From West Virginia Watch,

“A new pilot program hopes to expand mental health support for hundreds of pregnant women with substance use disorder in West Virginia.

Mental health challenges are a major issue facing women served by the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership’s Drug Free Moms and Babies Program, according to Janine Breyel, the organization’s deputy director.

West Virginia faces critical shortages of both maternity care and mental health care. The state leads the nation in the rate of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

WVPP announced on Wednesday that it received a $110,000 grant to examine the use of the Moodr Digital Healthcare Solution, a product from a Morgantown-based tech startup designed to assist health care providers in proactively addressing, treating and evaluating mental health challenges. 

“We are optimistic that this tool will help expand the reach and effectiveness of our program resulting in improved health outcomes for mothers and babies affected by substance use,” Breyel said.

The platform will allow for better follow-up and monitoring of patients, she added…”

Read the full article here.