Children And Recovering Mothers (CHARM)

A multidisciplinary group of agencies in Vermont serving women with opioid use disorder and their families during pregnancy and infancy

Begun in 2003 as one of the first programs in the nation of its type, the Children And Recovering Mothers (CHARM) program, a multidisciplinary partnership led by the KidSafe Collaborative, is an inter-disciplinary and cross-agency team which coordinates care for pregnant and postpartum mothers with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) and their babies. 

Some of the services that CHARM provides pregnant individuals include:

  • prenatal services
  • substance use treatment including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)
  • counseling and case management
  • social services, including housing, transportation, and mental health services
  • NeoMed clinic: education on health and safety of their babies
  • Establish a trusting relationship with Department of Children and Families 

The goals of the program are: 1) to engage pregnant women with OUD in prenatal care as early as possible, 2) reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms using MOUD, 3) engage women in substance use counseling, 4) provide social support and basic needs referrals for the family. 

The CHARM Collaborative typically supports between 150-200 women per year along with their babies and their families. This program has been replicated in other states. 

SAMHSA did a case study on CHARM which can be found here

More information and contact information for the program can be found in these presentations here and here

The number of women receiving treatment increased...the proportion of infants discharged to the care of the mother and remaining in maternal care at one year improved. 

Continuum of Care
Treatment
Recovery
Type of Evidence
Peer-reviewed
Replicated
Response Approach
Comprehensive services
Early Intervention
Educational
Family Support
Housing, Education, and Employment
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Peer-reviewed Article

Evidence of Program Effectiveness

"As access to treatment in the general population expanded from 2000 to 2006, the number of women receiving treatment increased, the proportion of women receiving interim substitution therapy decreased, gestational age at the initiation of treatment decreased, and the proportion of women receiving treatment before pregnancy increased. Infants delivered to mothers in a treatment program had improved birth weight z score compared with those receiving interim substitution therapy. The proportion of infants discharged to the care of the mother and remaining in maternal care at 1 year improved both over time and with treatment within a treatment program." (Meyers et al., 2012)