A BUSSW-Community Collaboration Developed an Intervention to Change Outcomes for Mothers in Recovery and Their Children
For mothers navigating recovery from opioid use disorder, the postpartum period can be the most dangerous stretch of all. Research shows that the first year after birth is a high-risk window for fatal overdose and other preventable deaths. The challenges of new parenthood, sleep deprivation, and potential loss of insurance or treatment access can compound that risk significantly.
Ruth Paris, a professor at Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW), has spent more than 15 years co-developing and refining approaches to address exactly that crisis. Now, a new federal case study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is recognizing her collaborative work. “Healthy Starts: Postpartum OUD Care Transitions for Mother and Infant,” examines best practices for supporting mothers with opioid use disorder and their babies through the critical postpartum period. It also highlights BRIGHT (Building Resilience through Intervention: Growing Healthier Together), a parenting intervention Paris co-developed with the Institute for Health and Recovery and the Center for Early Relationship Support at Jewish Family and Children’s Service (JFCS), as a standout model for integrated, family-centered care.
Filling a Critical Gap for Mothers in Recovery
BRIGHT was designed to address something most parenting programs overlook. Mothers in recovery are often carrying their own histories of trauma and unmet needs, which can make nurturing a newborn feel that much harder. At the same time, their infants face elevated risk for maltreatment and delays in social, emotional, and cognitive development. BRIGHT addresses both sides of that equation at once.
The intervention serves mothers with substance use disorders and their children from birth through age 6. Weekly sessions focus on strengthening the bond between parent and child through play, relationship-building activities and guided reflection — helping mothers better understand their own emotions and their baby’s cues. Emotion regulation and recovery support are woven throughout. Sessions can take place in a clinic, at home, or via telehealth.
Years of Supporting Recovering Families
Paris and her collaborators at the Institute for Health and Recovery have offered BRIGHT as an enhancement to addiction treatment and medical care for more than 15 years, with funding from SAMHSA and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program has been successfully implemented across five different settings and is listed as a best practice in the Maternal and Child Health Innovations Database maintained by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs.
A Model That Works
BRIGHT’s inclusion in the SAMHSA report reflects something the case study argues throughout: keeping mothers and babies healthy after birth requires more than a prescription. It takes trust, coordination, and care that takes into account the full picture of a family’s life. Programs that address parenting, mental health and recovery together are associated with higher rates of treatment completion, reduced substance use, and a greater likelihood of children remaining in their parents’ care.
Paris’s work with BRIGHT showcases the impact of meaningful, funded research — designed to be used by real clinicians, with real families.
The full SAMHSA case study is available at samhsa.gov. More information about BRIGHT, including implementation guidance, is available here.
Learn more about Professor Ruth Paris’ work