Reproductive Life Planning for Substance Use Disorder Services

Reproductive Life Planning for Substance Use Disorder Services

Planned pregnancies are associated with increased healthy behaviors, improved reproductive health, and positive birth outcomes. Unplanned pregnancies are associated with increased risk for maternal and infant morbidity, child maltreatment, and increased poverty.  In North Carolina, 43% of all pregnancies are unplanned.¹ Nationally, people with substance use disorders are at increased risk of having unplanned pregnancies.^2,3

Studies show that individuals are receptive to counseling focused on reproductive life planning and contraceptive use when it is offered as part of comprehensive, on-site, substance use disorder treatment.^4,5 However, discomfort surrounding reproductive health topics, as well as a lack of knowledge of foundational concepts, including reproductive biology and effective contraceptive use, act as barriers to conversations that may support the development of a Reproductive Life Plan.

This training course:  

Examines the benefits of Reproductive Life Planning  

Provides fact-based information on essential reproductive health topics including reproductive biology, sexually transmitted infections, effective contraceptive use, and preparing for a healthy pregnancy 

Presents a framework that supports conversations with individuals receiving services for substance use disorders about reproductive health  

Discusses access and availability of resources and services for Reproductive Life Planning health decisions   

1. Reduce the proportion of unintended pregnancies—FP‑01—Healthy People 2030 | health.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2023.
2. Shelton, D., Ramage, M., Hughes, P., & Tak, C. (2022). Factors associated with contraceptive use among postpartum women with substance use disorder. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 33, 100764.
3. MacAfee, L. K., Harfmann, R. F., Cannon, L. M., Kolenic, G., Kusunoki, Y., Terplan, M., & Dalton, V. K. (2020). Sexual and Reproductive Health Characteristics of Women in Substance Use Treatment in Michigan. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 135(2), 361.
4. Robinowitz, N., Muqueeth, S., Scheibler, J., Salisbury-Afshar, E., & Terplan, M. (2016). Family Planning in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Centers: Opportunities and Challenges. Substance Use & Misuse, 51(11), 1477–1483. 
5. Rinehart, D. J., Stowell, M., Barrett, K., Langland, K., Thomas-Gale, T., Al-Tayyib, A., & O’Connell, R. (2023). Exploring Family Planning Perspectives Among Men Receiving Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Implications for Service Development. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 17(1), 21–27. 

Target Audience
Behavioral Health and Healthcare professionals including Nurses, Social Workers, Addiction Specialists, Counselors, Peer Support Specialists, and other Human Services professionals who would like to increase their understanding of reproductive life planning.

Modality
This course consists of 1 online, self-paced, interactive learning module, approximately 2 hours in length. Participants must complete the learning module, a pre-course self-assessment, a post-test, a post-course self-assessment, and a course evaluation to receive a certificate of completion. Nurses seeking professional development contact hours will complete a separate course evaluation.  This course takes approximately 2.5 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.

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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 NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services.  Ms. Godwin obtained her Bachelor of University Studies at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and her Masters in Clinical Social Work from Boston University.  

Elisabeth Johnson, Ph.D., FNP-BC, CARN-AP, LCAS  is a clinical assistant professor in the UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Johnson is also the Director of Health Services for UNC Horizons, a comprehensive substance use disorder treatment center for pregnant and parenting women and their children. As a nurse practitioner, she has over twenty years of clinical experience in women's health and pediatrics. Her current clinical practice consists primarily of providing obstetric and gynecologic care to women with substance use disorders, many of whom are on medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder.   

Starleen Scott-Robbins, LCSW has over 35 years of clinical and administrative experience in the addictions field. Ms. Scott-Robbins has been with the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities & Substance Abuse Services since 1994 and currently serves as the Special Populations Team Lead with the Addictions & Management Operations Section and is the designated Women’s Services Coordinator for the State.  In her role with the Division, she is responsible for the coordination of clinical policy development, implementation and monitoring for state-funded substance use disorder treatment services; management of state and federal funds that support family centered substance use disorder treatment & support services for women and their families; coordination of a statewide capacity management system for treatment services for pregnant and parenting women and their families, and provision of technical assistance to adult substance use disorder programs statewide.   

2.75 NCPD contact hours & 2.75 CPH recertification hours

2.5 general continuing education credits ASWB-ACE

2.5 contact hours NBCC

2.5 continuing education hours APA

2.5 SS contact hours NCASPPB