In 2018, Brigid’s Path cared for 33 babies and supported their mothers in treatment. The nonprofit says it is on pace to serve 60 babies and families this year.
“2019 was our second full year of operation, and we continue to see so many lives transformed with grace, support and hope,” Jill Kingston, executive director for Brigid’s Path, told the Dayton Daily News. “We’re proud to show the community the ways our non-profit is helping make big changes possible for families in Ohio.”
The report released this week includes information regarding the numbers of families served, resources provided and data from January to December 2019. Kingston said the data shows the organization is having an affect on helping families and their babies combat addiction.
Since welcoming its first baby in December 2017, the non-profit has cared for 84 babies and families facing the challenges of substance use disorder.
Anyone can refer a baby or family to Brigid’s Path. In 2019, top referrals were from Child Protective Services (35%), moms/families (27%) and local hospitals (27%).
Every family with a baby at Brigid’s Path in 2019 needed trauma therapy and lacked reliable transportation. Also, 70% of the families lacked safe housing.
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The organization specializes in being able to help connect families with the local resources they need to address challenges like trauma, transportation and housing while their newborn is undergoing treatment at its facility.
“We often get requests for our outcomes from physicians, community members and other organizations who want to support us and I get it. As human beings, we all want to know that something we’re investing in is making a difference,” Kingston explained. “When we’re dealing with people and lives, we also have to trust that the good work we’re doing to help families make the best choices they can will pay dividends we’ll never know.”
As a licensed Children’s Crisis Care Facility for the state of Ohio, Brigid’s Path focuses on serving families impacted by addiction.
Its primary work is to care for infants born exposed to an addictive substance like prescription medication, opioids or other drugs.
The organization employs the latest therapeutic techniques – both medicinal and nonpharmacological – to help babies be as comfortable as possible while they experience withdrawal.
More than 120 volunteers gave more than 13,000 hours of their time to Brigid’s Path in 2019, cuddling babies, doing laundry, cleaning the facility and more.
Kettering’s Brigid’s Path, the first newborn recovery center in Ohio, cared for 40 babies in 2019 which was a 21% increase from 2018
• Every family with a baby at Brigid’s Path in 2019 needed trauma therapy and lacked reliable transportation; 70% of the families lacked safe housing. Brigid’s Path is able to help connect families with the local resources they need to address challenges like trauma, transportation and housing while their newborn is treated at Brigid’s Path.
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