Why our story is prompting a call for policy reform.

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Our investigation follows Jade Dass, who lost custody of her baby after an Arizona hospital reported her for having taken prescription addiction treatment medication while pregnant. Credit: Ash Ponders for Reveal

Hi Revealer,

In our recent investigation, A Mother’s Worst Nightmare ([link removed]) , senior reporter and producer Shoshana Walter and data reporter Melissa Lewis reveal a horrifying – but legal – system that robs mothers of their babies and makes it extremely difficult to regain custody.

Walter discovers a federal law that directs medical providers to report mothers to child welfare agencies when infants are born with medications in their system – even when those medications are legally prescribed to the mother to take during pregnancy. Using data gleaned from 100 public records requests, Walter and Lewis find thousands of women who were reported by hospitals for taking doctor-prescribed addiction treatment medications during their pregnancies, as well as some new mothers who took antidepressants and anxiety and ADHD meds. To regain custody, the mothers must navigate a complicated, time-consuming and expensive child welfare system that only exacerbates their anguish.

We released a version of the investigation in a recent Reveal episode ([link removed]) , as well as in The New York Times Magazine ([link removed]) .

The investigation is already creating an impact. We are hearing calls for policy reform from a wide audience, including members of Congress, researchers, attorneys, and staff from child welfare agencies and groups focused on maternal and infant health.

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey wrote to us: “We can’t call ourselves a great Nation if we don’t do everything in our power to keep children and families safe. No family should fear losing their child because they followed doctor-recommended treatment in recovery. I strongly support reauthorizing the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and continuing to improve the law so it works to protect children while keeping families together whenever possible.”

The shocking revelations and depth of this reporting were made possible by our community of supporters like you, who are committed to investigative journalism and recognize its role in creating change. Thank you for your support.

Missa Perron
Membership Manager
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