Brigid’s Path can accept Medicaid after decade-long process

Brigid’s Path in Kettering will soon be the first newborn recovery center in the U.S. to receive Medicaid reimbursement for babies treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome after more than a decade of work.

Brigid’s Path was approved in August 2025 by the state of Ohio to bill for Medicaid, allowing negotiations to begin with managed care plans, but the journey began in 2014 when Brigid’s Path founder and president, Jill Kingston, first met with lawmakers to discuss the need for sustainable funding.

“It’s been an act of Congress for us to even get this far,” Kingston said.

ExploreAmid funding gap, local newborn recovery center gets visit from CDC Foundation leader

Credit: Bryant Billing

Credit: Bryant Billing

Brigid’s Path has helped more than 300 babies make it through the after effects of being exposed to addictive substances while in utero, and about 85% of the infants were discharged to family care, according to the center.

“Just watching the transformation that happens with families and the time that they get to spend here and just have a quiet space to heal — it’s been amazing," Kingston said.

The process to be able to bill Medicaid for services started at the federal level to amend the Social Security Act in 2018, she said.

Credit: Bryant Billing

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it slowed that process down at the state level.

Beginning in late January, Brigid’s Path was able to start billing Medicaid for services, contracting first with CareSource, a Dayton-based Medicaid managed care provider. The center is still working on negotiating contracts with other managed care providers, Kingston said.

Right now, the center is only able to get reimbursed $559 per baby per day up to 30 days from Medicaid, Kingston said, while the costs are around $1,300 per baby per day.

Hospitals can get reimbursed up to about $7,000 per baby per day, she said.

ExploreBrigid’s Path looking ahead after helping 250 newborns in past six years

“We need the hospitals’ NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) for the higher level acuity for babies that need that level of care, but for babies going through withdrawal or babies that are substance exposed, they don’t need a NICU level of care, so this is a better atmosphere for them,” Kingston said.

The reimbursements still help provide a program revenue stream for the center now, which has not had program revenue in the past, operating primarily off of philanthropy and donations to the center.

Brigid’s Path will still have to continue to raise funds, though the Medicaid coverage will help with about 30% of their costs, Kingston said.

“We still have a lot of fundraising to do to sustain ourselves,” Kingston said.

For more information, visit brigidspath.org.

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About the Author

Samantha Wildow

Samantha Wildow is a reporter for the Dayton Daily News covering health care, as well as local news in Kettering, Oakwood, Miamisburg, Miami Twp., Moraine and West Carrollton. Contact her at samantha.wildow@coxinc.com.