The Patient Pavilion at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in May 2025. Photo by James M. Patterson/Valley News This story by Clare Shanahan was first published in the Valley News on June 4, 2026. LEBANON, N.H. — Dartmouth Health recently announced plans to use $9 00,000 in federal funds to establish an inpatient substance use treatment program in the birthing pavilion at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. More babies born at DHMC have been exposed to substances in the womb than at any other hospital in New Hampshire, according to a news release from Dartmouth Health. The hospital will use the money to convert two private suites into rooms equipped specifically for safe withdrawal management and administration of treatment medications and to continue to train staff to treat substance use disorder. The exact design of the suite isn’t yet clear, but the “goal of the redesign is to create a space that feels welcoming and safe, rather than medical in nature,” Daisy Goodman, a nurse midwife at DHMC who specializes in caring for patients with substance use disorder, said in an email. Hospital staff plan to consult former patients, recovery support doulas and clinicians to design the space in a way that works for patients and providers, Goodman added. Another priority will be creating a space that is comfortable to avoid putting too much stress on patients, said Kate Olivia Stokes, a charge nurse and project manager in the birthing pavilion, in a Wednesday interview. Every year the type of drugs patients are most commonly using changes, making treatment and withdrawal increasingly complex, Stokes said. In 2026, almost all patients seen in the birthing pavilion with substance use disorder are using fentanyl often mixed with more dangerous contaminants, Stokes said. These can lead to a withdrawal process that is “much more uncomfortable and complicated medically” than drugs that were more common in the past like OxyContin or heroin. When patients are pregnant, withdrawal and treatment is even more complicated because there are two patients involved, Stokes said. DHMC has introduced programs and training over the years to help providers treat pregnant patients with substance use disorder. Past training for DHMC providers has focused on prioritizing substance use disorder as a chronic medical condition and treating patients with “compassion and empathy” to reduce stigma, Stokes said. The hospital has also increased its outreach efforts to help reach more patients in need and connect them with other resources such as housing or health insurance. She hopes further training will help equip providers and build up more “leadership infrastructure” for the program. The hospital is taking some inspiration from other hospitals such as Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, which has run a Substance Using Pregnant People Program, an inpatient treatment program for pregnant patients, for more than 30 years. The need for the program at DHMC is acute; in 2022, 12.5% of babies born at DHMC were exposed to substances including opioids, cannabis and other drugs in the womb, according to the news release. DHMC comes in third in terms of number of babies delivered at New Hampshire hospitals, but delivers the most babies with substance exposure. The reason is not clear to providers, but might have to do with complexity and DHMC’s large service area. “Untreated substance use, especially stimulants and opioids, is associated with pregnancy complications, including preterm birth, placental problems, and sometimes substance-related medical problems,” Goodman said. “These conditions might contribute to patients being referred to us for high-risk obstetric care.” While the design of the program isn’t finalized, Stokes said the “pathway” for a patient would likely be to come to the birthing pavilion to start on treatment medication and go through withdrawal to get initially stabilized and start recovery. An artist’s rendering of the proposed Families Flourish facility on Mount Support Road in Lebanon, N.H. Photo courtesy of Studio Nexus Architects + Planners After that, patients might transition to Families Flourish Northeast, a facility planned for Mount Support Road intended for pregnant and parenting women to get substance use treatment and have a stable place to stay near the hospital. They might also use outpatient services like individual and group therapy, medication and peer support offered through Dartmouth’s Moms in Recovery program. “All those pieces work together, because substance use conditions are a complex medical condition that requires a lot of support and treatment,” Stokes said. The nonprofit is “excited about Dartmouth Health resources and really looking forward to partnering with them,” FFNE board Chair Courtney Tanner said in a Thursday interview. “This is really establishing a solid continuum of care for this population.” The Families Flourish facility is on track for a summer 2027 opening, Tanner said. The three-story facility will have residential space for up to 12 mothers and their children. After securing approval from Lebanon’s Planning Board just over a year ago, the nonprofit has applied for a building permit to construct the facility and is awaiting city review, said Tiffany Adams, executive assistant for Lebanon’s Planning and Development Department. Read the story on VTDigger here: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center birthing pavilion to establish drug treatment program for patients. ...read more read less