Leveraging Telehealth in Rural Communities to Promote Treatment and Recovery for Mothers and Infants

This session will explain how the complex behavioral health needs of mothers and infants are being met in rural East Tennessee through Ridgeview's Mothers and Infants Sober Together program. The addition of telehealth accessibility to complement treatment and recovery groups has expanded access to reach mothers who are in jail, are seeking safety in domestic violence shelters, are involved with Department of Children's Services (DCS), and are experiencing transportation challenges. The program's complementary team of clinical, medical, care coordination, and peer recovery supports provide a comprehensive wrap-around support to mitigate neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and to provide comprehensive care plans for the treatment of NAS. Telehealth has been an integral tool to support and complement continuity of care and outreach as evidenced by the programs placement of Mobile Telehealth Carts at key presentation points, e.g., shelters, jails, DCS, recovery courts, etc.