Get to Know Us
The Perinatal Substance Use (PSU) Network:
The Perinatal Substance Use Network is a community coalition working to better support families impacted by substance use during the perinatal period (pregnancy – age 3). The PSU Network is a community coalition based at Missoula Public Health. Involvement of families with lived experience is a priority for the Network, and we work to engage parents in the Network in ways that feel empowering to them. The PSU Network has also prioritized a focus on anti-racism and deeper understanding of historical trauma and its implications for work in medical, treatment, family support, criminal justice, and child welfare systems.
PSU Network Vision:
The group envisions a community where families feel safe asking for help, families can access the services and treatments they need, the available services are effective, and families can live sustainably together into the future. The goal of the PSU Network is that 90% of families impacted by perinatal substance use in Missoula County will be able to stay safely and securely together by 2025.
PSU Network Documents
This is where you'll find a variety of information about the work the PSU Network is doing. Each report section is numbered separately and serves as stand-alone documents. Use the links below to open the individual sections.
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PSU Network Initiative Teams
Trauma-Informed Organizations Initiative
Goal 1: IDENTIFY & STRENGTHEN PATHWAYS FOR DISCLOSING PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE & SEEKING SUPPORT.
Local Condition: Families do not feel safe reaching out for help with substance use during pregnancy. Concerns about child removal, other legal consequences, and general stigma contribute to this problem. We are uncertain what is currently working in our community, and what specific changes would improve access to support for families.
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Justification: Doulas, Community Health Workers and Peer Support Specialists have been shown to improve outcomes for families during both birth and SUD recovery. However, not all families impacted by perinatal substance use have access to this support. By identifying and strengthening pathways for disclosing perinatal substance use, we increase the opportunity for families to become connected to parental support systems.
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Objectives:
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Objective 1: Learn about care practices and pathways to care for people who have perinatal substance use disorder.
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Objective 2: Better understand the perspectives, beliefs, and attitudes of providers in Missoula County towards people who use substances while pregnant.
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Objective 3: Elevate the voice of parents with lived experience as agents in system change.
Family Treatment & Recovery Residences Initiative
Goal 2: – INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANDSCAPE FOR SUD TREATMENT AND RECOVERY FACILITIES IN MONTANA.
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Local Condition: There are currently very few facilities offering residential treatment or recovery housing that allow parents to bring children. Options for fathers are even more limited than those for mothers. Several programs across the state serving mothers with children have recently closed.
Justification: The limited availability of treatment and recovery facilities that accommodate parents, particularly fathers, creates a significant gap in the support system for individuals struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) in Montana. As a result, many parents in recovery face the difficult choice between seeking necessary treatment or staying with their children, which often leads to worsened outcomes for both the parents and their families. The closure of several programs serving mothers with children further exacerbates this issue, reducing the options available for families in need of integrated treatment and recovery services. Increasing the understanding of the landscape for SUD treatment and recovery facilities will help identify where services are lacking and highlight opportunities for expanding or improving access to family-centered care. By addressing these gaps, we can promote better recovery outcomes, prevent family separation, and support the long-term wellbeing of both parents and children in Montana.
Section 4: Appendices
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438 West Spruce Street
Missoula, MT 59802