Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services in Oak Ridge is pioneering a program for mothers who are battling addictions. MIST (Mothers and Infants Sober Together) is a program developed to help mothers who are struggling with drug and other addictions as well as babies with drug dependencies. This program was started seven years ago and is funded in part by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Michelle Jones, program director of MIST, has been working toward educating these mothers and other family members about the dangers of being addicted while pregnant.

“Children were being born drug exposed in this area…we started out in Anderson and Roane county but we have grown due to the specialized substance abuse treatment for this population,” Jones said.

Since their start in 2008, MIST has grown from two counties to five including Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane, and Scott. [Read more…]