Our Recent Work

Pregnant people who misuse substances are at high risk for poor outcomes, including miscarriage, preterm labor, and delivery-related complications. Infants born to people who have misused substances during pregnancy also face negative outcomes and are more likely to have a low birth weight, be born early, and to need neonatal intensive care than unexposed infants. To help improve these outcomes the Integrated Care for Women and Babies (ICWB) pilot was established by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) in partnership with the Practice Innovation Program at the University of Colorado (PIP@CU). This brief, prepared in collaboration with the Practice Innovation Program, summarizes the clinics’ experiences, identifies best practices, and outlines several policy changes that can help advance integrated SUD and OB care.