Mass General Brigham changes reporting policy for drugs found in newborn babies

By Peyton Benbow

Photo courtesy of MGN

In light of Mass General Brigham’s ongoing promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, the large, integrated hospital group announced Tuesday they would no longer automatically report cases to the Department of Children and Family (DCF) services when babies are born with drugs in their systems.

The statement elucidates that new Black mothers are tested for substance use disorders at disproportionately higher rates than white mothers, pointing out past studies at their own hospitals. The statement also suggests that a mother with a substance use disorder does not alone warrant child abuse or neglect reports. For instance, pregnant women struggling with opioid abuse can take prescribed methadone or buprenorphine. 

Mass General Brigham group announced in the statement that, “pregnant people who have SUD should be encouraged to access support and care systems, and that barriers to access should be addressed, mitigated, and eliminated where possible”. The group hopes to achieve these efforts through the elimination of automatic DCF reports on babies born with substance exposure. 

The new policy, which will go into effect later this month, will require the written consent of new mothers for toxicology reports on themselves or their children. However, there are exceptions: when there is “reasonable cause” to suspect that the child is being abused or will be, and when the results of the report will change the medical treatment plan for the mother or child. 

Mass General Brigham group has obstetrics and gynecology wards at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and Salem Hospital. 

On a national scale, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey is hoping to pass a bill in Congress that would stop doctors and nurses from having to notify child welfare services when a pregnant mother is taking a drug they were prescribed. Connecticut and New Mexico have already passed similar state laws.