Caring for Families Impacted by Opioid Use: A Qualitative Analysis of Integrated Program Designs

We sought to 1) identify models of integrated care that offer medical care and social services for children and families impacted by opioid use disorder (OUD) in the postpartum year; and 2) describe how each program was developed, designed, and sustained, and explore facilitators and barriers to implementation of a dyadic, two-generation approach to care.

In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 23) were conducted with programs for women and children affected by OUD across North America. Using a phenomenologic approach, key program components and themes were identified. Following thematic saturation, these results were triangulated with experts in program implementation and with a subset of key informants to ensure data integrity.

Five distinct types of programs were identified that varied in the degree of medical and behavioral care for families. Three themes emerged unique to the provision of dyadic care: 1) families require supportive, frequent visits with a range of providers, but constraints around billable services limit care integration across the perinatal continuum; 2) individual program champions are critical, but degree and reach of interdisciplinary care is limited by siloed systems for medical and behavioral care; and 3) addressing dual, sometimes competing, responsibilities for both parental and infant health following recurrence of parental substance use presents unique challenges.

The key components of dyadic care models for families impacted by OUD included prioritizing care coordination, removing barriers to integrating medical and behavioral services, and ensuring the safety of children in homes with ongoing parental substance use while maintaining parental trust.