Hospitals are required by law to report to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families any case where a parent who's giving birth is using medication to treat substance use disorder. However, state lawmakers are considering a proposal that would end those requirements.
Melissa Threadgill from the Office of the Child Advocate, an independent state agency, said the current law is too broad. She said it doesn't differentiate between pregnant people who are responsibly taking prescribed medications to treat opioid addiction and those who are chronically misusing substances.
"This bill would end that requirement, and it would instead allow health care providers to make an informed decision about whether or not a child's safety is at risk when they decide whether or not to make a report," Threadgill said.
According to the Threadgill, DCF received about 1,700 reports of an infant who was born exposed to substances at birth, but only acted on half of those reports.
“Just simply knowing that a report has been filed on you and a state agency that does have the power to remove your child is looking into you…just think about how stressful that is,” Threadgill said.
This change is part of a larger bill addressing addiction that passed the state House on Thursday.
The bill has moved to the Senate, where lawmakers have until the end of July to pass it.
