The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

3342.0: Monday, November 11, 2002 - 8:45 PM

Abstract #39018

Massachusetts alcohol screening and assessment in pregnancy (ASAP) project

Norma Finkelstein, PhD1, Ellen Hutchins, ScD2, Cheryl Kennedy, MSW1, Jeanne Mahoney, RN, BSN3, and Mary Kowalczuk, MSW1. (1) Institute for Health and Recovery, 349 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139, (2) Perinatal and Women's Health Branch, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Parklawn Bldg Rm 11A-05, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (3) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 409 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024

In 1999 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Family and Community Health, in collaboration with the Institute for Health and Recovery were awarded a three year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to motivate prenatal care providers to routinely and universally screen all women for substance abuse in prenatal care. As a result the Alcohol Screening Assessment in Pregnancy (ASAP) Project was created. The ASAP Project has been a successful example of systems collaboration between the maternal and child health and substance abuse provider systems. These partnerships have been developed to assure the initiatives of the ASAP Project will be sustained following funding. The ASAP Project has also had the unique opportunity to implement a screening protocol in both the private and public systems of care. During the three years the ASAP Project has trained obstetrical care staff in four public health centers, one large private Health Maintenance Organization and a city hospital. Obstetrical care providers have embraced the simple and comprehensive manner of screening and intervening with women for social and behavioral factors impacting pregnancy, particularly alcohol and other drug use. The utilization of a simple self-administered questionnaire has improved patient disclosure and helped normalize provider’s conversations about substance use, as discussion centers only on those answers with a positive screen. The identification and linkage of community resources have facilitated the intervention and empowered obstetrical care providers. The presentation will include strategies for successful collaboration with both provider systems as well as screening and intervention results.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Alcohol, Prenatal Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA