North Carolina Funds Specialized Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women

UNC Horizons has received $1.18 million in fiscal year 2027 funding through Alliance Health to launch Project PRIMA, a two-year pilot for pregnant and postpartum women living with both substance use disorders and serious mental illness.

PRIMA stands for Pregnancy, Recovery, Integrated Mental Health and Addiction Treatment.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services approved the initiative in partnership with Alliance Health. The goal is to address a gap affecting women whose addiction, psychiatric, medical and parenting needs may be too complex for traditional residential treatment programs to manage together.

A Specialized Residential Setting

Project PRIMA will establish a dedicated six-bedroom residential behavioral-health facility designed to support pregnant women and mothers with infants up to 12 months old.

According to UNC Health, the program will combine psychiatric stabilization, addiction treatment, medication management, medical oversight, individual and group therapy, family engagement, parenting assistance and discharge planning.

The planned clinical team includes a psychiatric mental-health nurse practitioner, licensed behavioral-health counselor, certified peer-support specialist and registered nurses. Nursing and residential support coverage will be available 24 hours a day.

The residence is expected to contain clinical areas for nursing and medication management, shared living and dining areas, and a dedicated activity space for children.

The program is expected to serve approximately 12 to 18 women annually and accept referrals from all 100 North Carolina counties.

Why Integrated Care Is Important

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can create additional medical, psychiatric and family pressures for someone experiencing a substance use disorder.

A woman may need addiction treatment while also receiving psychiatric care, prenatal or postpartum medical support, medication management, trauma-informed counseling and help caring for her infant. When these services are separated, navigating treatment can become another barrier to recovery.

Project PRIMA is intended to bring these needs together within one coordinated residential setting.

The program may be especially relevant for women with histories of trauma or involvement in the justice system, who can face additional obstacles when seeking appropriate treatment.

Training Providers Across North Carolina

Project PRIMA also includes a statewide workforce-development component.

UNC Horizons plans to provide training opportunities to at least 100 professionals working in programs for pregnant and parenting women. Training topics are expected to include:

• Screening for perinatal substance use and serious mental illness
• Trauma-informed care
• Medications for opioid use disorder
• Referral coordination
• Ethical care for pregnant and postpartum women with complex behavioral-health needs

This part of the initiative could extend its impact beyond the residents directly served by the six-bedroom facility.

What Has Not Been Announced

The funding and pilot initiative are confirmed, but UNC Health’s announcement does not provide a public opening date, facility address or instructions for submitting a referral.

Families and professionals should not assume that the new residence is already admitting patients. Current availability, eligibility requirements and referral procedures should be confirmed directly with UNC Horizons.

The pilot’s scope and funding agreements will be issued annually. During the two-year initiative, the project team plans to evaluate psychiatric stability, access to medical and developmental services, and coordination of continuing care.

The results may help North Carolina determine whether this specialized treatment model should be continued or expanded.

What Families Should Know

Pregnant and postpartum women should not have to choose between receiving addiction treatment, addressing mental-health needs and remaining connected to their children.

Help is currently available through licensed treatment providers, obstetric professionals and programs offering medications for opioid use disorder. No one should stop or change a prescribed medication without speaking with the healthcare professional managing that treatment.

Project PRIMA is a newly funded pilot—not a guarantee of immediate placement or admission. Anyone seeking current UNC Horizons services should contact the program directly to confirm available care and eligibility.

You can also search licensed treatment facilities through Addiction Recovery Pro or call SAMHSA’s free, confidential National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). In a mental-health or suicidal crisis, call or text 988. If someone may be experiencing an overdose or another medical emergency, call 911.