Pregnancy and Opioid Exposure: A Training Course to Increase Understanding at Four Key Points of Intervention
A variety of life experiences can lead to opioid-exposed pregnancies. Some of the more common pathways include:
Women* in recovery who are taking methadone or buprenorphine as medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Women who are taking opioids prescribed by a provider for the treatment of chronic or acute pain.
Women with active opioid use disorders who may or may not be receiving opioids through medical means, including those who use heroin.
This training course explores the role of gender in the development of opioid use disorders and examines evidence-based practices and available resources that support improved outcomes for pregnant and parenting women who use opioids and other substances, and their children, at four key points of intervention: Pre-pregnancy, Prenatal, Birth, and Postnatal.1
Throughout this training course, behavioral health and healthcare professionals currently working in the substance use disorder treatment field explore the heightened stigma surrounding pregnant women who use substances including opioids, and provide insight on how to best serve this population.
Module 1: Pregnancy and Opioid Exposure 1: Pre-pregnancy
Module 2: Pregnancy and Opioid Exposure 2: Prenatal
Module 3: Pregnancy and Opioid Exposure 3&4: Birth and Postnatal
1. Substance-Exposed Infants: State Responses to the Problem. (n.d.). 95.
*Individuals with the anatomy to become pregnant may not identify or present as female. It is important to provide the same level of care for all individuals who may become pregnant including those who may be taking opioids during pregnancy.
Target Audience
Behavioral Health professionals including Social Workers, Addiction Specialists, Counselors, Peer Support Specialists, and other Human Services professionals who would like to increase their understanding of pregnancy and opioid exposure.
Modality
This course consists of 3 online self-paced modules, each approximately 2 hours in length. Participants must complete all 3 modules, their respective end of module quizzes, a pre-test, a post-test, and a course evaluation to receive a certificate of completion. This course takes approximately 6 hours to complete.
Policies and ADA Accessibility
If you require any of the auxiliary aids or services identified in the Americans with Disabilities Act in order to participate in this program, please call us at (919) 843-6083, or e-mail us at bhs-support@unc.edu. Websites and courses have been developed in compliance of US Section 508 standards where applicable or meeting W3C priority 1 guidelines for web accessibility.
Please send all questions, concerns, and support inquiries to bhs-support@unc.edu.
Melissa L. Godwin, LCSW is a clinical social worker who has a Clinical Associate Professor appointment at UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work. She has provided women’s gender-responsive substance use disorder services technical assistance and training in North Carolina since 2004 under a contract with the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.