THE POSITIVE DIRECTION MODEL: OPIOID USE & PREGNANCY

About the Book

There are immediate concerns for a woman using opioids during pregnancy along with her infant being exposed to opioids in utero resulting in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). NAS: withdrawal symptoms experienced by the infant after birth affecting the autonomic, gastrointestinal and the neurological systems. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health Statistics in their 2014 research stated: an estimated 225,000 infants are exposed to illicit substances each year and the numbers are increasing; every 25 minutes an infant is born exposed to opioids and is diagnosed with NAS. In 2014 the annual health care cost was $1.5 billion for infants with NAS admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and stayed for 16 or more days. The health care costs can be lowered if information / education regarding opioids & pregnancy are given to the mother early. The Positive Direction Model is an educational guide specifically for pregnant women, families and advocates as they are collaborating with health care / medical providers during pregnancy under the guidance of a Navigator. The Positive Direction Model prepares the mother of expectations during pregnancy along with understanding NAS. The results of the Positive Direction Model: increase self-efficacy, a safe delivery of the infant and continued sobriety for a healthy environment beyond the pregnancy.

About the Author

Davina A. Moss-King, Ph.D., CRC, NCC, CASAC has been a substance abuse counselor for 25+ years. Dr. Moss-King is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, National Certified Counselor as well as a Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse counselor in New York State. Dr. Moss-King received her doctorate in Counselor Education with honors in 2005 from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her world acclaimed dissertation “Unresolved Grief and Loss Issues Related to Substance Abuse” was published as a book “Unresolved Grief and Loss Issues Related to Heroin Recovery,” in 2009. Dr. Moss-King’s research interest is opioid disorders and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome which has evolved to writing an international accredited on-line course “Opioid Dependence during Pregnancy” (2015), along with an article entitled Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome – the Negative Effects On Our Future” (2015). Dr. Moss-King authored the chapter, “Individual Treatment,” in the textbook Substance Abuse and Treatment (2013) and a chapter entitled “Addiction Psychology” for Bridgepoint College (2016). Dr. Moss-King is an adjunct professor at Canisius College’s Counselor Education and Human Services Department, Buffalo, NY. Dr. Moss-King is the founder and President of Positive Direction and Associates, Inc.: consulting / counseling company that provides educational seminars focusing on opioid use disorders, women’s health and rebuilding families. Dr. Moss-King is a member of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of Neonatal Therapists.