HM 3 — PRENATAL SUBSTANCE EXPOSURE TASK FORCE

HOUSE MEMORIAL 3 56TH LEGISLATURE- STATE OF NEWMEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2024 INTRODUCED BY Stefani Lord and Jenifer Jones and Tara Jaramillo 6 8 10 A MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE PREVALENCE, EFFECTS AND LIFETIME FISCAL IMPACTS OF PRENATAL SUBSTANCE EXPOSURE AND ADVERSE NEONATAL OUTCOMES;

e8 t 17 WHEREAS, more than one thousand two hundred children are w l n d 18 born in New Mexico each year, with nearly one in ten live = = 19 a l births being substance-exposed, one of the highest substance i a e r 20 exposure rates in the country;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, the number of New Mexico newborns exposed to d r e 22 addictive substances in utero increased three hundred twenty- c e s k 23 four percent between 2008 and 2017, and infants born exposed to e a n b 24 addictive substances may struggle with health, learning and u [ social challenges throughout their lives;

and .226525.2 WHEREAS, New Mexico is currently experiencing a crisis in the rise of fentanyl use and fentanyl pediatric exposure and record numbers of overdoses;

low birth weight, premature birth, vision and hearing loss, fine and gross motor development delays, sensory processing disorders, cognitive issues related to executive functioning, gastrointestinal HM 3 Page 1 tract and reflux issues and impaired pain sensation;

and WHEREAS, since 2018, the United States children's bureau has collected information on the number of substance-exposed e t 17 infants and service referrals made;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, in 2019, New Mexico instituted the federal = = 19 a l Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 plan of safe i a e r 20 care program to keep mothers and babies together with a t m m 21 supportive services;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, according to the children, youth and families c e s k 23 department, from 2020 to 2021, nine infants with a plan of safe e a n b 24 care or notification died within their first year, and many of u [ those cases were also reported for child abuse;

and .226525.2 - 2 - WHEREAS, early identification and intervention reduce adverse outcomes of prenatal substance use, but stigma, shame and fear of legal ramifications deter women from seeking prenatal care;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the secretary HM 3 Page 2 of health be requested to convene a task force to make recommendations and to study the effects of prenatal drug exposure on birth outcomes for children in New Mexico;

study the efficacy and outcomes of the state's 2019 adoption of the federal Comprehensive Addiction and e t 17 Recovery Act of 2016 plan of safe care and ongoing w l n d 18 implementation;

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review rates of the use of prenatal services and i a e r 20 support by mothers who used drugs during pregnancy before the a t m m 21 passage of the 2019 adoption of the federal Comprehensive d r e 22 Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 plan of safe care and since c e s k 23 its implementation;

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conduct a longitudinal study on rates of u [ substance-exposed newborns in New Mexico over the last twenty .226525.2 - 3 - years;

study and develop recommendations for the HM 3 Page 3 prevention, identification and treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome;

conduct a review of ways that other states e t 17 implement plans of safe care;

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conduct a review of states in which prenatal = = 19 a l substance exposure constitutes a substantiated child abuse i a e r 20 claim and subsequent intervention;

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explore the provision of preventive services d r e 22 through community health workers;

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conduct a comprehensive nationwide best practice e a n b 24 review on evidence-based plans to reduce prenatal substance u [ exposure;

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study and provide recommendations on the HM 3 Page 4 feasibility of statewide prenatal substance screening;

study what follow-up services are available to e t 17 families in other states once a newborn who was exposed to w l n d 18 prenatal substance abuse has been discharged from the hospital;

= = 19 a l and i a e r 20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to a t m m 21 develop a data-driven implementation plan, focusing on d r e 22 preventing prenatal opioid exposure, providing evidence-based c e s k 23 treatment for both mothers and infants, increasing the e a n b 24 accessibility of services for pregnant and parenting women with u [ substance use disorder, supporting continuing education for .226525.2 - 5 - health care providers and determining effective family and developmental support services for children who have experienced prenatal substance exposure;

a representative of the 2021 New Mexico HM 3 Page 5 department of health evaluation team of the 2021 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016;

representation from the children, youth and families department, the department of health, the health care e t 17 authority department and the early childhood education and care w l n d 18 department;

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a first responder with emergency medical i a e r 20 services experience;

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experts with experience in medicaid managed care d r e 22 organizations;

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an expert with experience in hospital e a n b 24 management;

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and e t 17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that those findings and w l n d 18 recommendations of the task force be presented to the = = 19 a l legislative health and human services committee by August 1, i a e r 20 2025;

and a t m m 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be d r e 22 transmitted to the governor, the attorney general, the chair of c e s k 23 the legislative health and human services committee, the e a n b 24 director of the legislative finance committee, the appropriate u [ cabinet secretaries and the director of the children's cabinet.