1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: We started fostering, and every baby that came into our 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: home was substance exposed. But we had no education on that. 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 2: So when you say baby, you were fostering infants, we were. 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 3: At fostering newborns. 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: It was twenty thirteen, it was when the opioid crisis 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: was beginning, and you're starting to hear. 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 3: A little bit of it on the news. 8 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: But as foster parents, we weren't trained on how to 9 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: take care of this baby. And so we went through 10 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: our training, got our license, and that very first day 11 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,319 Speaker 1: they called us and said, can you go pick up 12 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: a baby at a local hospital and brought home a 13 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: little three and a half pound baby who was withdrawing 14 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: from heroin and had to figure out what his needs 15 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: are and how to take care of him. 16 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 2: Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. 17 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 2: I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, 18 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 2: I'm an entrepreneur, and I'm a football coach in Inner 19 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: City Memphis. And that last part it oddly led to 20 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 2: Oscar for the film about one of our teams. That 21 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: movie's called Undefeated. I believe our country's problems are never 22 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 2: going to be solved by a bunch of fancy people 23 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 2: in nice suits using big words that nobody ever uses 24 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: on cin in in Fox, but rather by an army 25 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: of normal folks. That's us, just you and me deciding Hey, 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 2: maybe I can help. That's what Jill Kingston, the voice 27 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 2: you just heard is done. Jill is the founder of 28 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: Bridget's Path, which has served over three hundred families with 29 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 2: babies withdrawing from addictive substances in the wound, and they 30 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 2: help both the baby and their parents to heal. When 31 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: seventy percent of babies in this situation in her foster care, 32 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: Bridge's Path is so effective in helping the whole family 33 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: heal that eighty five percent of their babies leave them 34 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 2: in the care of their family of origin. Jill isn't 35 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: a medical professional or a nonprofit expert. She's just a 36 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: normal mom who will teach you that you don't have 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: to wait to feel qualified to solve a problem. I 38 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 2: can't wait for you to meet her. Right after these 39 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 2: brief messages from our general sponsors. Jill Kingston from Kettering, Ohio, 40 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 2: which is the Dayton area, So just flew down to 41 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: Memphis to visit with us. 42 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 3: How sorry, I'm good. 43 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: I hope your flight was good. 44 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: It was great, no problems, everybody. 45 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: Jill is the founder of Brigid's Path. I'm pronouncing that correctly, 46 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: and we're going to get right to it. Every year, 47 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: more than twenty five thousand babies are born exposed to 48 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 2: addictive substances. So before we go any further, just consider 49 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 2: that twenty five thousand babies a year. That's a little 50 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: more than two thousand a month. That's a little more 51 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: than five hundred a week, which means we're talking about 52 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: seventy or eighty souls a day are born in our 53 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 2: country already exposed to addictive substances. And before that baby 54 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 2: ever takes a breath, there's a mother wondering, what's going 55 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 2: to happen to my baby, Joe? What does that moment 56 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 2: look like for both the mom and the baby. 57 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: Sure, well, at the time the baby is prenaatedly, they're 58 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: probably nice and warm and cozy in their mommy's belly. 59 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: But the moms are struggling. There's a lot of shame 60 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: and guilt happening. They're lost in their addiction, or they're 61 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: on some sort of medication where baby has to withdraw from, 62 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: and they are very afraid that they're going to lose 63 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: their baby because of the substances they've taken during that pregnancy. 64 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: So there's not a lot of prenatal care, there's not 65 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: a lot of trust in the medical system. Children's Services 66 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: is waiting for them to deliver, and they're afraid they're 67 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: going to lose their baby. 68 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: When you say lose their baby, I think there's two 69 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 2: forms of lose that baby. Lose that baby to death 70 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 2: correct or lose that baby to the system. Yes, don't 71 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: those fears look different, They. 72 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 3: Would look different. 73 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: Many of our moms that we work with their goal. 74 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: They just want to be a mom. They want to 75 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: have a healthy life, they want to have a normal family. 76 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: But they have a lot of past trauma which led 77 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: to addiction, and a lot of generational trauma. So they 78 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: are they're struggling. 