Hushabye Nursery Receives $250,000 Grant From The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.

The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation granted $250,000 to Hushabye Nursery in support of its inpatient detox nursery and recovery center for infants experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Hushabye Nursery provides a therapeutic environment, short-term medical care and social services for infants suffering from NAS, along with outpatient services and resources for families experiencing opioid use disorder (OUD). NAS affects newborn babies who were exposed to opioids in the womb and requires a complex and painful detoxification process in the days following birth. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in the United States, a baby is born every 15 minutes with NAS resulting from prenatal opioid exposure.

“The team at Hushabye Nursery is providing a new level of compassionate care to substance-exposed infants,” said President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “The organization is giving these babies and their families hope, and the tools they need to move forward.”

Hushabye Nursery’s approach is distinctly different than the typical hospital neonatal intensive care unit.  Hushabye Nursery provides a comfortable, safe environment – with quiet, private rooms and dim lighting – for babies to be cared for as they go through detox. While hospitals treat NAS babies primarily with medication, Hushabye resorts to drugs only when necessary. Hushabye’s approach has lowered treatment time during this painful period to an average of only six days compared to an average of 16 to 21 days in traditional hospital neonatal ICUs.   

“Created by nurse practitioners, Hushabye Nursery is one of only three nationwide medical care models dedicated to treating infants experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome,” said Hushabye Nursery executive director and founder Tara Sundem. “Thanks to generous donors like Bob and Renee Parsons, we are able to support and comfort babies through the withdrawal process and offer moms and dads who are in recovery a nonjudgmental place to develop a long term plan for treatment and keeping their family safe.”

Hushabye Nursery takes a holistic approach to treating babies born with NAS and supporting their families by offering behavioral health and educational resources. In addition to the nursery, Hushabye offers wraparound services, including both prenatal and postnatal programs. Even after a baby is discharged, the organization helps coordinate long-term care such as pediatric support, counseling and OUD treatment, as well as recovery and prevention programs.

“The harsh reality is the infants being cared for by Hushabye Nursery are born addicted to opioids and suffering the excruciatingly painful process of withdrawal,” said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons. “The loving care Hushabye extends, along with social services and family support, sets a foundation for these children to have some chance for a better future.”

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated opioid use disorder and it is estimated that one in eight children ages 17 or younger resided in households with at least one parent who had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year. The prevalence of OUD within families underscores the need for Hushabye Nursery’s comprehensive approach to OUD prevention, one that treats the entire family, is community-based and culturally informed and addresses the traumatic experiences that may accompany substance use. This integration of healthcare and social services helps keep children safely with their families instead of being separated during recovery, mitigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences on families. To learn more about the organization or how to get involved, please visit the Hushabye Nursery website at www.hushabyenursery.org.