Individuals seeking help face significant challenges, including transportation barriers, the inability to leave work without risking job loss, and responsibilities for children, pets, or other dependents. Navigators responsible for linking clients to care also encounter obstacles, such as clients having more immediate or pressing needs like housing or employment, a brief window of time when clients are ready and willing to seek help, and the lack of readily available information on clients' accessibility needs in existing programs.
Online resources play a critical role in addressing these challenges by offering flexible, accessible support options that can bridge the gap between immediate needs and long-term care.
Leah Dick graduated from Virginia tech with a Master’s of Public Health, in addition to a Bachelors of Arts in Communication and minor in English. Prior to coming to the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC) in January 2023, she was an ORISE fellow from September 2018 to July 2020 with CDC’s Emergency Response and Recovery Branch within the Center for Global Health. Following her fellowship, she worked as a Health Communication Specialist within the same branch from July 2020 to January 2023, resulting in two British Medical Journal publications. As a KIPRC Research Project Manager, she manages the day-to-day tasks and team responsible for FindHelpNow.org, a near real-time locator for substance use disorder treatment, recovery housing, mental health treatment, and Naloxone across Kentucky. Her professional interests are focused in advocating for multiple pathways of recovery, autonomy of people in recovery, and the integration of lived experience in recovery research.
Catherine Hines serves as a Research Project Manager at the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, within the University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from Centre College, Catherine brings a unique blend of interdisciplinary knowledge to her work in public health research. In her current role, Catherine is dedicated to spearheading linkage to care programs aimed at facilitating timely access to essential treatment and resources for individuals grappling with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and those on paths to recovery. Beyond research endeavors, Catherine is passionate about developing resources and toolkits designed to support small businesses in employing individuals in recovery. Other research and practice topics include suicide and gun violence prevention. Through her collaborative efforts, she aims to foster inclusive work environments while simultaneously addressing the societal stigma surrounding substance use disorders.
This module is designed to explore trends, emerging topics, medication options, general recommendations, and practical considerations for the treatment of OUD in pregnancy. Learners will explore how to manage pregnant and postpartum patient cases with medications for OUD.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate the impact of OUD on maternal and fetal health outcomes
- Explore evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for the screening, diagnosis, and management of OUD during pregnancy
- Evaluated and assess the pharmacological differences in pregnancy and option for treatment of OUD
- Define neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), including its clinical presentation, risk factors, and diagnostic criteria, to facilitate early identification and intervention
Board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine, Dr. Parilla is a recognized leader in the care of pregnant patients with substance use disorders. She is an active member of American Society of Addiction Medicine and received the March of Dimes Jonas Salk Health Leadership Physician Award for her work in this field. Dr. Parilla earned her MD with Distinction in Research from Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University and completed training at NYU Langone Hospital Long Island and Northwestern University.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during the perinatal period remains a preventable cause of chronic liver disease in infants. Without appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis, up to 90% of infants infected at birth will develop chronic HBV infection, placing them at increased risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma later in life. This presentation reviews the epidemiology of perinatal HBV transmission, recommended screening and testing during pregnancy, and the critical role of timely newborn vaccination and hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) administration. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of coordinated maternal screening, public health reporting, and immediate infant immunization to prevent vertical transmission. Strategies for addressing vaccine safety concerns and communicating effectively with vaccine-hesitant families will be discussed. Opportunities to strengthen collaboration between healthcare providers and public health programs to improve prevention of perinatal hepatitis B transmission will also be highlighted.
Roberta Butler, RN, MSN, is the Perinatal Hepatitis B Coordinator for the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s Immunization Hepatitis B Program. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing Education in 2003 and has dedicated over 30 years to caring for mothers and babies as a Labor and Delivery nurse.
Passionate about maternal and neonatal health, Roberta is committed to protecting families from vaccine-preventable diseases across Kentucky. She lives in Morehead, KY, with her husband of 43 years and is grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on public health.
This webinar event will review the key physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy, highlight common cardiac conditions requiring specialized cardio-obstetrics management, and outline important anesthesia considerations for obstetric patients. In addition, we will share the KyMMM OB Task Force subcommittee’s efforts to develop a Kentucky‑wide cardio‑obstetric network aimed at improving access to expert cardiology support and providing ongoing education for healthcare providers across the state.
Ashley Boerrigter, MD Maternal Fetal Medicine
James Damron, MD Obstetric Anesthesia
Andrea Robinson
Following completion of this course, learners should be able to:
- Understand the Blue Band Project
- Implementation of the Blue Band Project
- Discuss the lived experience of a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy
For more information about KyMMM and the Blue Band Project: Home - Kentucky Maternal Morbidity & Mortality Task Force
Michelle Williams, MA - KyMMM Hypertension Committee Chair
John O'Brien, MD - KyMMM Task Force Chair, University of Kentucky
Amy Wheeler, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM - Baptist Health System