Family Strengthening
NPIC/QAS conducted the evaluation of three separate programs which received federal funds to review model parenting programs and provide parenting program services to families with substance abuse and/or other issues which place them at risk for poor parenting. One of these sites, SSTAR, was granted a new award to expand services from the social service site to the local middle schools and family court. NPIC/QAS conducted the evaluation of this substance abuse prevention service that provided the evidence-based "Parenting Wisely" parenting program to families in Fall River, MA.

The Rhode Island Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force Association
“Communities United for Prevention”
NPIC/QAS was the program evaluation subcontractor to the Rhode Island Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force Association (RISAPTFA) for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Community Partnership Coalition Development Grant. The goals of this project included mobilizing, training and supporting community based task force associations; these community coalitions have the responsibility for assessing the needs of their community concerning substance abuse prevention and subsequently developing and implementing intervention activities.

National Perinatal Addiction Prevention Resource Center
NPIC/QAS collaborated in the establishment and operation of a National Perinatal Addiction Prevention Resource Center that was funded through CSAP. The primary goal of the Resource Center was to promote the development of knowledge through information sharing in the interests of improving outcomes for substance abusing pregnant and post-partum women and their children. NPIC played an active role in many aspects of the Center. It reviewed and assessed all existing federal health data collection efforts to determine if there was a need for a substance abuse monitoring system.

The Resource Center was intended to serve as a national resource that would stimulate policy; disseminate new research information; provide information referral, technical training, service design and technical assistance; and, evaluate findings of programs relating to the target population of women and infants. The Center was utilized by the CSAP grantees under the Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Infants Program (PPWI), as well as other organizations, health professionals, physicians, service providers, and community groups concerned with maternal substance abuse.

The major components of the Resource Center included:

• On and off-site training and technical assistance, including a Residential Training Program



• The development of resource packages for service providers



• Topic-specific workshops



• National Conferences



• A management information system database and electronic mail system called PREMIS providing comprehensive, in-depth information on issues and problems related to maternal substance abuse, as well as a directory of experts and programs



• An annual report on the field and quarterly national newsletters

Epidemiology Of Maternal Substance Abuse In Pregnancy and
Its Relation To Perinatal Mortality And Morbidity
NPIC/QAS and the National Association for Perinatal Addiction Research and Education (NAPARE) collaborated on this four year, million dollar project.

As the extent of substance abuse of the traditional "hard" as well as "recreational" drugs has increased to unparalleled levels, no socio-economic, racial, or ethnic group was spared. The quality of life and cost complications for drug-affected neonates was of special concern of NIDA, as reflected in the size and scope of this research effort.

The objectives of the research can be summarized as follows:

1)  Develop, implement, and evaluate an educational program for physicians that will enhance their ability to recognize substance abuse and will allow appropriate treatment and more accurate monitoring of substance abuse in pregnant women and exposure in neonates.

2)  Analyze the morbidity and mortality associated with substance abuse in mothers and exposure in neonates, and assess particular subgroups of women (by age and race).

3)  Assess the cost of care for substance-affected mothers and neonates compared to an age and race-adjusted comparison group.

A primary motivation for NIDA's interest in this study is that early intervention with appropriate rehabilitation therapy can reduce infant morbidity and mortality caused by drug abuse during the perinatal period.