Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE)

Prenatal substance exposure (PSE) occurs when drugs and/or alcohol are consumed during pregnancy.  This exposure can cause significant harm to the developing brain, contributing to developmental delays and behavioral challenges.

Individuals with prenatal substance exposure frequently experience learning difficulties, developmental delays, mental health challenges, and a wide variety of disruptive behaviors. Parents, caregivers, and family members often experience isolation, anger, frustration, and uncertainty.

Prenatal substance exposure happens across every social, economic, and ethnic background. In many cases, the parent does not yet know they are pregnant when exposure occurs. Children in foster care are particularly vulnerable to prenatal substance exposure. 80% of children with FASD are removed from the care of their birth families in the U.S.

Hope RISING Clinic provides evaluation, diagnosis, evidence-based interventions, and family support for children with prenatal substance exposure up to age 13, all through a trauma-informed and neurobehavioral lens. We support the whole family through coaching, training, and mental health counseling. Learn more about our services and therapies here.

Stigma and shame are two of the biggest reasons that parents and caregivers don’t get the support they need for their children and themselves. Hope RISING Clinic’s compassionate team of providers supports families and meets them where they are. There is no room for shame or blame when it comes to serving children in need.

Funding for these programs is limited and presents a significant barrier to reaching families seeking support. We have a growing waitlist of children seeking care and are actively working to increase funding to get every child and family off the waitlist and into the services they need.