OKLAHOMA CITY – The Comanche County Hospital Authority has received an $899,497.24 grant from the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board to help address the state’s opioid crisis.
With the help from a 2024 grant, the authority plans to expand its program for families and babies affected by opioids.
“We will hire a dedicated Perinatal Case Manager (CM) to work with opioid- exposed perinatal women and neonates, including babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), to provide screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment, services and supports,” the authority said. “The CM will work with Moms on Safe Plans of Care, home follow-up plans, and patient education.”
The authority said it plans to recruit two perinatal/ postpartum behavioral health doulas, one of whom will serve as the project coordinator. Doulas — nonmedical professionals who provide guidance and support to pregnant women during labor — will work closely with patients before and after labor.
The authority’s other plans include:
• Providing universal screening and assessment of mothers and newborns, with referrals to treatment programs.
• Offering specialized parenting education for highrisk families.
• Providing harm reduction to pregnant and parenting women and families.
Opioid abatement grants The Opioid Abatement Board recently awarded $16.6 million in grants to communities and school districts across the state, including the Comanche County Hospital Authority, to tackle the opioid crisis. The funding includes $12.9 million distributed to 31 cities, counties and public trusts, along with $3.7 mil lion that was awarded to 16 school districts earlier this month.
“These grants represent Oklahoma's commitment to fighting the opioid epidemic at every level, from our communities to our classrooms,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who chairs the board, said in a news release. “We believe these dollars will provide the tools needed to save lives and strengthen communities across our state.”
Grants will fund treatment and recovery programs, mental health assistance, opioid abuse education and strategies to decrease the supply of narcotics across the state.
Grant recipients are expected to implement their programs over the coming months, according to the news release. The board will monitor progress and outcomes to ensure maximum impact in the f ight against opioid abuse across Oklahoma.