Indiana will expand its Pregnancy Promise program to support more expectant and new mothers with substance use disorders. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) received a three-year federal grant of up to $2.7 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that will enable it to support an additional 300 pregnant Indiana residents over the next three years, with a focus on those living in rural and underserved communities.

“The program’s intergenerational approach supports pregnant women and infants from pregnancy through 12 months postpartum,” said FSSA Secretary Dr. Dan Rusyniak. “Not only do we help mothers find treatment and maintain their recovery, but we also ensure that infants have an established pediatrician, receive appropriate referrals to child specialists when needed, and can access developmental services.”

The Pregnancy Promise Program has assisted more than 900 mothers since its launch in 2021. While maternal and infant mortality rates are declining slightly across Indiana, data from the Indiana Maternal Morality Review Committee’s most recent annual report shows that substance use disorders and overdoses continue to be a leading cause of maternal deaths in the state.

The program resulted in high rates of sustained maternal recovery, continued medication prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder, prevention of preterm births, healthy infant birth weights, and access to resources to address unmet health and social needs, including stable housing, transportation, food security, and child care, leading to family preservation and reunification.

The Pregnancy Promise Program partners with Indiana Medicaid managed care health plans to provide case management and care coordination to participants. Participants receive highly skilled support from an experienced nurse or social worker through the Medicaid health plan, ensuring pregnant individuals receive treatment and health care in their local community.

“We are excited about this grant, which will strengthen and expand FSSA’s existing program for pregnant individuals with substance abuse,” said Elizabeth Wahl, Pregnancy Promise program manager. “The program’s goals are clear: to save infant and maternal lives, preserve family units by securing necessary resources, ensure reliable access to appropriate care, and end the cycle of substance abuse and trauma across generations. This program has helped families persevere, transform their lives, and find hope for the future.”

The grant will expand services for pregnant and postpartum women diagnosed primarily with a substance use disorder, reduce barriers and expand outpatient treatment and recovery support services for pregnant and postpartum women diagnosed with a substance use disorder, and promote a coordinated system of care between health care providers and family support services.

FSSA will partner with Centerstone, a community mental health center, and VOA Fresh Start, a residential treatment program, to improve services. This funding will provide uninsured and underinsured pregnant women with access to additional support.

Anyone can confidentially register for the Pregnancy Promise Program here.

The program is funded by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Innovation with a five-year grant that expires on December 31. Disbursement of that grant is scheduled to begin on September 30.