MotherSHIPP

MotherSHIPP is an app for iOS (apple) and androids devices where information is provided on biological, emotional, and psychosocial milestones and strategies for managing SUD during pregnancy and 12 months postpartum. Content will include five sections: 1) Course introduction providing an overview on how to navigate the course and get the most out of the learning experience; 2) Pregnancy section - brief weekly lessons from week 13 to week 40 that highlight what to expect in your pregnancy as well as strategies to reduce or abstain from substance use; relapse prevention; how to cope with cravings, etc. 3) Postpartum section - monthly lessons from month one to 12 that focus on what to expect for mom and baby, and strategies for staying well; 4) Parenting section – lessons on child development, reducing parental stress, understanding parenting with a behavioral health condition and promoting resiliency in your child; and 5) a resources section that include pregnancy, parenting and behavioral health resources, as well as resources related to domestic violence and social determinants of health. The app provides information in a didactic form similar to how pregnant people access basic online information about their stage of pregnancy. Participation is self-directed, meaning they can participate as much or as little as they’d like.  We encourage participants to continuously review content based on their stage of pregnancy/postpartum. To ensure accessibility as the study has a health equity focus, MotherSHIPP will have online and offline capability and be linked to google translate. The app also includes links to resources (i.e. – articles, videos, etc.) that provide examples of content covered.  

The virtual peer support group will be lead by the Recovery Advocate, familiar with the content on the MotherSHIPP app. The RA is a mother with lived experience with a SUD, who has participated in peer support herself. She is also a Master’s level social worker with extensive experience working in behavioral health and domestic violence. All study participants will be invited to participate in the peer support group where they can connect to other participants who have behavioral health conditions and are pregnant or parenting. Prior to joining the group sessions they will meet with the RA for a 1-to-1 session. The RA will provide an overview of what to expect from the peer support component of the study and answer any questions.  We anticipate the session will be less than 30 minutes. The group sessions will be offered three times a week at different times of the day to accommodate varying schedules.  All sessions will be offered over zoom. 

We will evaluate the MotherSHIPP app with peer support, testing the hypotheses that women/birthing people who participate in the MotherSHIPP Study will experience decreased parental stress, increased treatment engagement, and decreases in cravings and substance use.