Drug use and substance use disorders are often characterized by moral failing. Drug use while pregnant and parenting is not only stigmatizing and marginalizing. It also is shrouded in myth and bunk science. These attitudes create devise policies that often impact black and brown parenting people, only furthering the agenda of the failed policies of the drug war.  This creates a culture of collective fear not only for those most impacted but for the clinicians and other providers that serve them.

We provide content, graphic design, organizational development, and consulting services to existing front line staff public health departments, clinicians, non- profit organizations, and everyone in between.
Health literacy and shared decision making is paramount to improved long term outcomes. However, it is simply not enough to provide information and toolkits. Navigating systems, providing advocacy, and supporting individuals or families no matter where they exist in their recovery journey is a cornerstone to our philosophy.
As such, we partner with existing service providers and advocacy groups to bring harm reduction supplies and education straight into the hands of those that need it most- Pregnant and parenting people. Through a small grant from the Comer Foundation and a partnership with the Urban Survivors Union we began our own harm reduction supply, and information clearinghouse-called “Woodworx.”

Finding reliable resources and providers that build participant centered relationships has been nearly impossible up until now. Globally, we are experiencing collective grief that has at times felt endless. Fortunately, a post covid world has positioned people who use drugs, policy makers, and their allies in a unique position to reimagine harm reduction, and support services for drug users. Woodworx could not have come at a better time! It’s sole purpose is hosting a virtual “drop in” space whereby participants can connect virtually, skill share, exchange resources, and support one another on their journeys through pregnancy and into parenthood. An exciting feature of this program is its ability to center reproductive health as part general harm reduction services.

Additionally, we are working with vetted and trusted  researchers in an effort to demonstrate the vital role that harm reduction programming plays as both primary and tertiary interventions for pregnancy and parenting. Our goal is to deliver comprehensive information that can be applies and put into action as practice.  The time is now. We are mobilizing and look forward to journeying with you and your family. APHR believes that the metrics in which we determine improved outcomes aren’t measurable when pregnancy ends. We are envision and are committed to continuing to serve our participants and their families well beyond post partum. Parenting is a lifelong pursuit. Breaking the ties of intergenerational trauma is our collective responsibility. We are widening the frames of the harm reduction tent and bringing parenting into its folds.  

Many organizations tokenize individuals with lived experience. Often, “peers” are  forced to do the hard work of rapport building, emotional labor, and self -disclosure in order to have a seat at the table. At APHR we value those individuals and invite them to join is in all levels of our organization. They are the experts and they should be dictating the policies, programming, and north star of our work. They are the true leaders and are treated as such. In other words, they provide the wood, and we craft that chair.

We are consistently brainstorming creative ways to engage participants in program development. Our hope is that through our service and support participants will begin to purge narratives of internalizes oppression and shame by capitalizing on employment opportunities. Woodworx  provides opportunities for meaningful employment within all levels of our organization.

Additionally, participants can embark on community-driven entrepreneurial  enterprises upon completion of harm reduction doula certifications through our partnership with Cornerstone Doula Project, LLC.  None of these services or supports is contingent on abstinence or adherence to program policies. They are driven by the true spirit of equity, diversion, and inclusion.  

We are devoted to shepherding the education and construction of compassionate communities of care for and by pregnant and parenting people that use drugs.

In the summer of 2015, with the support of the National Perinatal Association, we convened to create toolkits for clinicians and families. This massive undertaking was born out of the lack of comprehensive guidelines and mixed messaging from different sources about the impact of in-utero substance exposure to substances in-utero or vis breastfeeding.

We know that quality prenatal care is one of the most important factors that influence healthy development.  Stigma and fear of legal repercussions keep pregnant people who use drugs from accessing that care.
Our initial goal was to create a comprehensive guideline for best practices in caring for this population, with sections for the diverse audiences of care providers, families, social workers, lawyers, judges, and hospital administrators. Since folks in these specialties often have different information, goals, and methods of communication, we believe that in order to achieve optimal outcomes, they should all be on the same page. safe and informative virtual space in which parents and family members could ask questions, look for providers, and create supportive networks. It was through this project that the Academy of Perinatal Harm Reduction was born, with the additional goal of providing a safe and informative virtual space in which parents and family members can ask questions, look for providers, and create supportive networks.

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