79 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: What I mean, we're right into it, right off the top. 80 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: I think of my four children, and I can't help 81 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 2: but think about my four children. Lisa and I had 82 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 2: four babies in four years, which makes us crazy. Yes, 83 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: it does, which means our children were like five, four, 84 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 2: three and two or today thirty twenty nine, twenty eight, 85 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 2: twenty seven, and I don't think, Lisa, I don't. She 86 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 2: was so careful during pregnancy to make sure she was 87 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 2: being the best steward of that little baby in her room. 88 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 2: And I know how much my wife would gladly give 89 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 2: an arm for any of her kids today as I would. 90 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 2: How is it that a mother could even get into 91 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 2: a position to hurt their fetus. 92 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: You got to go back to when that mom was 93 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: a child. A lot of the stems from the abuse 94 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: the neglect that she received as a child. She never 95 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: had a mom that raised her in a healthy way. 96 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 1: She never had the people around her, the community around 97 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: her that showed her that there's a different way to live. 98 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: And so a lot of the past trauma led them 99 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: to where they are today. And so when I didn't 100 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: know that when we started fostering, It wasn't until I 101 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: met the families and heard their stories and what they 102 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 1: went through in their life and the struggles they had. 103 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:29,919 Speaker 1: They don't want to be they don't want to have 104 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: the struggles they're having. But many times as a child 105 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: they were abused or trafficked. My parents may have been 106 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: the first ones to give them drugs that got them 107 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 1: started in their addiction, and it just continues as a 108 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: generational problem. 109 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 2: So I've read that after birth, when the exposure to 110 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 2: drugs of a fetus, when that exposure drug suddenly stops, 111 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 2: i e. They're born, so they're no longer connected to 112 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: the mom's system that has the exposure, that the nervous 113 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: system becomes kind of over stimulated and they go through NAEs, 114 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 2: which is natal abstinate syndrome, which is basically withdrawals. I 115 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: think it is. 116 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 3: It's withdrawal. 117 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: So my understanding is what that looks like. A baby 118 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 2: is usually irritable and difficult to console and crying, goes 119 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: through the same things you would notice and withdrawals of 120 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: an adult, tremors and shaking kind of take us through 121 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: what that looks like from the moment of birth for 122 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 2: the first few days of an infant's life. 123 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: Sure, so right away you might not see those withdrawal symptoms. 124 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 3: Or really you don't share that immediately. 125 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: You knows once that the body doesn't have that anymore. 126 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: It takes a little bit, So there's usually about a 127 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: five day window where they observe the reaction of the 128 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: baby and the symptoms of the baby. And depending on 129 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: what mom was prescribed or what mom took illegally, is 130 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: it is how the baby reacts, And you'll see things 131 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: like shake, the shaking, the. 132 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 3: Loud pitched cries. 133 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:31,559 Speaker 1: You'll see a lot of acid reflux, vomiting, diarrhea, just 134 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: just a really hard time, just like when an adult 135 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: would go through, like you said, with their withdrawals, and 136 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: it's it's not pretty, and it's it's it's not fun 137 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: for the baby at all. And mom already feels guilty 138 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: for exposing and then she sees her baby going through 139 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: this and so but she has no one there to 140 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: walk through that with her, to help. 141 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 3: She 'se a different path in her life. And so 142 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 3: that's where we come along. 143 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 2: I am a guy that struggles to balance my idealism 144 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 2: with my realism. Idealistically, I want everybody to be happy 145 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: in the world, and really, realistically it just doesn't happen. 146 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: But I got to tell you, when I first hear that, 147 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 2: my initial reaction is screw the mom. She did it 148 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: to a innocent, helpless child. I have a hard time, 149 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 2: real hard time having any feelings for the mom. I 150 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 2: think most people hearing this. Maybe I'm wrong, but I 151 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 2: think a lot of people hearing this also share that 152 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 2: same emotion is who cares about the mom? She did that? 153 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,199 Speaker 2: How is it that you care so much about the 154 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 2: mom as well as the baby when you know what 155 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 2: that mom's actions did to that infant, when you see 156 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 2: that infant going through all that pain, How is it 157 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 2: that you not look at that mom and say, what 158 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 2: the were you thinking? 159 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: The way I do it is I know that she 160 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: was one of these babies. This mom was one of 161 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: these babies. And if we don't help break that cycle, 162 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: then our babies are going to be having those babies 163 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: and it's just going to continue on down the road. 164 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: And so a lot of the choices our moms have 165 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: been placed in front of them have not been real choices. 