Family Health Center Of Marshfield, Inc.

Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc. plans to use the HRSA RCORP-NAS grant to reduce the incidence and impact of NAS in rural central, northern, and western Wisconsin through the HOPE Consortium partnership. Initiatives will support individuals affected by substance use disorder (SUD) who are at risk of becoming pregnant, are currently pregnant, and/or have recently given birth, as well as their families, who reside in: Barron, Clark, Forest, Iron, Jackson, Oneida, Polk, Portage, Price, Rusk, Vilas, and Wood Counties and the Forest County Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Lac du Flambeau Chippewa, and Sokaogon Chippewa Tribal Nations. With a total population of 397,943, the rural service area is characterized by a higher proportion of residents who are Native American, over 65 years of age, disabled, or military veterans than in the state of Wisconsin overall. Pregnant persons represent a sub-population with an especially high prevalence of SUD. Rates of NAS in the service area have increased since 2018, ranging from 4.1–10.9/1,000 births in 2021, even as statewide rates decreased (6.1/1,000 birth). Recognizing that indigenous persons and those making 200–400% of the federal poverty level are at elevated risk for inequity relevant to accessing SUD treatment, strategies will be rooted in the concept of cultural safety while providing access to experts in financial trauma and perinatal care. The following activities will be completed by August 31, 2026: 1) Support regional HOPE Consortium Perinatal Workgroups and infrastructure to encourage collaborative service delivery to help prevent, treat, and care for opioid-exposed infants; 2) Provide education such as lactation certification and doula trainings for service area care providers; 3) Increase opportunities for access to contraceptives, infectious disease testing, perinatal nursing support, and resource connections; and 4) Address immediate needs such as transportation, safe and sober housing, and peer support.