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Avenues Recovery Center is a drug and alcohol rehab in Colorado with fifteen locations across seven states. Our state blog offers the latest on all addiction-related news in Colorado, keeping you updated on the rise and fall of current events in your area.
Colorado is facing a growing crisis as pregnancy-associated overdose deaths continue to rise. Between 2016 and 2020, 44 pregnant and postpartum individuals tragically died from unintentional overdoses. Overdose-related deaths have now become the second-leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the state, with rates nearly doubling from 15.6% in 2016 to 26.2% in 2020. These figures represent preventable deaths, deeply affecting families and leaving children without their mothers.
In response, the University of Colorado College of Nursing has expanded its Recovery Coach Doula Program to help combat this crisis. The program, which has been made possible through a $700,000 Opioid Response Strategic Impact Grant from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, aims to provide vital support for pregnant individuals with substance use disorder. Initially serving the Denver metro area, the program is now reaching Fort Collins and Pueblo, with plans for further expansion into rural areas.
The Recovery Coach Doula Program pairs trained doulas, who are also peer support specialists with lived experience in long-term recovery, with patients to provide emotional and physical support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the first year postpartum. These doulas guide individuals through recovery while offering insights into pregnancy, birth, and wellness. They also focus on relapse prevention, helping patients maintain a healthy lifestyle and navigate challenges like job finding and building healthy relationships.
The services are patient-driven, meaning they are tailored to each individual’s needs and preferences, whether in-person or virtual. The expansion of the program aims to address the gaps in care, particularly in rural communities where access to support can be limited.
Additionally, funding from the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration will support a study to ensure the program’s sustainability and effectiveness, particularly in more rural and frontier areas. The goal is to refine the program’s blueprint to make it a model that could potentially be replicated in other states to help combat pregnancy-associated overdose deaths nationwide.
Through this expansion, Colorado hopes to reduce the number of preventable deaths while offering essential care and support to pregnant individuals in recovery, helping them build healthier futures for themselves and their children.
If you or your loved one are struggling with addiction, reach out to Avenues Recovery to receive the help you deserve. Our expert staff have helped over 40,000 individuals break free of their addictions, and they can help you too. Contact us today to join our vibrant recovery community and begin your journey to the sober future you deserve.