166 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: They've been trying to survive. They've been trying to get 167 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: through the abuse and collect that they felt as a child, 168 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: and that's what led them to where they are now. 169 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,119 Speaker 2: It's got to be a hard bridge to travel. Sometimes 170 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 2: it is it is how how do you do that? 171 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 3: Well? 172 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: We really advocate, well, we work with the mom. We 173 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: work with the mom, and we learn about mom and 174 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: what she wants. She wants her baby to be healthy, 175 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: she wants to be a good mom, and so we 176 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 1: start setting goals with her so that she can move 177 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: forward being a parent, that she can break that cycle 178 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: of what she experienced as a child. And so we 179 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: try to walk along with her, and that's how it begins. 180 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: And we've been able to see the transformation that happens 181 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: in our mom's lives. 182 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 3: And then our babies. 183 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 2: So you have tools for these babies, still kind of 184 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: thinking about you know, what the moment looks like for 185 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 2: the mom and the baby, right, you have tools for 186 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 2: the baby. You have medicines for the baby. Kind of 187 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 2: explain that first twenty four to seventy two hours after 188 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 2: birth so people fully understand what's entailed in that first 189 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 2: initial I mean child that is really coming off substance abuse. 190 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: Right, So what you see in a delivery hospital, a 191 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: mom will show up to deliver and she may have 192 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: said that she's using, or she may not have or 193 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: not shared what baby's exposed to, or she may have. 194 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: So it just depends where she is or if she 195 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: has had children in the past, and they might know 196 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: that or they might not. So in that very beginning 197 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: time is they're you know, focusing on the healthy delivery 198 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: of the baby and then really just watching they use 199 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: something in Ohio called the Finnegan Score. People are also 200 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: now starting to use something called Eat Sleep Console, and 201 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: they watched for you know, the different symptoms of babies 202 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: having in those next few days, depending on the hospital system. 203 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 1: Our babies come from the Cincinnati hospital systems or the 204 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: Dayton Hospital delivery system, so it depends where they come 205 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: from and what medication they start them on in those 206 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: those hospitals, and then they transfer them over to Bridget's 207 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: path in a more homelike setting and a setting that's 208 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: really focused on the withdrawal of that baby and making 209 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: sure we're meeting their needs right away. 210 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 2: And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But 211 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 2: first you guys got to hear this. Okay, this is 212 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 2: real opportunity. Our six local service clubs are now badly 213 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 2: one another through April eighth to see which of them 214 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: can recruit the most members to their giving circle of 215 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 2: just ten dollars a month and up. And the winner 216 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 2: of this thing is going to get a twenty five 217 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: thousand dollars grant from Stand Together. If you live in Memphis, Oxford, Atlanta, Wichita, 218 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 2: Northern Duchess County, or Ozaki County, join your giving circle 219 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 2: today by visiting normalfolks dot us backslash service clubs normalfolks 220 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 2: dot us backslash Service clubs and just click on your 221 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 2: club and again, guys, the club that raise the most 222 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 2: money and gets most people and the most of the 223 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: giving circle stand together is going to grant that COB 224 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,199 Speaker 2: twenty five k to go do something good in your community. 225 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 2: I can't imagine why you guys wouldn't do that. It's 226 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: free stuff. We'll be right back. So if the hospital 227 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 2: recognizes this or knows it's coming either way, yep, like 228 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 2: you said, so they hadn't nick you, nick you right, 229 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 2: But that's really not tailored for the specific So the 230 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 2: hospital actually then reaches out to you and says, we 231 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 2: need your help with this child, and they transfer the 232 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 2: child to you. 233 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: It's normally somebody else advocating for the baby to come 234 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: over us. A lot of times the hospitals just tend 235 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: to keep the babies in the nick you. We have 236 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: to work with the families to advocate for to place 237 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: the babies with us and transfer the babies to us. 238 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 2: Why are you better than Nikkia. 239 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: We have built a setting that is quiet. It is focused, dark, quiet, 240 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: calming we can see when a baby comes over with 241 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: the Finagain score being around twelve or fifteen, when it 242 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: drops like it's a number, it's a score that the 243 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: Finagain scores the number that they're graded on, and if 244 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: it's higher, that means the hospitals normally give them more 245 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: medication to drop that number down. 246 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 2: We should say an addiction index. 247 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, it just follows symptoms and they get scored on 248 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: I see certain symptoms, so sneezing and if they're able 249 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: to trouble eating, if they have trouble sleeping, all of 250 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: those things, and they score them on it to the 251 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: hospital see higher scores. Because it's a busier paced environment. 252 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: A nurse usually gets two to three maybe four babies 253 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: on her case, and she has two triage. There's a 254 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: baby over here dying. She has to go take care 255 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 1: of that baby. While a baby that's with NAS will 256 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: have to be medicated so that they sleep or left 257 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: to cry, and it's just and once they get up 258 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 1: to upset, it's really hard to get them regulated and 259 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: down again. 260 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 2: I see. 261 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,479 Speaker 1: And so Bridget's path was built so that we could 262 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: have that regulation, so that we could have an environment 263 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: that calms the baby, that makes them relax, and it 264 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: helps mom relax, it helps the families that are involved 265 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: with the baby. Everybody's more relaxed in our atmosphere. And 266 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: so you see those scores drop within the same day 267 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: of a baby coming to the. 268 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 3: Bridget Wow, yeah, it's all right. 269 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: So someone advocates for this child and then then the 270 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 2: hospital transfers them to you guys. 271 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 4: Who typically would be the advocate. 272 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 1: We work closely with Children's services, So depending on the 273 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: Children's services person that we're working with, if they support 274 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: a mom getting healthy and staying with baby, that's one 275 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: can self refer. So if she has a friend that's 276 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: been through our program that she can self refer. 277 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 3: We've had family members do referrals. 278 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,199 Speaker 2: What about neonatal nurses that know the babies would be 279 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 2: better with you? Do you get any of those? 280 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 1: We do have nurses inside the hospital systems who will 281 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: talk to the moms about referrals. 282 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 2: That's cool. 283 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, So if. 284 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 2: Your job is to care most about the mom and 285 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: the baby, not the hospital's bottom line, you know, you 286 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 2: would hope that they would speak up and say, you know. 287 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: Now that our goal would be that every baby in 288 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: the Dayton area or Cincinnati area would get referred at 289 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: least a referral to us. 290 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,959 Speaker 2: You said something that I think it's important for all 291 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 2: of our listeners to understand, which it took me a 292 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 2: while for to get through this thick, stupid skull of 293 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 2: mom illustrate verbally the environment in a NICU ward. 294 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: Yes, so depending on what hospital system they come from, 295 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 1: that there's more be being loud noises, there's more of 296 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 1: a schedule where the nurse has thirty minutes to work 297 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 1: with this baby and then they'll be back to check 298 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 1: on it in three hours. Lots of bright lights, lots 299 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: of bright lights. There's just a lot of activity. And 300 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: whereas at Bridges Path we're able to really focus on 301 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,880 Speaker 1: what that baby schedule is, and it's the schedules demanded 302 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: by the baby, and it's if a baby needs a 303 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,199 Speaker 1: quiet room they can go into. They the each have 304 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: their own private room. They can go into the room, 305 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 1: shut the door, keep it quiet, soft music, and have 306 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: a really calming environment. And then when they're ready to 307 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:34,640 Speaker 1: be social, they can start being introduced to the rest 308 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: of the babies around and the mom's and that sort 309 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: of thing. So it's just a whole different environment. 310 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 2: The way I've related it in my own world. Is 311 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,439 Speaker 2: you know, if I'm sick and have the flu and 312 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 2: fever and my head's ringing and banging, the last place 313 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 2: I want to be somewhere with bright lights and beeping 314 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 2: noises and activity all around me. I want to go 315 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 2: in my bed, shut the door, pull the blods down, 316 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 2: and have a dark room and have some quiet and 317 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 2: just calm. Yes, And really that's the difference in nick 318 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: you in your place as it pertains to just the environment. Yes, 319 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 2: and it's only natural that that's what a human viewed 320 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 2: would want. It doesn't matter if you're three days old 321 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 2: or thirty years old. 322 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 3: It's all the same, right it is. 323 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's I found that very interesting when I started 324 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 2: to understand that's kind of the first step. 325 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: It's just quiet, right, and just that therapeutic candling, just 326 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: being rocked and held and your needs being answered right 327 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,679 Speaker 1: away instead of getting upset, getting really really upset, and 328 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: then it's really hard to bring them back down. 329 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 2: Okay, so that's the baby. What about the mom. 330 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: Mom depends on her situation. We have moms who are 331 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: well into recovery, in are on medication that they're for 332 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: their recovery that baby has to go through withdrawal. Those 333 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: are moms that usually choose to come to Bridget's path 334 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 1: because they just need that extra support. They want their 335 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: baby to be in that sort of environment, and so 336 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: they actually have a short length of stay, but they're 337 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: there just for that therapeutic candling and help their baby 338 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: get through it. And our goal really is a lot 339 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 1: of our moms that are well into recoveries to have 340 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,439 Speaker 1: no medications given to their baby after they're born and 341 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: just through that therapeutic candling they heal that way. And 342 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: so if we can get babies there within one day 343 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 1: to two days old, we're able to keep them off 344 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: of medication to go through that withdrawal side. 345 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 2: Which is phenomenal because the hospital is the exact opposite. 346 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 2: Their goal is to just get the baby to rest, 347 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 2: and so they're going to medicate, They're going to do 348 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 2: what hospitals do. 349 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know, we need our nick u's are all. 350 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 2: But this is a specific thing, a specific situation for 351 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 2: an infant that really is a little different than anything 352 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 2: and nick you really is designed to be able. 353 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's just not designed for this. 354 00:20:54,359 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 2: So before we dive deeper into the extraordinary, work bridges path. 355 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 2: How long you've been doing it, Yeah, and what you've 356 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 2: managed to get done even in the policy space, which 357 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 2: I found fascinating. Your story really begins with your husband 358 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 2: being a child in the foster care system. Wan't you 359 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 2: talk about that a little bit because I think it 360 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 2: speaks to your inspiration. 361 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, my husband and I we were married twenty six 362 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: years ago. I don't even know how twenty six years ago, 363 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: but he was adopted through the foster care system and 364 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 1: raised a happy, healthy family and had a really good life, 365 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 1: and so we had three children biologically and decided that 366 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: we wanted to start fostering. 367 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, besides working with addicted babies after having three 368 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 2: children like Lisa and I did, I can't. You're nuts, 369 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 2: That's all I'm saying. You're crazy. You and your husband are. 370 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 2: Absolutely She would agree with you to get bad. So 371 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 2: you had three healthy kids as your husband grew up 372 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 2: at adopt of foster care, and then you decided, hey, 373 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 2: there's not enough chaos in our life. 374 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. 375 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 1: Well, it's funny because my husband said he's an only child, 376 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: so he always said I he always wanted one child 377 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: as well, and I said, I always wanted five, and 378 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: he says, Okay, we compromise, so we have five. 379 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 3: Now that's that's closed to w Yeah. Yeah, but yeah. 380 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: So we started fostering, and every baby that came into 381 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: our home was substance exposed. 382 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 3: But we had no education on that. 383 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 2: So when you say baby, you were fostering infants. 384 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 3: We were fostering newborns, and. 385 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 2: They every single one of them. 386 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: Yes, And that's when I knew there's something going on. 387 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: And then I had met other foster parents and they 388 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: were getting a lot, you know, a lot more infants 389 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:46,919 Speaker 1: with exposure. 390 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 3: Because you didn't hear about it in the news. 391 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 1: It was when the opioid it was twenty thirteen, it 392 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 1: was when the opioid crisis was beginning, and you're starting 393 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: to hear a little. 394 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 3: Bit of it on the news. 395 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: But as foster parents, we weren't trained on how to 396 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: take care of this baby. And so we went through 397 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: our training and got our license, and that very first 398 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: day they called us and said can you go pick 399 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: up a baby at a local hospital and brought home 400 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: a little three and a half pound baby who was 401 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: withdrawing from heroin and had to figure out what his 402 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: needs are and how to take care of him. 403 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 2: It was your heart broken. 404 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: I was still learning, so I don't I wasn't heartbroken 405 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: by any means. I thought, you know, I raim. 406 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 2: A half pound heroin addicted infant, did not break your 407 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 2: heart at. 408 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: All, because I guess I have that I wanted to help, 409 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: and so my heart wasn't broken. I just had the 410 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 1: compassion of wanting to help and having that. 411 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 2: First daylight that child had to been screaming all the 412 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 2: things you described at the beginning. 413 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 1: You must have experienced, yes, And so I was like, oh, 414 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: I had three of my own children, and no problem. 415 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: I can't take care of this baby. And so I'm 416 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: feeding him this tea little bottle because he was such 417 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: a pre meat and he ate it right up, and 418 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: I thought he's gonna do great. I'm going to make 419 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: him better, and all of a sudden, he just started vomiting. 420 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: And then aspirate had stopped breathing in my hands, and I, 421 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: you know, had to get him breathing again, and he's 422 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 1: he was fine, but it was very scary moment. And 423 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: that's when I knew we have a much different baby 424 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: than I typically have cared for my whole life. So 425 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: I had to start figuring out what are those special 426 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: therapeutic things that babies need to get through this, And 427 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: then within two weeks they asked us to take home 428 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 1: another little guy who was also withdrawing from heroin, and 429 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: so I had two that we were taking care of 430 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: in our home. It was like having twins that were withdrawing. 431 00:24:49,440 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. Do you have a cape? I know, 432 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 2: that's I just I can't. Honestly, I would expect most 433 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 2: people would go through that first experience and say, Okay, 434 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 2: when this baby goes wherever it's supposed to go after 435 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 2: we're finished foster. With myself through this again, I. 436 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 1: Started researching deeper and felt a bigger calling to do 437 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 1: something because by that time I had spent time in 438 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: the hospital and watched the stress of the nurses and 439 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: watched the stress in the hospital the baby experience. Then 440 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: I started doing visitations with the families and watched caseworkers 441 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 1: being stressed because they had too many cases to take 442 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 1: care of all these families in the foster care system, 443 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,880 Speaker 1: and then meeting the moms and the dads. In my case, 444 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: both of them had moms and dads that I worked 445 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: with and watched these people that wanted to wanted to 446 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: be good parents and just didn't know how and didn't 447 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:57,159 Speaker 1: know how to get through the through their addiction, and 448 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: I just felt a bigger calling to do some thing 449 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: to help. 450 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, my gosh, so many questions. But that initial meeting 451 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 2: with your two heron addicted infants that you fostered, did 452 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 2: you meet their parents? 453 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:21,880 Speaker 3: Yeah? 454 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 1: I was very big on meeting the parents and letting 455 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 1: them know where their baby was going. Because I had children, 456 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,919 Speaker 1: I can't imagine them just going to someone and not 457 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,239 Speaker 1: knowing where they're going. So I was very open with 458 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: my family. Has given my phone number so that we 459 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: could communicate that sort of thing. 460 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 2: And you're telling me not once in that initial thing 461 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 2: before you actually met the parents understood them. You didn't 462 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 2: have the reaction of what the O were these people 463 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 2: doing not thinking about this poor child. 464 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: The one thing that was very scary when I took 465 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: the first baby home is that they gave us the 466 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: parent's name, and I could look up their backgrounds and 467 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,440 Speaker 1: I could see all of their criminal records. And they 468 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: said I was sitting in the room feeding their baby 469 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: at the hospital, and I could hear on the little 470 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: nurses call that the parents had shown up and they're like, Okay, 471 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: we got to get the foster family out of here, 472 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: and so they took us out of a back door, 473 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: like out of the hospital, so that we didn't cross 474 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,360 Speaker 1: paths with the family. So I was scared to death 475 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: of this family. I'm like, what you know, I knew 476 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: criminal records, I knew what was going on that way, 477 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: and I so, yeah, I was scared. And then I 478 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 1: got to meet them at the first visitation, and they 479 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: were not scary people. They were lost in their addiction, 480 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 1: but they were not scary people. 481 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 2: They were lost and broken. 482 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 1: They were broken and well I fell in love with them, 483 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: and I knew that they loved their baby. 484 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:56,479 Speaker 2: This feels like we're all reversal. I get often asked 485 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 2: if I was ever afraid coaching in some of the 486 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 2: places I coached and interceded. Yes, And the truth is, 487 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 2: I'd never have been, because once you get to know 488 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,880 Speaker 2: the people, you understand their circumstances around them are often horrific. Yep, 489 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 2: but they're still just people and they want the same 490 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:13,680 Speaker 2: things everybody else wants. 491 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: And that's what you're saying here, that's a great analogy, 492 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: and that's what I experienced. 493 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 2: It's true, and I think for most until you actually 494 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 2: get off your ass and get involved and engage with 495 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 2: folks like this, you can't fully understand it. But once 496 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 2: you do, your world's opened up a little. 497 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 3: Bit, and once you see it, you don't unsee it. 498 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 2: That's also true. 499 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 3: You can't forget. 500 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: You can't forget that experience, and you want to give 501 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: back and you want to do more. 502 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 2: So tell me about I'm just curious how those two 503 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 2: first foster Heroin addicted children. How that cycled. 504 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:01,719 Speaker 1: Sure, so I'll first start saying, Babe, aren't addicted. They're 505 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: they're exposed or they're dependent. 506 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, I. 507 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 3: Remember. 508 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 2: I'm so glad you said that they're not. 509 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 1: Addicted, because yeah, yeah, because the addiction is what the 510 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: families have because of you know, there's a they go 511 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: after the drug of their choice, whereas a baby doesn't 512 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: no choice. 513 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 3: They have no choice, and they're just exposed. 514 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: It's okay, It's just one of the things, you know, 515 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 1: we try to explain. But with when I had those 516 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: those two little boys in my home is when I 517 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: really started researching and trying to find who's doing anything 518 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: anywhere with babies, and I found Lily's Place in West 519 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:51,959 Speaker 1: Virginia opening the first newborn recovery center, and so I 520 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: went down there, it's only three hours from my house, 521 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 1: and loved what they were doing. 522 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 3: And that's when I knew God was calling me to 523 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 3: go and do this. 524 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 2: In Dedon, what happened to those kids? 525 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: Oh, where are they now? They're with their grandmothers. Oh, 526 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: actually one's with his father and the other recovered us soon. Yes, 527 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: he's in recovery. Well, in recovery well, yep, he's doing well. 528 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: He lived the next town over. 529 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 3: And then. 530 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: I've had five total kids that we fostered, all newborns. 531 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: So one went with dad, one went with grandma, the 532 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 1: other went with grandma, and then. 533 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 3: Two are with us. We adopted to our youngest two. 534 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 2: How old are they now? 535 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 3: Nine and eleven? 536 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 2: What are their names? 537 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 3: Mary? And Noah and Noah. 538 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, she's also got like a twenty three year old. 539 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 1: I have a twenty three year old, an twenty one 540 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: year old and a nineteen year old and then then eleven. 541 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 3: So I have three in college to in elementary. 542 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, you are insane. I think I've said that once 543 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 2: or twice, but I may say it again for it's over. 544 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, but I hope to be one day. 545 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 2: Okay, So you have this personal experience, Yes, you go 546 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 2: down to West Virginia and you say, oh, this is 547 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 2: how you care for these kids. And of course you 548 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 2: kind of had to figure out on the fly. The 549 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 2: other thing I heard you said it was interesting. You 550 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 2: must have had other friends or other co foster parents 551 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 2: out there dealing with the same things. Yes, probably looking 552 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 2: for the same answers or having the same questions. 553 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 3: Yes, all right. 554 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 2: And so then you have this idea to build a 555 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 2: newborn recovery center for babies exposed to drugs in the womb. 556 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 2: That sounds great, but that sounds like a massive undertaking. 557 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 2: And you know, given that the more patients they serve, 558 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 2: the more money they make. I struggled with the pragmatic 559 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 2: version of why would the hospitals ever give their babies 560 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 2: up to you? Because they're actually given up revenue. And 561 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 2: I know when we're talking about exposed to children and 562 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 2: addicted parents, I said it right that time. There's a 563 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 2: pragmatic version of this is that there's money to be 564 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 2: made for a hospital when they have profits or necessary 565 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 2: measure of any organization's success. So why would hospitals even 566 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 2: willingly give up this revenue stream. 567 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: To you, hopefully for the goal of having a healthier family, 568 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: having that baby go to a healthy family. We are 569 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 1: able babies can stay at bridges Path up to ninety days, 570 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: so it really gives us that again, they can stay 571 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: up to ninety days at bridges Path, So do they 572 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: need ninety days? Not necessarily for the medical side, but 573 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: do they for the social side, for the stability side, 574 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: to keep them out of the foster care system. The 575 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: negative outcomes from the foster care system is huge. Many 576 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: of our families have been foster kids their parents, and 577 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: so keeping them out of that system and stabilize in 578 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: the family, they have much a huge ripple effect on 579 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: their lives and the community. We have moms now that 580 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: are how can I help other moms have been in 581 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: my situation? 