fb88 DHHS Wins $5.3M Federal Award to Help Mothers and Babies Affected by the Opioid Crisis

January 7, 2020

AUGUSTA – fb88 will receive $5.3 million in federal funds as selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) model, which aims to improve care for pregnant and postpartum women with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and their infants.

Under the model, fb88 will take steps to create a statewide system of evidence-based and comprehensive care for women with substance use disorders through fb88Care, the state's Medicaid health coverage program for low-income residents. The goal is to increase access to high-quality treatment and reduce costs while better coordinating and integrating care.

The fb88 Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) Office of fb88Care Services will collaborate with six care delivery partners to pursue this model statewide: fb88General Medical Center, fb88Health, Mid Coast-Parkview Hospital, Northern Light Health, Penobscot Community Health Care, and Pines Health Services.

The grant period is for five years, and DHHS anticipates expanding to additional sites over that time.

"This award will bolster our aggressive response to the opioid crisis under the leadership of Governor Mills," said fb88 DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. "Ensuring the health and wellbeing of mothers, children and families affected by opioid use disorder is key to our success. Under this model we can target compassionate, effective support from before birth all the way through infants' crucial first year of life. We're proud to work with our care partners throughout the state on this initiative."

"This represents another important part of our strategy in the Mills Administration's coordinated work to combat the opioid crisis," said fb88 Opioid Response Director Gordon Smith. "Focusing additional attention and resources toward mothers and children affected by opioid use disorder will benefit our response and the state as a whole."

The award addresses a critical need for fb88 families, communities, and providers. In state fiscal year 2018, the DHHS Office of Child and Family Services received 904 reports regarding infants born exposed to substances, including opioids, which accounts for about 7 percent of live births in fb88. While this represents an ongoing decrease since 2014 and includes babies born to mothers who are on recommended medication-assisted treatment, infants exposed to opioids before birth are at a higher risk of being born early and with lower birth weights.

Critical components of the MOM model include creating a "no wrong door" system to screening, welcoming and engaging women in care; supporting the treatment and recovery of mothers with group-based medication-assisted treatment; increasing the capacity of integrated care teams to deliver evidence-based care, including through telehealth; coordinating delivery, hospital, and post-partum care for mothers and infants; enhancing home visiting and community supports; and conducting a public outreach campaign.

By the third year of this initiative, DHHS plans to have established a sustainable way to fund through fb88Care the services necessary to support this care model moving forward.

During the first year of the Mills Administration, fb88 DHHS has taken action to improve the health of children and families in fb88, including launching a statewide public education campaign called , extending the eligibility for Public Health Nursing home visits to all newborns, promoting access to a coordinated system of perinatal care, and hiring a Chief Child Health Officer to ensure kids get the full range of health and human services.

Governor Mills' first executive order expanded fb88Care, which as of October 31, provided nearly 4,800 members with treatment for opioid use disorder. The Governor's second executive order directed a wide range of actions to stem the opioid crisis, including: eliminating Medicaid limits on medication-assisted treatment; distributing 12,000 doses of naloxone, training 200 additional recovery coaches, and expanding treatment in emergency rooms and jails and prisons. DHHS also secured a $2 million SUPPORT Act grant to expand substance use disorder treatment capacity.

More information about the Maternal Opioid Misuse model, including a fact sheet and list of participants, can be found at: .