Resources for Expecting Parents & Their Loved Ones

Did someone tell you that using drugs or drinking while pregnant could get you in trouble? Are you using and feeling ashamed or afraid to go to the doctor? The law has changed.

These days, Tennessee does more to keep moms safe, so you can get care to help keep you and your baby safe and healthy. Below, you will find resources that may be helpful.

Resources for Health Insurance

How do I sign up for TennCare (health insurance) if I don’t have medical insurance?

To enroll in TennCare for medical insurance, call the Tennessee Health Connection at 1-855-259-0701 or visit their website below.

How do I sign my baby up for health insurance?

Some birthing facilities can help you sign up your baby for TennCare or CoverKids. You may also visit the TennCare or CoverKids website below to sign up yourself.

What do I do if I don’t have an obstetrician?

For a list of pregnancy centers or OBGYNS in Tennessee that provide free or low-cost services, click here. You may also call your local health department.

Find Treatment

Lifeline

The Lifeline Peer Project is established to reduce stigma related to the disease of addiction and increase access to substance abuse recovery like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Lifeline Representatives help start Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, and other self-help support groups. They help connect individuals with treatment and they speak publicly about their own personal experience with recovery.

To reach Knox County’s Lifeline Director, Jennifer Knisley, call 865-410-9527.

TN Redline

The Tennessee REDLINE is the 24/7/365 resource for substance abuse treatment referrals.

Since 1989, the Tennessee REDLINE has served as a referral service to addiction treatment for people and their families looking for help for substance use disorder.  The service is provided by the Tennessee Association for Alcohol, Drug and other Addiction Services (TAADAS) though a contract with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS).

Anyone can call or text 800-889-9789 for confidential referrals.

Maternal Health

National Maternal Health Hotline

Not feeling like yourself? Want to find someone who can help? The National Maternal Health Hotline is free and private, and support is available in over 60 languages. You can call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) any time, day or night.

Additional Help

Give your local health department a call for help with food and other resources for you and your baby.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood from the ages of 0-17. The three main categories of ACEs are abuse, neglect, and household challenges. ACEs are associated with an increased risk of a wide range of other serious conditions.

Learn more about ACES and find resources below.

Domestic Violence

If things are not good at home, you can call the Tennessee Domestic Violence Helpline at 1-800-356-6767.

They have helpers who are ready to talk to you any time, day or night.

Resources for Friends & Family

A pregnancy can be an exciting and scary time for the woman and her family. All involved want what’s best for the mother–to-be and the baby. Most women stop using prescription pain medications, illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco during pregnancy. However, some may not know how dangerous continuing these drugs can be for their unborn baby.

People use substances for a variety of reasons. In the case of prescription drugs, this may be under the supervision of a physician. Other women may be using substances to help them cope with the everyday stressors in her life. In some situations, women may deny use of these substances, but there are warning signs friends and family members can look for.

Physical & Health Warning Signs of Substance Misuse

  • Bloodshot eyes or pupils that are smaller or larger than normal
  • Frequent nosebleeds
  • Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
  • Sudden change in weight
  • Seizures without history of epilepsy
  • Deterioration in personal grooming/physical appearance
  • Injuries/accidents that they person won’t or can’t tell you how they got
  • Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing
  • Shakes, tremors, incoherent or slurred speech, unstable coordination

Behavioral Signs of Substance Misuse

  • Drop in attendance and performance at work or school; loss of interest in extracurricular activities, hobbies, sports or exercise; decreased motivation
  • Complaints from co-workers, supervisors, teachers or classmates
  • Unusual or unexplained need for money or financial problems; borrowing or stealing; missing money or valuables
  • Silent, withdrawn, engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors
  • Sudden change in relationships, friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies
  • Frequently getting into trouble (arguments, fights, accidents, illegal activities)

Psychological Warning Signs of Substance Misuse

  • Unexplained change in personality or attitude
  • Sudden mood changes, irritability, angry outbursts or laughing at nothing
  • Periods of unusual hyperactivity or agitation
  • Lack of motivation; inability to focus, appearing lethargic or “spaced out”
  • Appearing fearful, withdrawn, anxious, or paranoid, with no apparent reason

Helpful Hints for Friends & Family

If you believe your loved on is struggling with an alcohol or drug problem, you have probably heard the following excuses. Here are some helpful hints to help you communicate with your loved one and get them the help they need.

Family Response: Work with the resistance and offer support.

Avoid confrontation and try asking her view of the situation. Ask her if she has any concerns about her use and ask permission to share what you know, and then ask her opinion of the information. Accept that this process of change is a gradual one, and it may require several conversations before she feels safe discussing her real fears. This often leads to a reduced level of resistance and allows for a more open dialogue. Try to accept her independence and freedom to make her own choices, but make it clear that you would like to help her quit or reduce her use if she is willing.

Family Response: Let her know that it is possible to change and that you are willing to help her. You can give strong advice to change and still be empathetic to possible negative outcomes to changing. Guide her problem solving.

Family Response: Instill hope; explore barriers to change. What is really driving her usage, is there an underlying reason such as depression or anxiety.

Family Response: Decrease discussion. Listen rather than respond to the rationalization. Respond to her by empathizing and reframing her comments to address the conflict of wanting a healthy baby and not knowing whether “using” is really causing harm.

When your loved one is ready for a change, acknowledge her strengths, anticipate problems and pitfalls to changing, and assist the woman in generating her own plan for obtaining a drug-free lifestyle. Problem solve with her things that might get in the way of her success and how she can overcome those barriers. Work on plans for referral to treatment (i.e., help her make an appointment and offer to drive her there).

Once your loved one has quit using drugs or alcohol, acknowledge her success and how she is helping her infant and herself; have her share how she has succeeded and how she is coping with the challenges of not using. Offer to be available for assistance if she feels that she wants to use drugs/alcohol again. Provide assistance with treatment referrals and support in continuing that treatment: Discuss triggers and social pressures that may lead to relapse, and help the woman plan for them. Understand during this time that your support and that of others around her are essential to her remaining sober. Also remember that you cannot do it all and professionals are there to help.

Often, people who have reached a point of recovery from their drug use relapse or get high again. Please remember that addiction is a chronic relapsing disease. If this happens, remain supportive and guide the woman toward identifying what steps she used to quit before. Offer hope and encouragement, allow the woman to explore the negative side of quitting and what she can do to deal with those issues. (How did she deal with those issues in the past? Explore what worked and what didn’t work for her.) Offer to provide assistance in finding resources to help her return to abstinence. If relapse occurs, call the Tennessee REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789.