DEL. HOSPITALS: “Plans of safe care” implemented for substance-exposed infants/mothers

Substance-exposed infants are on the rise in the first state and because of that Delaware is making sure they are doing what they can to protect them. 

Each birthing hospital is required to follow "plans of safe care", after Governor John carney signed the plans into law this past June. 

Hospitals such as Beebe Healthcare already got the ball rolling when they started the pilot program a few years back.

Beebe's case manager, Ann Regacho says, "If they have the right resources in place, then they can really be empowered to do the best and to be a great parent starting right from the beginning."

Now every hospital and agency is on the same page on the same plan. The first step of action is to contact the Department of Family Services. From there DFS will partner up with the hospital's case manager to work collaboratively for the safe care of the newborn once they go home. 

But this plan of safe care is there to also help the caretakers.  

Bridget Buckaloo, the Executive Director for Women’s and Children’s Services in Healthcare tells us, "We also work with mother's to make sure that she's a good care provider and to see how vulnerable the baby is. We can we give her tools and strategies, so she can take care of her baby."