Project Link provides comprehensive services for pregnant women and mothers of young children who are working to overcome substance abuse and mental health problems.
project link “Pregnancy is a perfect time to make a positive change in your life.”
- Lynn Ryzewicz, Director of Women & Infants Project Link.
What is Project Link
Project Link is an outpatient treatment program that specializes in improving the health and well-being of pregnant women and women with young children who are impacted by substance abuse and mental health issues.
Project Link provides intensive and non-intensive outpatient treatment (group and individual), case management, parenting and self-care education, and on-site child care. In addition, the program collects and distributes donated items such as blankets, diapers and baby clothes.
Since the program’s beginning - in 1991 - Project Link has demonstrated its ability to significantly improve the health of infants born to women with substance abuse and mental health issues.
Services Offered Intensive Outpatient Services: Women come to Project Link 3 to 5 days a week for 3 hours a day which includes 1 hour of individual therapy and 1 hour of case management a week. Groups address issues such as early recovery, relapse prevention, parenting skills, smoking cessation, domestic violence and self-care.
Outpatient Services: One to two individual therapy sessions a week or one to two group sessions a week. Groups address issues such as early recovery, relapse prevention, parenting skills, smoking cessation, domestic violence and self-care.
Both programs include: Supervised urine screens, breathalyzers, psychiatric evaluations and medication management.
Project Link Recognition
Since its beginning in 1991 as a federal demonstration program, Project Link has received local and national recognition for its success.
The Rhode Island Department of Health featured Project Link as an innovative program that was examined for treatment efficacy in a Health Policy Brief published in April 1998.
The program received:
The National Perinatal Association’s 1998 Distinguished Program Award
The 1997 Wyeth-Ayerst HERA Silver Award for improving and protecting the health of women and children.
The 1997 Blue Ribbon Award from the New England Health Care Assembly as a Health Care Innovation of the Year.
In 2003 the program won an Ingenuity Grant from Reading is Fundamental and Coca Cola®.
Contact Us
Project Link 134 Thurbers Ave Suite 212 Providence, RI 02906
Phone 401-453-7618
Did You Know?
5.3% of pregnant women age 15-44 report they abused alcohol at least one time in the past month. (U.S. National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health, 2008)
5.1% of pregnant women age 15-44 report they abused drugs at least one time in the past month. (U.S. National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health, 2008)
Rhode Island has the highest percentage of illicit drug abuse in the past month: 12.5% compared to the national average of 8.2%. (SAMSHA, May 2009)
Rhode Island has the highest percentage of people who need treatment for illicit drug use and are not receiving it. (SAMSHA, May 2009)
