Oklahoma Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Project (OK-NAS)
Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in female incarceration, with 65 percent of women imprisoned primarily for drug-related offenses. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Oklahoma’s female imprisonment rate is more than double the national rate. Unfortunately, the state’s current diversion programs and rural jails do not meet the needs of pregnant women, mothers, and families. The purpose of the Oklahoma Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Project (OK-NAS) is to reduce morbidity and mortality rates while reducing the incidence of NAS among pregnant women, mothers, and women of childbearing age who are at high risk for substance use and opioid use disorders. Our focus areas are criminal justice and improving provider workforce.
With our partnership with Family and Children Services Women’s Justice Team, we recognized the need for increased community diversion programs and reentry services. We created a system that would incorporate the telemedicine model within rural county jails. Through the program, prenatal care, treatment, and wrap-around services are all delivered virtually. Every woman who enters the jail is screened, and if she meets our criteria, a case manager is assigned to work with her and set up virtual prenatal, postpartum, and family planning care through the Oklahoma State University Medical Center. When possible, these women can receive Subutex. Our case manager works with each woman to discuss treatment and a recovery plan for when they exit jail.
We have also been funded for a multi-year grant, enabling us to provide the Parenting Inside Out program to justice-involved women, men, and their families. The evidence-based program is a cognitive behavioral parent management skills training program created for the unique situation and issues facing justice-involved parents, including those who are presently incarcerated. This endeavor is resulting in measurable change by reconnecting families, reducing recidivism, and ensuring parent-child reunification. We are excited and encouraged by the work this grant has allowed us to accomplish to date, and we look forward to further enhancing support to women in our rural communities as they enter a path to recovery.