In 2013, Jill Kingston and her husband began fostering newborns exposed to substances, an experience that would profoundly affect their lives and the lives of many families in their community.
Witnessing the struggles faced by mothers grappling with substance use disorder and the impact of these challenges on their newborns fueled Kingston’s desire to create meaningful solutions.
This passion resulted in the establishment of Brigid’s Path in 2017, the first newborn recovery center in Dayton, Ohio.
Since its inception, Brigid’s Path has provided a safe haven for more than 300 families with infants experiencing withdrawal from opioids and other drugs.
The center’s approach is holistic, emphasizing not just medicinal care, but also emotional and environmental support.
With onsite medical staff providing necessary medical attention, the center focuses on small, frequent feedings, low-stimulation environments, and constant nurturing through touch and rocking.
Kingston believes that early intervention can minimize the need for medication in newborns.
“If a baby can come here within a couple days of life, we can keep them off of medication just by therapeutic handling and really meeting their needs right away,” she stated.
Brigid’s Path aims to support not only the infants but their entire families.
A dedicated nursing team works closely with parents to provide guidance on infant care, including feeding practices, safe sleep techniques, and soothing methods.
This supportive environment allows mothers to bond with their babies, fostering healthy attachments that are critical for child development.
“By wrapping around the whole family, we’ve been able to keep 85 percent of our babies with their families, and that has been amazing,” Kingston noted.
One of the mothers who benefited from Brigid’s Path is Ashley Wells.
After beginning her recovery from substance use and being directed to the center just a month later, Wells found the support she received invaluable.
Living at Brigid’s Path for 87 days following the premature birth of her son, Wells described the center’s environment as familial, facilitating her recovery process while allowing her to nurse her son back to health.
In addition to health support, Wells received assistance in navigating legal matters, obtaining housing, and finding avenues for sober support meetings.
“I really believe had it not been for the staff here, I don’t know where I would be today,” Wells said, emphasizing her gratitude for the care she received.
The opioid epidemic continues to present a pressing public health crisis in America, and Brigid’s Path stands as a critical element in the broader national efforts to save lives and preserve family units.
This intricate crisis necessitates innovative strategies that unite various sectors in the fight against substance use disorder.
In response to the ongoing opioid crisis, the CDC Foundation has embraced a national approach, educating and integrating over 200 staff across 45 jurisdictions dedicated to gathering and responding to overdose incident data.
Moreover, the organization has been instrumental in the development of the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS), enacted in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
This initiative pairs CDC Foundation public health analysts with drug intelligence officers, ensuring the sharing of crucial information and rousing effective measures against overdoses and emerging drug threats.
“I really see the overlap between the work we are doing to combat the opioid epidemic with what Brigid’s Path is doing to care for infants and families,” remarked Dr. Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation.
She believes that Brigid’s Path holds potential as a model for newborn recovery care, showcasing the importance of addressing the epidemic at every level to safeguard lives and futures.
During a recent visit to the center, Dr. Monroe expressed the need for sustainable funding to maintain and expand Brigid’s Path’s operations, thus amplifying their positive impact.
The center offers care at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional Neonatal Intensive Care Units, presenting a compelling case for replication in other states to extend support to thousands more families facing addiction.
However, Brigid’s Path currently confronts a pressing funding gap as it seeks sustainable public resources.
In her efforts to raise awareness about the financial challenges facing the center, Dr. Monroe emphasizes the critical role Brigid’s Path plays in the community.
For individuals like Ashley Wells, who is now nearly two years sober, her time at Brigid’s Path was pivotal in rekindling her role as a mother while embarking on the road to recovery.
“They’ve shown me so much love, so much grace and so much support,” Wells shared, her gratitude for the center’s impact abundantly clear.
In a time when the fight against substance use continues, Brigid’s Path stands as a testament to the power of community-driven solutions in healing families and transforming lives.
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