• Substance users who are willing to receive medical addiction treatment services.

• The spouse, partner, or cohabiting relative of a substance user.

The New Taipei City Health Bureau launched the nation’s first Women’s SUD Medical Support Program in 2018 to reduce the incidence of drug-exposed infants (e.g., Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, NAS).Adopting a family-centered approach, the service is available to all residents of New Taipei City, including spouses, partners, and cohabiting family members.
The program integrates resources from the health sector, social services, and NGOs to provide holistic support, including medical subsidies for prenatal and postpartum care, parenting education, and follow-up case management.To improve access to care, the network collaborates with major medical institutions and primary care clinics, ensuring that pregnant women and new mothers in rural areas can receive timely services.Since its inception, the program has supported high-risk pregnancies in achieving healthy births and assisted women with substance use histories in accessing reproductive health services.This integrated approach enhances maternal health, reduces drug-exposure risks for infants, and establishes a robust healthcare network, serving as a nationwide model.

• The nation’s first integrated service centered on pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders, combining medical subsidies and social support to promote sustained treatment engagement and maternal and infant health.

• It integrates health, social welfare, and community-based resources and establishes a close intersectoral collaboration mechanism to prevent the birth of drug-exposed newborns, thereby reducing related social and healthcare costs.

• By removing residency registration requirements, the service is made accessible to families in New Taipei City under a family-centered approach, extending coverage to partners and family members to enhance overall family caregiving capacity.

• A total of 303 instances of medical service subsidies were provided from the program’s inception through 2025.

• The number of collaborating medical institutions totaled 39.

• A total of 181 referral cases were accepted, 64 of which received medical subsidies, resulting in a service success rate of approximately 35%.

• The service achieved 100% coverage, implementing comprehensive outreach, assessment, and immediate referral.

• Following the elimination of residency restrictions and the expansion of the service scope, the referral volume increased by approximately 67%.

• Accompanying clients to medical appointments reduced the risk of refusal or service discontinuation, resulting in an increase in the service success rate from 28% to 35%.

• Among families receiving services, no cases of child abuse, domestic violence, or child maltreatment–related vulnerability were reported.

• It integrates social welfare resources to promote continuous care for mothers and infants, enhancing overall maternal and child wellbeing.

• In the overall client satisfaction survey, 100% of respondents found the application process convenient and reported receiving meaningful support.

• In the case manager satisfaction survey, 100% of respondents reported that the service helped them establish rapport with clients.

• Clients reported high levels of trust in the service and valued the confidentiality of their information.

In 2018, New Taipei City took the national lead by establishing an integrated, internationally aligned care model for women with substance use disorders.

• A national demonstration standard for cross-network care was established, enhancing access to medical services through localized delivery.

• Supportive mechanisms enhanced client trust and self-efficacy, strengthening their independence and social functioning.

• The program successfully interrupted the intergenerational transmission of substance use, promoted children’s and adolescents’ right to healthy development, and reduced instances of improper care and related social costs.