Improving Treatment for Drug-Exposed Infants
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 5

Quality Assurance Checklist

To ensure the quality of followup and aftercare services to the drug-exposed child, the hospital AOD abuse treatment program should provide the following services:

• Qualified staff and inservice education programs.
• Interdisciplinary staff that includes AOD treatment providers.
• Appropriate AOD treatment services for the mother as well as the father.
• Significant involvement of mother and child dyad; if the father is present, he should be involved.
• Child to staff ratio not exceeding 3:1 up to 3 years of age in the early intervention program.
• Transportation.
• Regular medical exams according to schedule.
• Up-to-date immunizations.
• Weekly monitoring visits during first 3 months, and monthly visits up to 18 months; visits should be conducted by the organization responsible for case management.
• Availability of visiting nurses.
• Regular reports to and from social services.
• Ongoing relationship with child protective services.
• Long-term retention of mothers in the program.
• Mechanism for peer review.

Refer to Appendix B for sample comprehensive programs for substance-using women and their infants.