Comprehensive Treatment for Pregnant and Parenting Women with Substance Use Disorders and Their Children: The UNC Horizons Story

To describe how the UNC Horizons program, a comprehensive women-centered program for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorders, and its patient population have changed over time and summarize basic neonatal outcomes for infants born to women in treatment at Horizons.

Yearly Annual Reports from fiscal years of 1994 to 2017 were abstracted. Patient characteristics and infant outcomes compared to normative North Carolina data were examined.

Highlights of findings include: The percentage of women for whom opioids were the primary substance of use increased from 0% in 1995–1996 to 62% in 2016–17, while cocaine decreased from 66 to 12%. Intravenous substance use history increased from 7% in 1994–1995 to 41% in 2016–2017. The number of women reporting a history of incarceration rose from 10–20% in the early years to 40%-50% beginning in 2007–2008. The proportion of women reporting a desire to hurt themselves rose from 20% in 2004–2005 to 40% in 2016–2017. Self-reported suicide attempt history remained consistent at 32% across years. While reporting of childhood physical abuse remained at 38% across years, reporting of sexual abuse and domestic violence trended upward. Horizons did not differ from North Carolina in the likelihood of patients giving birth prematurely [χ²(13) = 20.6,p = .082], or the likelihood of a patient giving birth to a low birthweight infant [χ²(13) = 14.7,p = .333].

Breaking the cycle of addiction for women and children must focus on helping women with substance use problems develop a sense of hope that their lives can improve, and a sense of feeling safe and nurtured.