PEDI (Promoting Early Developmental Intervention) Clinic - Serving Substance Exposed Babies and Wrapping Their Families with Services

Full Description: For parents and caregivers that have children with a need for closer monitoring, Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County partnered with University of South Florida Department of Pediatrics and Mary Lee’s House to offer the PEDI Clinic. With funding from the local Community Based Care Provider and Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, this clinic was specifically developed to provide compassionate and comprehensive care to mothers and infants affected by opioid and other substance use. Intervention points include prenatal engagement, hospital newborn care, PEDI Clinic and long-term home visiting programs.
Led by Dr. Tanner Wright, this initiative provides a clinic focused on development, social skills, and behavior to families that may have concerns for their child’s growth and development or just want additional medical guidance to ensure their baby is meeting all appropriate milestones. Working with a multi-disciplinary team, appointments are held in the child-friendly environment of Mary Lee’s House.

Dr. Wright and his team will follow children from birth up to their fifth birthday. The clinic aims to be a time saving, one-stop shop for families to receive multiple services in one location. The team will also connect families with community resources and home visiting programs.

The clinical team starts building a therapeutic alliance with women in recovery before their baby is born or at the delivery hospital. Women are assessed for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resiliency, and sense of competency in parenting. This conversation informs the clinical team on the best approaches to building a trusting and positive relationship. Discussing general misconceptions and stigma about substance misuse diagnosis also helps women understand that the PEDI clinic team is a partner. Mothers are encouraged and educated that maternal love and care are the baby’s best treatment. The PEDI team acknowledges the stress mothers may have experienced due to past stigmatizing or insensitive interactions with other medical and clinical teams and reassures moms that they are fully supported in their recovery at the clinic and hospital.

In the first months after delivery, the PEDI clinic maintains regular communication with moms. Parents can use a telephone and text line to reach out to the clinic. To assure new mothers have all the support they need, the clinic also offers vouchers for transportation, baby carriers, diapers and formula. The newborn’s growth, behavior, and development are carefully monitored. During their 3 months infant visit, babies are screened for Hepatitis C. At 1 month and 6 months after delivery all moms are screened for postpartum depression and their recovery and treatment course is assessed.

The PEDI Clinic has been recognized as a Promising Practice by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Abbreviated Description: The PEDI Clinic was specifically developed to provide compassionate and comprehensive care to mothers and infants affected by opioid and other substance use. Led by Dr. Wright, this initiative provides a clinic focused on development, social skills, and behavior for families that may have concerns for their child’s growth and development.
The clinical team starts building a therapeutic alliance with women in recovery before their baby is born or at the delivery hospital. Women are assessed for adverse childhood experiences, resiliency, and sense of competency in parenting. This conversation assists the clinical team in building a trusting and positive relationship.
The PEDI Clinic has been recognized as a Promising Practice by the American Academy of Pediatrics.