Supporting Pregnant Individuals Who Use Substances in Crisis Situations

This presentation was part of the 6th Annual Mobile Mental Health Crisis Response Summit.

Mental Health Mobile Crisis Response Teams frequently encounter pregnant individuals who use substances, often in high-risk situations. Responding with compassion, evidence-based strategies, and a trauma-informed lens is critical to ensuring the well-being of both the pregnant person and their unborn child. This training will equip crisis response workers with tools to effectively engage, assess, and support pregnant individuals struggling with substance use. The session will address harm reduction approaches, coordination with community resources, and strategies to mitigate risks while promoting safety and stabilization.

Learning Objectives: Enhance Crisis Intervention Strategies: Participants will learn how to apply trauma-informed, nonjudgmental crisis response techniques to engage pregnant individuals who use substances, ensuring immediate safety and connection to care.  Understand Harm Reduction & Treatment Pathways: Attendees will explore harm reduction strategies and referral pathways, including Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), prenatal care coordination, and housing options for pregnant individuals in crisis.  Address Barriers to Care & Reduce Stigma: Participants will examine the systemic barriers that pregnant individuals who use substances face, including fear of legal repercussions, stigma in healthcare, and lack of accessible treatment, while discussing advocacy strategies to improve engagement and outcomes.

Content Level: General level: Covers crisis response basics and terminology.|Advanced level: For experienced crisis responders diving deep into a topic.

Presenter: Carmichael Finn, MA, LMFT, LADC, ADCR-MN, Executive Director – Recovering Hope Treatment Center

Bio: Carmichael Finn is the current Executive Director of Recovering Hope Treatment Center in Mora, MN.  Finn also teaches at Minneapolis College and Metropolitan State University in the Alcohol and Drug Counseling programs.