A major Massachusetts hospital group will no longer automatically file child abuse or neglect reports for babies who are born with illegal drugs in their systems.
Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest hospital network, announced Tuesday that babies born with “substance exposure” will no longer be immediately reported to state welfare agencies unless there are other concerns that the baby is being abused or neglected.
“‘Substance exposure’ alone, including treatment with methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, does not require a report of abuse or neglect in the absence of protective concerns for the infant,” Mass General Brigham said in a Tuesday release.
An abuse or neglect report to the state should only be filed if there is “reasonable cause to believe that the infant is suffering or at imminent risk of suffering physical or emotional injury” under…
