The very first Hope to Healing SHIFT (Safe Healthy Infants & Families Thrive) Summit took place on Oct. 21 in Phoenix. This full-day collaborative event focused on SHIFTing the perspectives on the stigma of perinatal substance use, and featured a lived experience parent panel; presentations on the impact of substance use on women and newborn health outcomes, and what providers need to know after reporting to DCS; and a keynote presentation by the renowned Dr. Ira Chasnoff.
“Dr. Chasnoff has this impactful mix of data and storytelling along with an extensive career in this area of study,” said Prevent Child Abuse Arizona Program & Training Director Meghan Hays Davis. “I watched the audience during his presentation and saw the lightbulbs going off. Attendees were communicating back to their agencies in real time about changes they can make.”
The success of SHIFT was exemplified through stories shared by our Hope to Healing parent panel. “Connecting the data to real people was informative and empowering,” noted one attendee. Another shared, “The lived stories were incredibly impactful and so very important”.
Participants were encouraged by how well these collaborative programs are working in other states; one said she was inspired to implement systems collaboration and increase screening and prenatal mental health treatments in her own practice. County teams were led in action planning sessions to further the SHIFT approach across the state. “ I will continue to learn about effective strategies for caring for families and reducing rates of fatality in Arizona” and “involve fathers more in the work. Make more connections with other stakeholders” were some of the action’s participants shared they would be taking after returning from this summit.
Thank you to our sponsors, Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona, Arizona Department of Health Services, and Hushabye Nursery, for making this event possible.
Funding for Arizona SHIFT has been provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Prevent Child Abuse America. Technical assistance was provided by the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare.