Person-centred perinatal substance use care

Podcast

Season 5: Episode 2 - January 30 2025

Runtime: 41:26

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SHOW NOTES
Summary

In this episode, journalist David P. Ball and perinatal addiction medicine specialist Dr. Eric Cattoni discuss the unique challenges facing people who are pregnant and use substances and the importance of building therapeutic rapport and trust. David and Dr. Cattoni then speak with three experts from the Families in Recovery program at BC Women’s Hospital. They provide care for pregnant individuals who use substances and their newborns in a single unit. We’ll hear from health care administrator Darci Skiber, social worker Meenakshi Mannoe, and peer engagement lead Melissa Dreyer.
Learning Objectives

  1. Discuss systemic barriers to care for pregnant people who use substances, shaped by misogyny, classism, and colonialism.
  2. Understand the importance of keeping birthers and their infants together during and after substance use treatment, while acknowledging the disproportionate impact of child removal on Indigenous families.
  3. Discuss the importance of including peers and social workers in comprehensive perinatal substance use care.

Lineup

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • 3:02 – Dr. Eric Cattoni, Co-host – Perinatal addiction medicine specialist; Medical Director, Families in Recovery (FIR) Square
  • 10:04 – Darci Skiber, Guest – Executive Director of Mental Health and Substance Use Programs, BC Women’s Hospital
  • 12:55 – Meenakshi Mannoe, Guest – Social Worker, FIR Square
  • 17:17 – Melissa Dreyer, Guest – Peer Engagement Lead, FIR Square

Clinical Pearls

Here’s what listeners can take away from this episode:

  1. For the highly stigmatized population of pregnant people who use substances, developing therapeutic rapport at the first interaction is of vital importance. If the client feels stigmatized and judged, there is a higher likelihood they will not return to care. A warm, non-judgmental approach helps show the individual that you are genuine in your desire to help and that you care about their well-being. If possible, involve people with lived experience on your care team to help ensure you are walking alongside each client in their substance use care journey.
  2. Effective perinatal substance use care encompasses more than substance use. Clients are often facing numerous, complex life challenges and barriers due to systemic oppression. Thus, providing wraparound social services that support access to housing, food, a violence-free environment, safe sources of income, and timely antepartum medical care and mental health care can drastically improve the wellness trajectory of the birther-baby dyad before substance use is addressed.
  3. The opposite of trauma isn’t necessarily just healing, but power. To be trauma-informed, it’s essential to understand the power you hold as a provider and recognize that you are in a position to give some of that power back to the client.

Resources

Services and supports for pregnant individuals who use substances

Supports for care providers

Courses for care providers

Clinical care guidance and guidelines

News articles and reports

Journal articles