Effective, accessible, medication-assisted treatment designed especially for pregnant women with opioid use disorders.
The MOTHER Program
The opioid epidemic has impacted Americans for more than 20 years. Yet, mental health and substance use disorders continue to be some of the most undertreated medical conditions. At The High Risk Pregnancy Center (HRPC), our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) physicians help fill this dangerous gap in treatment through an innovative program called the MOTHER (Maternal Opioid Treatment Health Education Recovery) Program.
What is the MOTHER program?
The services available to patients include psychiatry for co-occurring mental health, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD, aka MAT) with Buprenorphine and Naltrexone, substance use counseling, Peer Recovery Support services, and advanced Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM/Perinatology) care for pregnancies.
To date, the MOTHER program is the ONLY program in Nevada that provides MOUD specifically for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
The program consists of a patient-centered team of MFM subspecialists and behavioral health providers that effectively collaborate using shared care plans based on patient’s individual needs and goals. The ability to have MFM, behavioral health, and medication-assisted recovery services together in a collaborative care environment is an evidenced-based approach that leads to improved access, improved clinical outcomes, lower costs of care, and increased patient satisfaction.
Successful outcomes of the program include:
The MFM Providers set the standards for compassionate, high-quality care for high-risk pregnancies such as those exposed to substances. The problems that pregnant individuals with OUD face can be managed, lessened, or even avoided with appropriate therapies and interventions.
Patients receive regular office visit follow-up appointments with their medical provider for the duration of their enrollment in the program, for both behavioral and physical health, while also receiving routine testing such as lab work, ultrasounds, and fetal monitoring in addition to routine prenatal care with obstetrics and gynecology.
Established over twenty years ago, HRPC is the largest MFM practice in the state and offers preeminent MFM services covering the largest population centers in the state of Nevada. With the addition of the MOTHER program, we now offer even more highly specialized services encompassing both physical and mental health.
The program is overseen by the Collaborative Care Psychiatrist who addresses co-occurring disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, etc.) in patients with OUD. The Psychiatrist offers treatment with evidence-based practices to support each patient’s individual needs with therapies and medication management. The Behavioral Health Program Director is responsible for conducting screenings, intake assessments, and treatment planning, providing patient education about common mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) with available treatment options, coordinating MOUD and after-care planning, facilitating wrap-around service referrals, providing psychosocial, therapeutic, and brief interventions using evidence-based techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, and motivational interviewing, documenting patient progress, clinical outcomes, and data tracking, managing a patient caseload and providing support to patients during the recovery continuum while reinforcing treatment goals up to one year postpartum. The Peer Recovery Support Specialist is responsible for being a role model for personal recovery and applying coping skills by serving as an advocate providing contemporary support for individuals in the MOTHER Program available to assist with crises, social issues, addressing triggers for illicit use, and questions or concerns 24/7.
Our clinicians are subject matter experts for the care of pregnant and postpartum individuals, especially those with substance use, and have been involved in numerous state-level initiatives to improve outcomes for both patients and infants.
If you have any questions or are interested in learning more, please do not hesitate to reach out. Empathy, compassion, and no judgments are pillars of how we deliver care.
Combining medication-assisted treatment with maternal-fetal medicine for better access and optimal outcomes
We combine medicine-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD with specialized maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) care to provide underserved women with exceptional treatment. Our clinical psychiatrist, Dr. Farzad Kamyar, oversees all aspects of the MOTHER program to ensure every patient receives compassionate, evidence-based treatment, exemplary psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and psychotherapy throughout every stage of her at-risk pregnancy (prenatal, pregnancy, and postpartum).
Combining MFM, behavioral health, and MAT services into a collaborative care environment is an evidenced-based approach that leads to better access, improved clinical outcomes, lower care costs, and increased patient satisfaction. Services include:
Successful outcomes of the program include:
Read our article about opioid use during pregnancy and alternative pain treatment therapies for additional information.
Dr. Brian Iriye and Dr. Farzad Kamyar are recognized as Healthcare Heroes
Dr. Iriye and Dr. Kamyar were recently recognized as Healthcare Heroes by the Nevada Business Magazine for their work with our MOTHER Program.
Partnership with the community for complete care
Once a personalized treatment plan is established, they also provide vital psychosocial and therapeutic interventions using evidence-based behavioral health services such as:
Our Behavioral Health Program Director plays a critical role in the recovery and healing of pregnant women with OUD throughout the recovery continuum while reinforcing treatment goals up to one year postpartum.
Peer recovery support to maximize the benefits of treatment
Who is eligible?
Peer recovery is essential for improving patient outcomes and continuing the journey toward recovery long after pregnancy.
Patients with OUD may relapse during treatment. However, it’s important to understand this is a normal part of the recovery process and nothing to be ashamed of. Your peer recovery support person and the entire HRPC team are here to help you through every step of your recovery journey.
About the MOTHER program at HRPC
We understand OUD is a disease, and we’re here to help women through their recovery process and provide the support, care, and resources they need.
Get effective, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder during pregnancy from national leaders in the care of high-risk pregnancies. Call The High Risk Pregnancy Center today at 702-382-3200 for more information about the MOTHER program.
Get effective, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder during pregnancy from national leaders in the care of high-risk pregnancies. Call the High Risk Pregnancy Center today at 702-382-3200 for more information about the MOTHER program!
Meet Our MOTHER Program Providers
To schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified professionals, call 702-382-3200. Or you can use our easy online form.