Born to Drugs

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Nearly 5,000 babies have been born affected by drugs in Maine in the past five years. These innocent victims are caught in a crisis that is marked by suffering and strained hospitals and state resources. This series of often gut-wrenching stories examines the challenges within this sad reality.

Jay Patrick "J.P." wakes up from his nap in Monmouth, ME on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. Lisa Hasch adopted J.P. and his older brother Devon, and J.P. was an NAS baby who arrived at 4 weeks with withdrawal symptoms that included tremors, rashes, vomiting and constant screaming. J.P. got a feeding tub in July 2017 which improved his quality of life.

Piercing cries and a state of crisis

by Barbara A. Walsh | November 29, 2018

Nearly three drug-affected babies were born each day in Maine from 2013-2017, severely taxing hospitals, the foster care system and other resources.

Latest Articles

Maine ranks 9th in number of children impacted by opioid crisis

by Barbara A. Walsh | Nov 13, 2019

Maine will need an estimated $2 billion by 2030 to treat and care for opioid-affected children.

Focusing on Maine’s most innocent victims

by Barbara A. Walsh | Jun 20, 2019

Figuring out how to stop babies from being born affected by opioids is one of many objectives for the man hired to put an end to Maine’s drug crisis.

Legislators concur: Number of opiate-dependent babies in Maine must go down

by Barbara A. Walsh | Jan 17, 2019

In response to a fall Pine Tree Watch series, Maine Congressional delegation members say they’ll keep fighting to expand funds to pay for prevention, treatment and related services.

From depths of addiction to symbol of hope

by Barbara A. Walsh | Dec 2, 2018

Drug-free for three years after battling addictions since age 12, mom and advocate Courtney Allen looks to a healthy future with her sons.

Meant to love and care for special babies

by Barbara A. Walsh | Dec 1, 2018

An experienced foster mom refuses to give up on her opiate-exposed infant.

Desperate to change

by Barbara A. Walsh | Nov 29, 2018

After losing custody of her first five daughters because of an opiate addiction, a Maine mother battles her illness and the odds to keep her new baby.

Services aim to help women with opiate addictions prevent pregnancy

by Barbara A. Walsh | Nov 29, 2018

Nationally, 51 percent of women in the general population have unintended pregnancies, but women with substance-use disorders have much higher rates – nearly 80 percent, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Authors & Contributors

Barbara A. Walsh

Barbara is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has worked for newspapers in Ireland, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Florida. While working at the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, Walsh reported on first-degree killer William Horton Jr. and Massachusetts’ flawed prison-furlough system. The series changed in-state sentencing and furlough laws and won a 1988 Pulitzer Prize. During her career at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, Barbara wrote in-depth series on several social issues in Maine. Many of her stories changed laws and earned national, state and regional awards. Barbara is also the author of an adult biography/memoir, August Gale: A Father and Daughter’s Journey into the Storm, and Sammy in the Sky, a children’s book illustrated by Jamie Wyeth. She lives on a lake in Maine with her two daughters, husband and Paco, a rescue dog from Puerto Rico. When she is not writing, taking pictures or walking Paco, she can be found sitting by the lake, comforted by its blue-green waters.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

We publish two newsletters: The Daily Monitor (a curation of the day’s most important news from our media partners) and The Sunday Monitor (exclusively featuring our work).

SUPPORT US

Help us expand our in-depth and enterprise reporting.

Donate

SEND US A TIP

Many of our stories have been based on tips from readers.

Send now