Bridge Program at Mount Sinai

Pregnancy should be a time of joy and anticipation, but for women with substance use disorders, it often brings fear and isolation. This critical connection between maternal health and addiction has remained largely overlooked until recently. 

Dr. Leah Habersham, Director of the Bridge Program at Mount Sinai, explains the healthcare gap. Obstetricians often lack training in addiction medicine, while addiction specialists may not understand pregnancy care. This leaves vulnerable mothers and their unborn children without essential support. 

The Bridge Program, launched in September 2022, offers an integrated approach that addresses specific risks like fetal growth restriction and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), all while providing trauma-informed addiction care. They promote understanding instead of judgment and create a supportive community.

Podcast Guest 

  • Dr. Leah Habersham, Director of the Bridge Program at Mount Sinai
     

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Feature Quote

It's a problem that oftentimes neither side who normally cares for this population knows how to manage exactly, and so the OB's tend to not have that training of how to manage substance use disorders. And then the addiction specialists tend to not have that training of how to manage the substance use disorder when it's occurring in a pregnant patient, and so it oftentimes leads to a gap in knowledge and care.

—Dr. Leah Habersham, Director of the Bridge Program at Mount Sinai,

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