Indiana Receives Grant To Address Opoid Use In Pregnancy

Indiana was awarded $5.2 million to help pregnant and postpartum women with opioid addictions. 

The grant comes from the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. It is part of a collaboration between Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) and CMS to combat opioid use in pregnancy. 

FSSA chief medical officer, Dr. Dan Rusyniak, says the goal for the grant is twofold.    

“The goal of this is to address substance use disorder in pregnant women with a goal of getting them connected to better medical, behavioral health and addiction treatment,” Rusyniak says. “And at the same time through that, reducing the incidents of neonatal abstinence syndrome.”

The FSSA has partnered with Medicaid managed care programs in the state to improve care coordination, address social determinants of health and extend Medicaid coverage. Women who qualify under the program will be eligible to receive full Medicaid coverage up to one year after giving birth.

It will also work closely with Indiana’s new OB Navigator program to coordinate services for women who qualify for both programs.

Contact Darian at dbenson@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @helloimdarian.