Substance use and mental health resources for pregnant and parenting individuals

Learn about the resources available in Massachusetts for pregnant and parenting individuals experiencing mental health conditions and substance use, their families, and providers.

Mental health conditions and substance use disorders in perinatal individuals, when untreated, can cause serious negative health outcomes for both parents and infants. Having a mental health condition or substance use disorder does not define a person’s parenting abilities. However, the stigma and repercussions faced by pregnant and parenting people with substance use and mental health concerns can often discourage them from seeking care.

Helplines

Women and Family Referral Center
The Women and Family Referral Center provides information, warm hand-off referrals, support, and phone counseling services related to anyone in Massachusetts with questions about substance use disorder and can help pregnant people with developing their Family Care Plan (or Plan of Safe Care). Pregnant people in need of residential services are prioritized for the next available bed. Phone number: [phone]

Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline
The Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline provides information about harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorders and a warm hand-off to programs when needed. The Helpline is available for free, 24/7 via phone call, text, website search, and online chat. Phone number: [phone]

Boston Medical Center Addiction Warmline
The Boston Medical Center Addiction Warmline assists in providing rapid access to medications, including buprenorphine, injectable forms of buprenorphine and naltrexone, and other medications to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders. The Warmline can connect individuals to treatment on demand and provide referrals to long term treatment. It can also be used by providers for a warm hand-off to continued services, if needed. The Warmline is available for free, 24/7 via phone with providers on call. Phone number: [phone]

Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL)
The Behavioral Health Help Line connects individuals and families to treatment services for mental health and substance use, including outpatient, urgent, and immediate crisis care. Provides real-time support, clinical assessment, and connection to evaluation and treatment. BHHL is available for free, 24/7, via phone call, text, and online chat. Phone number: [phone]

Safespot
Safespot, formerly known as the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline, provides virtual spotting services for people who use drugs to help prevent overdose. An individual using drugs alone calls the line, uses the substance, and stays in verbal communication with the operator until both the caller and operator have decided that they are safe to disconnect. If there is an emergency, the operator will call the designated responder shared by the caller (this may be a person at the caller’s location or emergency response services). This free, 24/7 hotline is operated by those with lived or living experience with overdose. Phone number: [phone]

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
The National Maternal Health Hotline has trained hotline counselors who can connect individuals with local support groups and organizations. The Hotline is confidential and available for free, 24/7 via phone call or text. Phone number: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).

988 Lifeline
The 988 Lifeline connects individuals with trained Suicide and Crisis Lifeline specialists available to provide free and confidential emotional support to all callers. 988 Lifeline is available 24/7 via phone call, text, or online chat. Phone number: 988

Specialized substance use services for perinatal people

Moms Do Care
Moms Do Care is a program (11 sites statewide) for families with children up to age 3 that provides wrap around recovery support and case management services in coordination with medical providers or birthing hospitals.

FIRST (Families in Recovery Support) Steps Together
FIRST Steps Together is a home visiting program (6 sites statewide) that provides recovery and parenting support for pregnant people and families experiencing substance use with children ages 5 and younger. Participants are paired with peer support staff who are parents in recovery themselves.

Home visiting & family health services for perinatal people

Massachusetts Home Visiting Initiative (MHVI)
The Massachusetts Home Visiting Initiative provides evidence-based home visiting services to families across the state through local service agencies.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service Center for Early Relationship Support (CERS)
The JFCS Center for Early Relationship Support (CERS) supports parents as they manage the challenges of caring for their baby and promotes parent-child relationships. CERS offers services in the home, community or virtually for parents and caregivers and consultation and training for professionals.

Clinical guidance & resources for providers

Healthcare providers play an important role in improving perinatal health. By providing trauma-informed and evidence-based care and conducting universal mental health and substance use screenings, providers can intervene early to identify clinical needs and opportunities for treatment, intervention, prevention, recovery, and harm reduction services. Providers are encouraged to review the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Guidelines for Community Standard for Maternal/Newborn Screening for Mental Health and Substance Use for more information about recommendations regarding screening tools, testing approaches, and referrals to further services.

Family Care Plans (FCPs)
Family Care Plans are multidisciplinary processes that partners families with providers who coordinate access to resources and services that promote the health and well-being of all family members. The Family Care Plan is individualized, family-centered, and developed with the parents or other caregivers, as well as the collaborating partners and agencies involved in caring for the infant and family. The purpose of a Family Care Plan is to ensure the safety and well-being of a pregnant person affected by substance use, their infant who has been prenatally exposed to substances, and their family or caregivers.

Substance use treatment providers, medical providers, and family service providers should be prepared to offer FCPs to all patients, residents or clients that communicate substance use in the perinatal period. While FCPs are owned by the patient, resident or client, and should be individualized, DPH has available guidance and templates to assist providers in offering comprehensive and effective FCPs.

MCPAP for Moms
MCPAP for Moms is available to those providing prenatal, perinatal, birthing, and postpartum care to individuals. Providers can call MCPAP for Moms to speak with a resource and referral specialist who will work with them to determine their needs, including consultation regarding psychiatric care, community resources, and referrals. MCPAP for Moms also provides trainings and toolkits for providers. Available from Monday through Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Phone number: 855-Mom-MCPAP (855-666-6272)

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment can help healthcare and other professionals determine whether a patient uses substances in unhealthy ways. Providers can find more information, including training, coaching, implementation, and systems change consultation through the Massachusetts Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment Training & Technical Assistance (MASBIRT TTA).

Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse
The Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse has free and accessible health promotion materials available for print or download, including information related to pregnancy, substance use, and recovery.

LifeLine4Moms Mental Health Tools and Resources for Providers
LifeLine4Moms provides tools and resources that can help providers integrate perinatal mental health care into everyday practice. Lifeline4Moms Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit provides actionable information, algorithms, and clinical pearls for obstetric providers and practices to successfully address perinatal mental health conditions.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists publishes trusted clinical guidance, tools, and resources for providers, including information on opioid use, opioid use disorder in pregnancy, alcohol abuse, and other substance use disorders. ACOG also has information on ethical issues in obstetric and gynecologic practice as well as screening, diagnosis, treatment and management of mental health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum.

Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health
The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health provides actionable steps that can be adapted to a wide variety of facilities and resource levels to improve quality of care and outcomes for patients with perinatal mental health conditions.

Additional resources

National Perinatal Association: My Mental Health Plan
The National Perinatal Association's “My Mental Health Plan” can help individuals experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders create a plan.

Journey Recovery Project
The Journey Recovery Project provides information and resources on parenting and recovery and highlights stories of birthing people with lived experience of substance use disorder. The Project also offers a roadmap for patients seeking compassionate and supportive care.

Postpartum Support International (PSI)
Postpartum Support International is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping those suffering from perinatal mood disorders.