The Wright Center for Community Health and Maternal and Family Health Services were recently awarded a $500,000 grant from AllOne Foundation to support the organizations’ work within the community-based Healthy MOMS (Maternal Opiate Medical Support) Pregnancy-Recovery initiative. The Healthy MOMS program launched in late 2018 with a goal of organizing regional players in the healthcare, legal and social services sectors to care for pre- and post-natal women with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and, ultimately, reduce their babies’ risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
Benefitting from these grant funds, moms-to-be within multiple counties served by AllOne Foundation (Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming) are eligible for services/care during their pregnancy, through delivery and continued throughout their postpartum fourth trimester. Support can include assistance with housing, childcare, transportation, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), substance abuse counseling, case management, mental health counseling, recovery supports through a certified recovery specialist, and medical care for mom and baby.
The Healthy MOMS program is modeled after Ohio’s successful MOMS (Maternal Opiate Medical Support) Project, a community-based model that addresses the needs of pregnant women struggling with OUD and their newborns. Care is coordinated through a team of community partners specifically aligned to guide a woman with OUD on her path of recovery.
Although The Wright Center for Community Health and Maternal and Family Health Services are the co-recipients of this grant from AllOne Foundation, the Healthy MOMS collaborative is made possible through the engagement of many community-based organizations, including Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services, Susquehanna County Children and Youth Services, Moses Taylor Hospital, Outreach Center for Community Resources, Geisinger and Scranton Primary Health Care Center.
The Healthy MOMS program continues to grow, and interested community partners within any of the counties served are encouraged to reach out to Maria Kolcharno, The Wright Center for Community Health’s Director of Addiction Services, at 570-955-7821 to get involved or make a referral into the program. Individuals may also self-refer by contacting Maria Kolcharno at 570-955-7821.
“AllOne Foundation is committed to innovative and collaborative approaches to improve the health and welfare of our neighbors. Healthy MOMS is one of those key programs that is already having measurable impact in driving real solutions to directly help some of our community’s most vulnerable,” stated John W. Cosgrove, Executive Director, AllOne Foundation and Charities. “AllOne Foundation is pleased to support this vital initiative.”
More details about the program, including downloadable literature and information for potential community partners, is available at www.healthymoms.org.
