15, from 12-1PM.