The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island (VIP-RI) is a new statewide model of coordinated care and support for drug-exposed infants, women and their families. The program officially began service to patients in May 2001.

The purpose of this program is to facilitate the ability of the Rhode Island Family Court to comply with the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997; Public Law 105-89 regarding the placement of drug exposed newborn infants in the State of Rhode Island.

The objectives of the program are to:

• provide alternatives to keeping drug-exposed babies in the hospital for extended periods of time
• train, educate, and collaborate with community and state agencies as well as the judiciary
• to determine the efficacy of this program for these babies and their families and benefit to the community.

These objectives will be achieved through 3 interventions:

• develop an infrastructure to work closely Rhode Island Family Court to facilitate compliance with ASFA that also includes linkages with other state and community agencies
• provide an education program for the Court in relevant substance abuse issues to help the Court make more informed decisions regarding the placement of drug exposed infants and
• provide additional services to help the Court carry out AFSA guidelines.

VIP-RI is designed to improve the community's ability to manage cases of drug-exposed children at risk for compromised development and to provide the earliest and best intervention for vulnerable infants. To do this, we have established collaborations with local community programs for drug-using women and their infants and family, foster parent agencies, the Judiciary, and state agencies, including the Office of the Governor and the Governor's Children's Cabinet (which includes Child Protective Services, Early Intervention and Education.)

The expected outcomes of VIP-RI include the following:

• decreased length of hospital stay and reduced cost: reduced out of home placements
• increased utilization of community and state resources, including home-based services
• increased services to facilitate the parent-child relationship
• increased knowledge about child substance exposure and parent substance abuse issues by community and state agencies, including the Family Court and current or prospective foster parents.

VIP-RI has a development component for babies who “board” at hospitals while awaiting placement.