Northern ohio recovery association services program for residential treatment for pregnant and postpartum women (NORA-PPW-R)

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Northern Ohio Recovery Association $525,000 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.490).

Northern Ohio Recovery Association will operate the EmpowerHer Residential Treatment Program, a five-year initiative serving pregnant and postpartum women aged 18 to 45 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The program targets 60 women per year for a total of 300 women over the grant period, with secondary services to minor children, partners, and family members. Approximately 50 percent of participants will have less than a high school education, more than 60 percent will have co-occurring mental health disorders, and 70 percent will experience housing and food insecurity.

NORA will deploy a mobile crisis unit, mobile behavioral health unit, and two-person outreach team to engage women where they are, prioritizing pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders. Evidence-based interventions include screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT), motivational interviewing, medication-assisted treatment and medications for opioid use disorder (MAT/MOUD), and trauma-informed approaches. Peer recovery support services will provide ongoing support, in-home visits, and follow-ups for at least 90 days post-initial assessment. Measurable objectives include screening and assessing 300 unique individuals, achieving 70 percent treatment completion rates with 80 percent reporting significant substance use reduction, reducing mental health symptoms in 50 percent of program completers, and improving access to integrated care services.

Period of performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2031. Place of performance is Cleveland, Ohio.

Project name: enhancing empowerher residential treatment program for pregnant and post-partum women empowerher will target adult women aged 18 to 45 residing in cuyahoga county, ohio. With grant funds, NORA will serve 60 women per year for a total of 300 women over the grant's lifetime. NORA's project will also serve minor children, partners, and family members, fostering family-centered recovery. About 50 percent of the women to be served will have less than a high school education, more than 60 percent are expected to have CO-occurring mental health disorders, and 70% will be housing and food insecure. Strategies and interventions include levering mobile crisis unit, mobile behavioral health unit, and 2-person outreach team to meet women where they are and prioritize pregnant and postpartum women with suds. Evidence-based practices include iscreening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model, motivational interviewing, mat/moud, and trem to engage and retain women in treatment. Peer recovery support services will be used to provide ongoing support, in-home visits, and follow-UPS for at least 90 days post-initial assessment. Project goals include: (1) improve access to evidence-based treatment. (2) improve access to evidence-based treatment. (3) helping individuals achieve long-term sobriety. Measurable objectives include: (1) client engagement: screen and assess 300 unique individuals. (2) substance use reduction: 70% of women (210) enrolled at NORA will complete their treatment program, and 80% of those (168) will report a significant substance use reduction. (3) improved mental health: 50% of program completers (105) will report a decrease in mental health symptoms. (4) improved access to care: 70% of participants will report improved access to care .