Recovery Point of Charleston dedicates Stockton Street building

From the Charleston Gazette-Mail, “Rachel Thaxton, program coordinator of Recovery Point of Charleston, said the facility will start the bidding process on the project within the next month, and will likely begin construction within six weeks after the bids close. The main building will have 92 treatment beds, which will be opened about 10 beds at a time initially, and … Read More

DHHR Launches New Initiative to Address Smoking While Pregnant

From the Charleston Gazette-Mail, “A new initiative to address West Virginia’s staggering smoking rates among pregnant women launched on Wednesday, and represents the first of its kind in the nation to focus on the problem, which plagues West Virginia more than any other state. …Karen Bowling, secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Human Resources, said the purpose of … Read More

Dr. Laura P. Finnegan – WVU Palladino Lecture & Research Day

Dr. Loretta P. Finnegan will be speaking at WVU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Palladino Lecture & Research Day. Dr. Finnegan is President of Finnegan Consulting, which addresses education, research and treatment in issues relating to women’s health and perinatal addiction. She is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in these fields and is credited with the development of … Read More

Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015 Signed Into Law

From ACOG, “The bipartisan bill, introduced by Rep. Katherine Clark (D- Mass.) and Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), takes proactive steps to help reduce the number of newborns born exposed to drugs, such as opioids, and to improve their care. Specifically, the bill directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to identify and make available recommendations for the prevention … Read More

In TN, Giving Birth To A Drug-Dependent Baby Can Be A Crime

From NPR, “In the United States, a baby is born dependent on opiates every 30 minutes. In Tennessee, the rate is three times the national average. The drug withdrawal in newborns is called neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS, which can occur when women take opiates during their pregnancies. In the spring of 2014, Tennessee passed a controversial law that would … Read More

Use of Long-Acting Birth Control Surges Among U.S. Women

From The New York Times, “The share of American women on birth control who use long-acting reversible methods like intrauterine devices and implants has nearly doubled in recent years, the federal government reported Tuesday. The share of women on birth control who use the devices rose to 11.6 percent in the period from 2011 to 2013, up from 6 percent … Read More

WV Gets ‘D’ on Premature Birthrate from March of Dimes

From the Charleston Gazette, “Smoking, drug addiction and alcohol abuse, three of West Virginia’s biggest health problems, are the biggest contributor to a fourth problem — the state’s troubling rate of premature births. This year’s March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card gives West Virginia a “D” for its premature birthrate, noting that 10.8 percent of infants born in the … Read More

2015 NAPPSS Safe Infant Sleep Recommendations

From the National Action Partnership to Promote Safe Sleep: “The NAPPSS Coalition is pleased to present the National Action Plan to Increase Safe Infant Sleep: A Blueprint from the National Action Partnership to Promote Safe Sleep. The framework for the plan was developed under the guidance of an Expert Leadership Group. National Action Partners generated ideas at a national action … Read More

2015 National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children Conference – Registration Now Open

National DEC’s 12th Annual Conference The Civic Center, Charleston, West Virginia October 6–8, 2015 We anticipate a nationwide representation of service providers and professionals, including child welfare providers, substance abuse treatment providers, juvenile and family court judges and attorneys, law enforcement, prosecutors, probation officers, prevention specialists, maternal and child health agencies, physicians, nurses, researchers and evaluators, educators, Tribal communities, community … Read More