For Providers

According to the March of Dimes, "Neonatal abstinence syndrome (also called NAS) is a group of conditions caused when a baby withdraws from certain drugs he's exposed to in the womb before birth. NAS is most often caused when a woman takes drugs called opioids during pregnancy. But it also can be caused by antidepressants (used to treat depression), barbiturates or benzodiazepines (sleeping pills). When you take these drugs during pregnancy, they can pass through the placenta and cause serious problems for your baby. The placenta grows in your uterus (womb) and supplies your baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord."

Related resources:

• March of Dimes Issue Brief: Drug-Exposed Newborns
• March of Dimes: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
• AAP Urges Public Health Approach for Women Who Use Opioids During Pregnancy

The main difference between a Peer Recovery Coach and a Recovery Coach is that Peer Recovery Coaches have lived experiences. Peer Recovery Coaches are individuals who have lived addiction and have enough ‘clean and sober time’ in recovery to qualify to take a test through the West Virginia Addiction Professional Board licensing them to become a Peer Recovery Coach. A Recovery Coach has no lived experiences and is not eligible to take testing to become a Peer Recovery Coach, but they provide information on education and research.

Related resources:

• West Virginia Certification Board for Addiction & Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP)
• Peer Recovery Certification
• Recovery Coach Credential Training
• WV Peers
• Peer Recovery Training Hub - The HUB, aims to support and expand the peer workforce in West Virginia by providing access to high-quality training and resources at either no cost or low cost to participants and provide technical assistance to peers pursuing certification.

According to SAMSHSA, "Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are used to treat opioid dependence and addiction to short-acting opioids such as heroin, morphine, and codeine, as well as semi-synthetic opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone… FDA approved naloxone, an injectable drug used to prevent an opioid overdose.” Learn more about the specific differences between the medications here.

Related resources:

• Medication and Counseling Treatment
• Buprenorphine
• Methadone
• Naltrexone
• Naloxone
• Opioid overdose reversal naloxone (Narcan, Evzio)
• Naloxone, Narcan, Naltrexone, Suboxone… What’s the difference?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, "Addiction is a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. People with addiction (severe substance use disorder) have an intense focus on using a certain substance(s), such as alcohol or drugs, to the point that it takes over their life. They keep using alcohol or a drug even when they know it will cause problems. Yet a number of effective treatments are available and people can recover from addiction and lead normal, productive lives." Learn more about addiction

Related resources:

• Science of Addiction
• Struggling With Addiction? Tips On Finding Quality Treatment
• The Naked Truth: Recovery Stories
• The Science of Drug Use and Addiction: The Basics
• WVU Addressing Addiction

Many babies exposed to certain substances in the womb (especially opioids) will show some signs of withdrawal after birth since they are no longer exposed to those substances once their umbilical cord is cut and their bodies process those substances out of their system. Withdrawal signs may include:

Learn more, by reading the Signs of NAS blog post here.

"You can reduce stigma and help save lives, just by changing your language. Person first language is proven to reduce stigma and improve treatment. Person-first language doesn’t define a person based on any medical disorder she may have. It’s nonjudgmental, it’s neutral, and the diagnosis is purely clinical." - Shatterproof

Terminology Recommendation

• Stigma Reducing Language
• Words Matter - Terms to Use and Avoid When Talking About Addiction
• Language Matters: Creating a safer space with less stigma
• Pregnancy & Substance Use - A Harm Reduction Toolkit
• John's Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Stigma Lab

Finding Quality Treatment for Substance Use Disorder with three steps to access care and five signs of quality treatment from SAMHSA (PDF).

Substance use treatment is provided at different levels of care and is often available in multiple treatment settings. The level of care is determined by severity of problem and use. Inpatient treatment is reserved for those with more serious use or those requiring detox. *Information from an IMPACT WV SBIRT Training by Keigan Aabel-Brown, MSW.

Treatment may include:

1. Counseling, therapy, and other psychological rehabilitation services
2. Medications: psychiatric for co-occurring disorders (in conjunction with talk-therapy) or Drug agonist (Buprenorphine) antagonist (naltrexone) therapy
3. Self-Help or Support Groups (AA, NA, Al-Anon)
4. Health and Wellness coaching (diet, exercise, meditation)
5. Combination of the above

Find treatment.

Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) [PDF]

• The Time is Now
  Video discusses the process under Chapter 49 of WV Code. It explains how the court system and professionals involved make reasonable efforts to work with parents and reunite families. It emphasizes that time is of the essence, and parents’ rights may be terminated if in their children’s best interests.
• Child Protective Services in WV
  Website provides information on: Intake Assessment, Family Functioning Assessment, Protective Capacities Family Assessment, Case Plan and Evaluation, When Cases go to Court, State and Federal Statues, Child Protective Services and other Related Policies, WV Code, Benchmark for Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings, Partners, and Newsletters
• WV Bureau for Children and Families Child Welfare Services
  Website provides information on: Who can receive services, Responsibilities of Child Welfare Services, and How to make a report to Child Welfare Services at 1-800-352-6513
• Advocating for the Best Interest of the Child
  Guide describing the various hearings that will occur from intake and potential outcome situations. Also explains common terms used in a CPS process, as well as what a guardian at litem is. Geared towards foster parents, but is a resource for parents too showing the hearing portion immediately after removal.
• Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery (SAFERR)
  Guide on the SAFERR model from the National Center on Substance Use and Child Welfare and the US Department of Health and Human Services to help caseworkers screen parents for substance use and make decisions about children's safety.