Photo Courtesy Stanford Medicine
Contributed Article
GILA COUNTY – Arizona Youth Partnership has received a federal grant to fund a new project: Linking Actions for Healthy Mothers and Babies (LAHMB).
Funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the goal is to reduce the number of Gila County babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome–often called ‘neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome,’ due to the prevalence of opioids.
Linking Actions for Healthy Mothers and Babies will serve rural communities within Gila County, raising awareness of the consequences of addiction and its impact on children and families.
The grant creates a new Arizona Youth Partnership position for a Case Manager responsible for assessing participants’ physical and mental wellness, needs, preferences, and abilities and using these to develop a tailored case plan in rural and tribal areas of Arizona, as well as administrative support of programs; read more about this new $19/hour job at azyp.org/careers.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome occurs in newborns exposed to licit and illicit substances in utero, especially opioids.
NAS rates have been increasing nationally, exacerbated by the nation’s opioid epidemic and an increase in opioid use during pregnancy.
From 2017 and 2021, Arizona observed a 41-percent increase in NAS cases, from 592 recorded in 2017 to 835 in 2021.
The five-year case rate, measured per 1,000 newborn hospitalizations, was highest in Pima County (14.2), and second highest here in Gila County (13.1).
Among the tasks the new hire will face are:
* Perform a healthcare assessment with new participants and conduct an orientation to the program.
* Coordinate care plans with participants, family, and friend support networks, and healthcare professionals (physical, mental, and behavioral) and put care plans into action.
* Assess and address barriers to health.
* Collaborate with consortium members and coalitions; provide brief interventions and referrals when needed.
* Assess and provide assistance in crisis situations when needed. This could include arranging transportation services, emergency phone calls, and/or accompanying participants to medical visits.
* Assist as needed in obtaining and inputting data, preparing reports, and compiling statistics according to grant requirements.
Questions about the Linking Actions for Healthy Mothers and Babies grant, or the job coordinating it?
Call or text Arizona Youth Partnership Program Manager, Youth and Family Division, Charlene Becker at 928-813-1168 or at 928-812-0555 or email Charlene@AZYP.org
