MetroHealth Awarded Funding to Expand Mother and Child Dependency Program

The MetroHealth System has been awarded $336,000 from the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) to expand its Mother and Child Dependency Program to reach more families in need.

The funding will be used to launch a new mobile health clinic that will take care directly into the community. Each week, a dedicated team will meet women struggling with substance use disorders to support them during and after pregnancy — along with their babies — bringing vital maternal care and support services to them where they are.

The mobile clinic, which is expected to launch this fall, will visit neighborhoods based on community needs, including areas with high opioid overdose rates and poor perinatal outcomes, and where strong local social service partners are already in place.

"We are very grateful to the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health for continuing to support the Mother and Child Dependency Program," said Monica Matia, M.Ed., Program Coordinator. "We know many pregnant women with substance use disorders face stigma and barriers. Once they connect with MetroHealth, they realize we are here to support them with compassion and without judgment."

The mobile clinic will connect women with MetroHealth's obstetric and addiction medicine trained professionals who will provide prenatal, gynecologic, wound, substance use and mental health care services.  These services will include administration of medications for opioid use disorder, early pregnancy diagnosis, screening for sexually transmitted infections, placement of long-acting contraceptive devices, and medication treatment of mood disorders.

"We aim to increase access to prenatal and recovery services by meeting individuals in their own communities," said Jessica L. Pippen, MD, Director of the Mother and Child Dependency Program and Assistant Program Director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program. "By doing so, we hope to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality associated with substance use disorders."

MetroHealth is one of 45 providers across the state to receive a portion of more than $10 million in grants to support pregnant women and mothers with substance use disorders. The funding, which is administered by DBH, is provided through the Women's Treatment portion of the federal Substance Use Block Grant.

"These investments are a step forward in addressing the unique challenges women face in addiction and recovery," DBH Director LeeAnne Cornyn said in the announcement. "With these funds, we can expand access to the most compassionate care during a particularly vulnerable time and help thousands of women reclaim their lives, strengthen their families, and build healthier futures."
MetroHealth's Mother and Child Dependency Program, which was launched in 2013, now serves about 240 clients. The Moms House, a community extension of the program, provides a safe and supportive home for women and their infants. Opened in 2020, the residence can house up to six women and their babies.

In addition to housing support, the DBH award will also fund behavioral health services, peer recovery support and referrals to community-based treatment and recovery programs — helping more families and children thrive.