Ethical and Compassionate Pregnancy Care for People at Risk for Overdose

Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Eastern

This webinar will explore compassionate, ethical ways to provide supportive care during pregnancy for people at risk for overdose, with a focus on respect, dignity, and practical approaches. Highlights on how nonjudgmental, evidence-informed approaches can promote health, informed choice, and personal autonomy for both the parent and baby will also be shared.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges people may face during pregnancy while using drugs, and why a whole-person, supportive approach matters. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, this session will equip the drug user health workforce with tools to provide caring, ethical support that centers on the needs and well-being of both lives.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:

• Describe at least three ethical principles essential to providing supportive care during pregnancy for people at risk for overdose.
• Identify at least three unique challenges faced during pregnancy by people at risk for overdose.
• Describe at least two drug user health strategies that promote holistic health during pregnancy.

Faculty

Kelly S. Ramsey, MD, MPH, MA, FACP, DFASAM is a board-certified internal medicine and addiction medicine physician who has treated substance use disorder since 2004. She has focused her career on providing care for people at risk of overdose, treating HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and primarily opioid use disorder. She has worked in an opioid treatment program (OTP) and federally qualified health center (FQHC) settings. More recently, Dr. Ramsey worked as the Chief of Medical Services at the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), in a policy, regulatory, and clinical role through the end of 2023. Dr. Ramsey currently works as an Addiction Medicine Physician and Consultant, as well as providing low threshold clinical care and clinical supervision in addiction medicine in two drug user health hubs.