582 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 3: How can I give back? 583 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: And they go out and speak on our behalf and 584 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: they help other mothers, and it's beautiful. We're creating the 585 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: community of support around these families. 586 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 2: That ninety day thing led to another question for me, 587 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 2: which is so typical. I am curious from birth until all. Right, 588 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 2: if they're exposed but not addicted, they're still suffering withdrawals 589 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 2: as if they were addicted. So how long does it 590 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 2: typically take from birth until that infant is I don't 591 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 2: even know if clean is the right word, but cleansed 592 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 2: of the exposure to the addiction. 593 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 3: So I don't know that's right. Well, I don't know 594 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:02,120 Speaker 3: how I would say that. 595 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 2: Do you know what I'm saying? How long do the 596 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 2: babies like over it? 597 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 3: It depends, It depends. 598 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 1: I mean some children will have lifetime effects from the exposure. 599 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: Some you would not even know that there was any 600 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 1: exposure at all, So it just depends on that baby. 601 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:24,240 Speaker 1: But the medical side is usually at first thirty days 602 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:27,760 Speaker 1: is when you see the hard withdrawal side side. 603 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 2: So you do need thirty days probably typically. 604 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:32,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, typically. 605 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 2: They didn't think about something, just said that absolutely just 606 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 2: hit me right in the gut. Some of these children 607 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:44,600 Speaker 2: will deal with this forever, yes, And what does that 608 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,320 Speaker 2: manifest itself. 609 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 3: In different ways? 610 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:50,560 Speaker 1: ADHD is a huge one that we see, but there's 611 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: also a lot of eye problems that babies that are 612 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: exposed depending on what substances their parents took. Eye problems 613 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 1: seem to be a lot just behavioral problems they can 614 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 1: have in the long run. So the earlier that you 615 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 1: can intervene and get them regulated and get them in 616 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: a stable home, the less things that you see. But 617 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: just the same with like alcohol vito alcohol syndrome, that 618 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,280 Speaker 1: sort of thing, you can see the longer term effects 619 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,440 Speaker 1: from that. And there's not a lot of research around 620 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 1: this because it is more new. Really, there's a group 621 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,840 Speaker 1: called Generation O and they're really they're really getting into 622 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 1: understanding the longer term effects for children born exposed. 623 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 2: Our guest parents have to live with the guilt of 624 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 2: that forever then. Yeah, I mean, in some ways, even 625 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 2: if a parent cleans up, if their child has long 626 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 2: long term effects, they're staring at the results of their 627 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 2: addiction for the rest of their lives. 628 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: And many of that is because of you know, they're 629 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:58,839 Speaker 1: still dealing with all the trauma they dealt with as 630 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 1: a child. It goes right back to that. So if 631 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 1: we can keep kids healthy and trauma free growing up, 632 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,880 Speaker 1: we won't see the long term effects in the same way. Now, 633 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,760 Speaker 1: if they're put back into a home that's continuing that trauma, 634 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: then you're going to see longer term effects. 635 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 2: That's I mean, until talking to you right now, I 636 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:27,320 Speaker 2: hadn't really thought about that, but that might make getting 637 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 2: over addiction even more difficult because you're still dealing with 638 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 2: some of the same traumatic effects that you always have. 639 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 3: And I guess you see that, Yes, we absolutely see that. 640 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 4: With the ninety days, I think what you might be saying, 641 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 4: but could be helpful for us to make clear with 642 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 4: the Department of Children Family Services? Does that just like 643 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 4: hold that whole process, So if they're with you for 644 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:53,800 Speaker 4: those ninety days, they're not taking away custody, they're giving 645 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:55,960 Speaker 4: the moms. I mean, I'm guessing you have such a 646 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 4: strong partnership with them that it's basically a hold on 647 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 4: that whole process and see if the I'm gonna get 648 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 4: clean over those ninety days. 649 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:03,320 Speaker 3: Yes, that was our goals. 650 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: I did not want to take custody of a child 651 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: from their mom because they often lose the motivation to 652 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 1: stay healthy if they lose custody of that child. So 653 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 1: parents retain custody while the baby's at Bridget's Path and 654 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:24,839 Speaker 1: can room in with baby right in their room. 655 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 2: And that concludes part one of our conversation with Joe Kingston. 656 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,840 Speaker 2: You don't want to miss part two. It's now available 657 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 2: to listen to together. Guys, We can change this country, but 658 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 2: it starts with you. I'll see in Part two