Expanding family-centered residential substance use disorder treatment for pregnant and postpartum women in rural western montana

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded Aware Inc. $525,000 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.490) to establish and operate a residential treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder in rural western Montana.

Aware Inc., a CARF-accredited, Medicaid-enrolled Montana nonprofit, is creating a family-centered residential facility at 3335 LT Moss Road, Fort Missoula, Montana, where pregnant and postpartum women (aged 18–44) with substance use disorders and their minor children (birth–5) can receive treatment together. The program will serve as a regional hub for rural western Montana and the Flathead Reservation, addressing a gap in residential options that keep mothers and children together in a region where half of Montana's counties lack maternity care. The facility will serve 8 women in year one, increasing to 10 annually in the residential program (48 total over five years), and expand to 80 women across a community-based continuum in years 4 and 5, serving approximately 333 unduplicated women and their children over the five-year project period (September 30, 2026 through September 29, 2031). Treatment targets opioid, alcohol, methamphetamine, and polysubstance use disorders with co-occurring mental health and trauma symptoms. Measurable objectives include ensuring at least 60 percent of participants are drawn from rural or frontier counties or Flathead Reservation communities, achieving reduced or abstinent substance use for 60 percent of active women at six-month reassessment, and engaging 90 percent of pregnant enrollees in prenatal care.

Aware, INC. Is establishing a residential treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder who may live with their minor children at 3335 LT moss RD, fort missoula, MT. The facility will serve as the regional hub for rural western montana and the flathead reservation, where a lack of residential options that keep mothers and children together, combined with half of montana's counties being maternity care deserts, already drives women to missoula for care; aware is placing the program along this existing referral route. A 50-year-old, carf-accredited, medicaid-enrolled provider, aware operates the recovery center of missoula, a licensed asam 3.1 residential SUD program offering medication-assisted and CO-occurring care, alongside statewide early-childhood and family services. Population and numbers served: pregnant and postpartum women (aged 18-44) with SUD and CO-occurring disorders, and their minor children (birth-5). Aware will serve 8 women in the residential program in year 1, increasing to 10 per year (48 total), and 30 women the first year, increasing to 80 women in years 4 and 5 across the community-based continuum, approximately 333 unduplicated women over the five-year project, plus their children. Clinical characteristics: opioid, alcohol, methamphetamine, and polysubstance use disorders with high rates of CO-occurring mental health conditions and trauma. Measurable objectives: serve the unduplicated numbers above each year; ensure at least 60% of women served are drawn from rural/frontier counties or flathead reservation communities; achieve reduced or abstinent substance use for 60% of active women at six-month reassessment; engage 90% of pregnant enrollees in prenatal care within 30 days; link 75% of postpartum enrollees to postpartum care; and support custody retention or reunification for 90% of mothers. This experience gives aware a proven, family-centered residential model for implementing the new program efficiently, including moud/maud, trauma-informed care, children's services, recovery support, and case management, all aimed at increasing abstinence, reducing infant and maternal mortality, and preserving family units.