Empowering Partners: Developing a Companion Program for Partners of Project Nurture
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Publication Date
2025
Abstract
Background: Project Nurture is a successful comprehensive program for pregnant people with substance use disorder that provides substance use treatment, prenatal care, in-hospital deliveries, ensuing postnatal care and pediatric care for the newborn. There currently is no complementary program to support the partners of those in Project Nurture, referred to inclusively and without gender as “fathers”. Objective: To develop a potential program structure for fathers that provides similar services to and is complementary with Project Nurture Providence Milwaukie. Methods: Via literature review, a qualitative survey of current Project Nurture patients, a needs assessment and assessment of existing services, we have identified gaps in care and propose a potential intervention. Results: Research evaluated revealed a strong connection between fathers with substance use disorder and suboptimal parenting skills and negative impacts on the child and mother. The survey of Project Nurture patients indicated a strong demand for father-supporting care, however no current programs in Portland meet this need. Nationally, several programs combine substance use treatment, parenting skills and social support. Additionally, Providence Milwaukie Family Medicine’s It MATTERS clinic is a virtual clinic treating those with substance use disorder. Conclusion: There is a clear link between fathers with substance use disorder and both suboptimal parenting skills and negative effects on their children and partners; however, no current programs locally address this. We propose a Project Nurture companion program serving fathers at Providence Milwaukie which integrates the pre-existing It MATTERS program with a parenting preparation and support program. Next steps for this project may include detailed program development and implementation and evaluation of a pilot program.
Specialty/Research Institute
Graduate Medical Education
