	Opioid Treatment

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

PA-OTP 14: Opioid Treatment During Pregnancy

The agency provides comprehensive, coordinated treatment services that address medical, prenatal, obstetrical, psychosocial, and addiction concerns.

Interpretation: This standard requires the agency to retain women who become pregnant during treatment.

PA-OTP 14.01

The agency coordinates and provides prenatal care for pregnant women, including a health evaluation, either directly or by referral to outside medical services, to address their special needs.

PA-OTP 14.02

Pregnant women who receive opioid treatment are informed about the possible risks associated with:

the effects of treatment on unborn children;
continued use of drugs; and
withdrawal from opioid treatment medication during pregnancy.

PA-OTP 14.03

When withdrawal from opioid treatment medication is initiated for pregnant women, such withdrawal:

is conducted under the supervision of a physician;
takes place, when possible, in a prenatal unit equipped with fetal monitoring equipment and with regular fetal assessments; and
is not initiated before 14 weeks, nor after 32 weeks, gestation.

Interpretation: The standard requires a pregnancy test to be performed before withdrawal is initiated.

PA-OTP 14.04

Pregnant women participating in opioid treatment are monitored throughout the stages of pregnancy regarding appropriate dosage.

PA-OTP 14.05

The agency provides parent education and support groups, directly or by referral, to improve mother-infant interactions.

Interpretation: Parent education addresses issues to improve mother-infant interactions related to maternal, physical, and dietary care, including topics such as the promotion of breast-feeding.

PA-OTP 14.06

Addicted newborns are monitored to assess the onset, progression, and/or diminution of symptoms of withdrawal and the effectiveness of treatment agents.

Update: Added Interpretation - 06/01/09

Interpretation: Programs that do not have responsibility for the care and treatment of newborns should provide education, information, and referral to ensure that mothers who have infants that may be susceptible to health issues seek comprehensive evaluation and treatment for the infant.

QUICK JUMP TO


	PURPOSE: Individuals who participate in Opioid Treatment Programs improve social, emotional, and vocational functioning, achieve optimal productivity, and attain the recovery they seek.

RELATED FILES


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	EVALUATION The review and assessment of organizational operations, programs and services.


	SPECIAL NEEDS A designation used in reference to conditions or characteristics of a person that reflect a need for special care, services, or treatment. When the term is used in the context of adoption services, special needs refers to conditions that make a child harder to place for adoption. This includes children who are members of sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities, children of certain racial /ethnic backgrounds, etc. When the term is used in the context of foster care it refers to the need for a higher degree of specialized case services and attention due to mental and physical disabilities. When the term is used in the context of out-of-school time services, a child or youth may have special physical, behavioral, medical, emotional, or cognitive needs that should be addressed or accommodated. The term is also used in other contexts. See also DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.


	MEDICATION A prescribed or over-the-counter drug that is injected, taken orally, applied topically, or otherwise administered.


	SUPERVISION Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.


	MONITORING An evaluation involving a periodic review of consumer services, organizational activities, or conduct. Specifically, monitoring is an activity of case coordination, whereas more broadly, monitoring is an evaluation technique used in overall quality assurance.


	ASSESSMENT An evaluation, which utilizes professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of program planning and service development for the organization as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.


	INFANT A child aged one year and under.