Floyd Memorial Foundation Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Unit

Since the rise in addictive patients was first realized in 2015, Baptist Health Floyd has been putting necessary measures in place to help manage this patient population. However, the rise in pregnant mothers with active drug use delivering babies born dependent on drugs and other chemical substances has overwhelmed and challenged Labor & Delivery staff at the hospital to rapidly, safely, and effectively care for this fragile patient population.

Staff has had to resort to transferring babies diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome to facilities in Louisville that were better equipped to treat these infants. They realized that valuable time in early development and mother-baby bonding was lost during the transfer and sought to find a better, long-term solution.

The Floyd Memorial Foundation, the charitable arm of Baptist Health Floyd, wanted to ensure the right vital medical resources were in place to treat this growing patient population, so they, along with support from the Labor & Delivery staff, set out to establish a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Unit at Baptist Health Floyd with the vital remedies, equipment and technology, and appropriate staff in place for the addicted mother and her drug-dependent infant. The goal was to eliminate the need to transfer infants across the river wasting precious time that should be used to begin immediate treatment to ensure optimal recovery.

Recent funding has purchased some equipment for the N.A.S. Unit, however, substantial funding is needed to construct a dedicated area on the Labor & Delivery floor, hire and train a dedicated staff, and purchase all equipment needed to operate the N.A.S. Unit.

In the 2015 Community Needs Assessment published by the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana (http://cfsouthernindiana.com/cna/ ), respondents in our community indicated three broad goals they wanted to prioritize for making Southern Indiana a great place to live, work, and play. In addition to improving transportation and child care, our community members see a need to prioritize substance abuse treatment. Your Community Foundation is committed to working toward these goals, and on May 30, 2019 we made a $5,000 grant to the Floyd Memorial Foundation and Baptist Health Floyd to support their efforts to establish a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Unit.

Linda Speed, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana said, “The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana is honored to support Baptist Health Floyd by providing essential funding for the equipment needed in their N.A.S. Unit.” The grant will assist the hospital in providing the critical care that is needed to treat some of our most vulnerable community members. Speed says, “Our role as a community leader, partner, and grantor allows us to help organizations thrive and make a difference in Floyd county. We’re excited to see the progress Baptist Health Floyd is making to address our community’s needs and help us improve as a region.”