The Problem
Our Generation's Epidemic
An estimated 5.6 million child bearing age women dependent on drugs/opioids and/or alcohol are having unintended pregnancies resulting in their child being damaged in utero for life requiring lifelong medical, mental, social and other special services.
Our Nation's Largest Current EPIDEMIC Finds
An Impacted Child Born Every Minute.
The goal of the Perinatal Data Center is to clearly present perinatal data, so that professionals focused on issues related to maternal and infant health can make more informed decisions to ultimately improve mom and baby health.
Surgo’s Maternal Vulnerability Index (MVI)
Surgo’s MVI measures 6 factors: Reproductive healthcare, Physical health, Mental health and substance abuse, General healthcare, Socioeconomic determinants, and Physical environment. High Scores are bad.
Drug Death Rate Growth Compared to
Family’s Alcohol and Opioid Use Epidemic
Over 107,621 deaths in 2020 were attributed to Drugs/Opioids
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Two out of three children under the age of one taken into foster care in TN in 2019 were removed from their homes due to Drug and Alcohol abuse in the family (66.8%)
In AR and TN, two out of three children under the age of one placed in foster care were removed from their homes due to Drug and Alcohol abuse
Only a fraction of these children are taken into state custody – many times more are raised by family and friends.
Our Generation's Epidemic
A Challenge for All of Us
Drug-Exposed Children and their Foster Care Parents Face Major Lifelong Challenges
NBC News affiliate: WVLT in Knoxville, TN
PBS News Hour
Impact on Schools
The opioid crisis comes to the classroom as soaring numbers of children born in drug withdrawal reach school age.
May 24, 2019 at 6:00 am
Updated May 24, 2019 at 6:56 pm
A troubling surge
Research shows a link between infants born in withdrawal from opioids and developmental disabilities requiring referral to special education, once children reach school age. The period from 2006 to 2012 saw a 40% spike in the rate of Washington maternal substance abuse diagnoses. Nationally, the increase was 33%.
A Multifaceted, Multi-Billion-Dollar Problem.
The Untold Cost of Drug & Alcohol Pregnancies by TN’s Comptroller
Tennessee’s Comptroller says this problem
“will have a real serious financial situation … and almost certainly are looking at substantially and I mean substantially, multiples of our current rates of taxation.”
Impacted Agencies
This Is A Multi-Billion
Dollar Problem.
A Conservative Estimate Of The
Financial Impact
Is Like Our Governments Taking Out
A New $2.1 Trillion Mortgage Every Year.
Each First Year's Payment Is
Approximately $118 Billion. *
* Numerical and statistical information derived from the CDC, National Institute of Health (NIH Pub-med), individual state reports
and the Census Bureau.
Financial estimates are calculated based on $250,000 first year costs and $4,250,000 for years 2-18.
Agencies spending Federal and State dollars
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Medicaid
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Dept of Children’s Services
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Dept of Corrections
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Dept of Education (including BEP)
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Dept of Health
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Dept of Human Services
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Dept of Intellectual and Development Disabilities
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Dept of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
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Administrative Office of the Courts
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Office of Criminal Justice Programs
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CoverKids
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Commission on Children and Youth
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… and more