The stigma that women with substance use face can be so overwhelming as to prevent them from seeking prenatal care and developing trust in their healthcare providers. Novant Health has taken steps to change the culture of stigma around substance use by creating an Addiction Stigma Elimination Team (ASET).
ASET is comprised of Novant Health team members from all over the organization who have a personal connection to addiction on some level and/or are passionate about eliminating stigma. The goal of the team is to eliminate stigma towards individuals not only with addiction, but also mental illness and behavioral health. Projects are primarily focused on awareness-building and education among team members.
ASET published an Addiction Stigma Elimination learning module in January 2020 for all Novant staff to view. ASET is also working on developing a team member addiction peer support group.