KY-Moms MATR

KY-Moms Maternal Assistance Towards Recovery (MATR)

KY-Moms MATR helps expectant mothers across Kentucky who are at risk for using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs to reduce harm to their children from substance abuse during and after pregnancy.

This service is a collaboration between local health departments, prenatal clinics, and community mental health centers (CMHCs), like KRCC.

The program focuses on:


"National and local surveys indicate that approximately 25.8% of pregnant women will present with substance use; 4.7% will present with illicit drug use; 18.9% will present with nicotine use; and, 10% will present with alcohol use during the past month of their pregnancy."
SAMHSA, 2015

How does the program work?

The program is designed to provide prevention education services to this at-risk population of women. For those women who meet the DSM substance use diagnostic criteria, case management services are also available. KY-Moms MATR connects these women at the appropriate point during their care with prevention services through substance use treatment, assisting in reducing harm to Kentucky children from maternal substance use during and after pregnancy.

A Medicaid Benefit Package

Provides a full continuum of substance abuse prevention and treatment services to Medicaid-eligible women who are pregnant or postpartum up to 60 days. Women are eligible for prevention services if they are at risk for using substances.

Substance Use Prevention & Treatment Services

These services are available for non-Medicaid eligible pregnant women and women with dependent children.

Outreach Efforts

Efforts are aimed at better identifying pregnant and postpartum women in the community who are in need of substance use prevention or treatment, and engaging them in those services.

Service Collaboration

Collaborative efforts are made between substance use prevention and treatment services to provide a full continuum of care to pregnant women in need of all types of services.

The use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) during pregnancy can cause problems for both the mother and the baby. Prenatal exposure can lead to developmental and intellectual disabilities, mental health and behavioral problems, difficulty with learning, and poor health outcomes.

In most cases, when pregnant women are educated about the negative effects these substances can have on their baby, they make the choice to abstain. However, there are those pregnant women who continue to use ATOD during pregnancy because prior to pregnancy they were already experiencing problem use or addiction. Many will need outside intervention in order to stop their use while pregnant.

KY-Moms MATR improves Kentucky birth outcomes by helping pregnant women recover from substance use disorders.

By engaging high-risk pregnant women in intensive case management, substance use treatment, and other needed services, the program helps moms provide their babies with a healthier, safer start in life.

(information from The Division of Behavioral Health)