Nevada program helps pregnant women who struggle with addiction

LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — For pregnant women addicted to opioids or stimulants, getting help and getting off drugs can be difficult. Often, they face a myriad of other issues from mental health to homelessness. That’s where Empowered comes in.

Roseman University College of Medicine helps take these women from recovery to resilience. Women like Amani Wilson, who started as a client and is now the program coordinator.

“I needed help,” she said. “This was my only choice. This was my only option.”

Wilson was about five months pregnant and homeless when she heard about the Empowered program from another woman who’d gone through it and decided to give it a shot. She joked about calling her peer support counselor every day, but said having someone by her side made all the difference.

“That was the step I needed to really become involved in the program.”

The program is fully grant-funded and provides specialized care to pregnant and postpartum women with a history of opioid or stimulant use. It is not a detox facility but a place where each woman’s needs are assessed and, through collaboration with other agencies, needs are met.

“Everyone’s experience and journey is completely different,” Rachel Mack, the Program Director and a licensed Social Worker and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, said.

Mack said they offer parenting classes, support groups, mental health groups, therapy, sober social events, house visits and even have a rewards system to keep moms on track.

“This is our Empowered store,” she said showing off a room full of different items for baby and mom to 8 News Now. “The clothing is always a hit. Additional maternity clothes.”

Mack said she and her team are there every step of the way.

“They want to parent. They want to do this. They want to figure this out. Just figuring out how to is more challenging that you think it could be.”

For Wilson, it was, but she said the program was the first to give her practical social skills.

“[My counselor] helped me from the basics… and we built on that. Now you’re getting up at this time and you’re going to sleep. That was key. So then that made me, to not use substances because how you gonna go to sleep if you’re using.”

Mack said they see women from all walks of life.

“Substance abuse and mental health does not discriminate.”

But they all have one thing in common. They made the choice, like Wilson, to take the next step.

“It’s so hard to think about what my life would be if I hadn’t found this place,” Wilson said.

Because the program is grant-funded, clients don’t need insurance but Empowered will help them navigate the Medicaid process to enroll. And, since many of the clients are without transportation, the grant also covers Uber and Lyft for them.

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