Learning objectives:

1. Describe the purpose and benefit of utilizing a community based participatory approach when addressing the needs of pregnant and early parenting women with substance use disorders.
2. Discuss preliminary findings regarding support needs for pregnant and parenting mothers in early recovery from addictive substances.
3. Discuss the benefits and barriers to providing parenting and recovery support using digital technology. Discuss implications for future studies.

Abstract:

In rural underserved communities facing poor health outcomes related to maternal substance use disorders (SUD), researchers have sought meaningful partnerships with community stakeholders to tailor interventions designed to meet the specific parenting and recovery needs of that population. Through a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, researchers work directly with community stakeholders and pregnant and early parenting women with SUD to identify health needs and ways to customize interventions for those living in rural areas who might otherwise fail to access traditional health care settings. This CBPR project explored the feasibility of delivering tailored parenting and recovery supports through mobile technology to pregnant and early parenting women in early recovery from SUD living in rural areas. The purpose of the presentation is to report findings from this research that explored parenting and recovery support challenges and needs of thirty pregnant and early parenting women in early recovery from SUD (e.g. Opioid, Alcohol, Cannibis, Nicotine, and Methamphetamine Use Disorders). In addition, feedback from the study participants regarding the feasibility of delivering parenting and recovery supports through mobile technology will be discussed during the presentation. Future research will need to examine the extent to which the use of community guided and theory-based tailored digital technology can provide the level of parenting and recovery support needed for mothers in early recovery from SUD.