Kentucky’s opioid addiction epidemic sometimes takes its toll on the most vulnerable in society – babies.
Now the healthcare services company LifeSkills is opening a new substance abuse treatment center in Scottsville. It will accept pregnant women, as well women with infants up to 10 months old.
Geneva Bradshaw is program manager for Park Place Recovery Center for Women.
"We believe the addition of being able to bring their infants will definitely increase their motivation for wanting to get assistance and the help that they need.”
Bradshaw says pregnant women pose a major risk to their babies when use they opioids.
“We’re hoping that in opening this facility, we would be able to help in that situation, helping pregnant women, women who are actively abusing opioids and avoid neonatal abstinence syndrome, and help them in their recovery for long-term.”
Neonatal abstinence syndrome can include a range of serious health problems. The baby may be premature and may go through drug withdrawal or have birth defects.
The center is expected to open by mid-May. It will house 16 women and their babies for a maximum of 28 days. Then they’ll be referred to outpatient programs for follow-up services.
