St Pete Drug Treatment Center announces new programs for prescription drug addictions in pregnant women through a new community outreach and awareness campaign.
PRLog - Jun. 25, 2014 - ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The local news programs in Central and coastal Florida have given a lot of coverage to the unfortunate rise in babies who are born with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Over 125 babies were delivered at hospitals in St Petersburg, Tampa, and Orlando so far this year who have this syndrome and perhaps more, given the variety of symptoms that make up diagnosis standards. This does not sit well with residents of St Pete Florida and in many cases public reaction has caused equal reaction within the law enforcement community to work harder to crack down on the trafficking of prescription drugs. Due to the easy access to coasts, multiple highways, and four nearby airports, many cities in Florida have an extremely high amount of drug trafficking occurring which has increased the availability of drugs and the potential for drug abuse. Highly addictive drugs such as heroin have seen a rise in use and prescription drugs such as Oxycodone are replacing other drugs like meth as a drug of choice for residents.
St Pete Drug Treatment Center wants to help. They are now working with other organizations in the Florida region to promote their prenatal prescription drug addiction treatment programs to the community with the hopes that those pregnant women who are also living with a prescription drug addiction feel comfortable and safe enough to pick up the phone and reach out for help and support.
Due to social stigmas and fear of legal reprisal many women who are pregnant and addicted will often try to detox and withdraw from drugs at home instead of at a drug rehab center. This can be not only uncomfortable, but also dangerous for both the mother and the baby. One of the most important of their outlined goals is to provide information to the community about what resources and protections are available, by expanding the available knowledge on the protections found within HIPAA laws for patient confidentiality and that of the financial and legal aspects of the ACA and Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Both of these have provided new incentives and opportunity for people with an alcohol or drug addiction to receive treatment for their chronic disease condition.
St Pete Drug Treatment is rolling out its Prescription Drug Addiction and Neonatal Health Awareness campaign. The goal is to get information into the hands of expecting mothers who may have a problem with prescription drug addiction or other substance abuse issue, presenting options from the best of evidence-based medical treatments, as well as, provide necessary information regarding financing and insurance based options available to them through their own insurance provider.
“Losing your new baby to social services is probably the largest fear and largest impediment to telling someone about your addiction,” St Pete Drug Treatment Center spokesperson Barbara Williamsexplains, “this idea of treating addiction like a crime instead of a health problem makes it so much harder to convince pregnant women to come to us for help. If there is only one thing I could impart to someone who is pregnant and addicted to prescription drugs it is this: you are in safe and confidential hands when you come to us for help. All drug treatment centers, substance abuse clinics and alcohol rehab centers not only provide to the public high quality addiction and sober recovery programs, but also provide a confidential and compassionate approach to alcoholism and drug treatment. I want pregnant women in St Petersburg to know and understand that getting clean is the right thing not only for themselves but also their child, and anyone that would reward that with punishment is no one we want to associate with at our centers.”
St. Pete Drug Treatment Centers wants expecting mothers living with drug dependency or addiction to know that compassionate staff is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day to answer any questions they may have about either treatment options or financing. All calls will be confidential.
St Pete Drug Treatment
970 Lake Carillon Drive
Suite 300
St Petersburg, FL 33716
(727) 362-4547
http://www.DrugTreatmentStPetersburg.com
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St Petersburg Drug Treatment Center Begins New Prenatal Health & Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment Program
June 25, 2014 at 05:30 AM EDT
