Training Health Care and Human Services Personnel in Perinatal Substance Abuse

Abstract

Perinatal substance abuse treatment is composed of overlapping areas: maternal and child health care, alcohol and other drug abuse treatment, child abuse prevention, and domestic violence prevention. The field of perinatal substance abuse lies at the intersection of the complex social, medical, and psychological needs of women who abuse substances before, during, and/or after pregnancy, and the subsequent needs of their children. The scope of work in perinatal substance abuse can include primary prevention, secondary prevention, and/ or tertiary prevention.’ Health care and human services personnel have contact with pregnant women who have not yet used alcohol and other drugs, with pregnant women who are currently using alcohol and other drugs, and with children and women who have suffered a negative impact of alcohol and other drug use. The number of women of childbearing age who use alcohol and other drugs and the number of drug-exposed infants have captured the attention of a variety of professions. These numbers have also focused the service and research dollars of federal and local agencies on the problems of substance-abusing pregnant and postpartum women and their children.