(1) The center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies established in section 27-80-118, referred to in this section as the "center", in partnership with an institution of higher education and the state substance abuse trend and response task force established in section 18-18.5-103, may conduct a statewide perinatal substance use data linkage project that uses ongoing collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health actions to improve outcomes for families impacted by substance use during pregnancy. The data linkage project may consider state-administered data sources that include:
Health care utilization by pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders and their infants;
Human service and public health program utilization by pregnant and postpartumwomen with substance use disorders and their infants;
Health care, human service, and public health program outcomes among pregnantand postpartum women with substance use disorders and their infants; and
Costs associated with health care, human service, and public health program provisions for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders and their infants.
(2) The data linkage project shall use vital records to establish maternal and infant dyads beginning at the birth hospitalization and retrospectively link the prenatal period and prospectively link the first year postpartum.
(2.5) The statewide perinatal substance use data linkage project may conduct ongoing research related to the incidence of perinatal substance exposure or related infant and family health and human service outcomes based on the standards specified in sections 19-1-103 (1)(a)(VII) and 19-3-102 (1)(g) for determining child abuse or neglect or whether a child is neglected or dependent.
The governor's office of information technology will obtain data and perform securelinkage and anonymization on behalf of the state.
On or before January 1, 2021, the center shall report progress on the data linkageproject and the results, if available, to the health and insurance committee and the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives and the health and human services committee of the senate or their successor committees.
Source: L. 2019: Entire section added, (SB 19-228), ch. 276, p. 2606, § 12, effective May 23. L. 2020: (2.5) added, (SB 20-028), ch. 186, p. 854, § 7, effective June 30.