The Opioid epidemic is hitting families in Minnesota's Native American community particularly hard, but a program at the Minneapolis American Indian Center is working to change that.
It's called "Bright Beginnings" and it includes weekly meetings with mothers who are sober, offering each other support with the help of staff and their case workers.
RELATED: See part two of Susie Jones series on the impact of the opioid crisis in Minnesota.
According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the prevalence of babies born addicted is more than seven times more likely to affect Native American infants than white infants. "Moms who had just delivered or were pregnant, were reluctant to get prenatal services," said Mary Le Garde, Executive Director of the center. "Because either they were using, or were afraid that they had been in child protection, and they were afraid it was going to start all over again."
Laura Newton overseas the program. "We support women who are at risk of using opioids or other drugs," she told Susie.
The program is working, according to Le Garde. "I've seen the success with healthy babies being born. We see mothers who are maintaining sobriety. And we've seen healthy support systems being developed."
