VCU’s OB MOTIVATE clinic hopes to warm the hearts of its patients with its Winter Wishes initiative.
The program rewards the hard work its patients — new and expecting mothers who are working to overcome addiction — with a holiday surprise of gifts and baby supplies.
The university created the OB MOTIVATE clinic in 2019; MOTIVATE stands for multidisciplinary outpatient intensive addiction treatment. The clinic is the only one in central Virginia that provides colocated, integrated reproductive health services and substance use disorder treatment.
VCU Health perinatal addiction program coordinator and full-time nurse Marjorie Scheikl says the facility provides two very important services in one place.
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Marjorie Scheikl, the VCU Health perinatal addiction program coordinator and full-time nurse, says the Winter Wishes program hopes to recognize the significant societal stigma around substance use disorders, on top of the pressures of what it means to be a mother or parent.
“Combining the two is really important, because you do want to have an OB-GYN provider that also has the knowledge base about substance use disorders, so they understand how they integrate together,” Scheikl said. “That could be both emotionally, mentally, but it’s also going to be treatment wise, and how these things work.”
The Winter Wishes initiative started with Scheikl and another provider at the clinic in 2019, but the program became official and got its name in 2020. It began with people who worked at the clinic, as well as friends and families. Now, it’s a collaborative effort with the entire community.
“The holidays can be really tough on people if they don’t have a support system; not everybody does,” Scheikl said. “We want to do something that can lift people a little bit during the season.”
Scheikl says the program hopes to recognize the significant societal stigma around substance use disorders, on top of the pressures of what it means to be a mother or parent.
“It’s really difficult for many people, even if they want help, to reach out and to do it. It takes a lot of strength, and it’s a lot of work,” Scheikl said. “So we do like to recognize our patients for all of the work they’re doing.”
Winter Wishes gifts for babies may include diapers, wipes and small toys. Gifts for mom might be candles, lotions and reusable tote bags.
The clinic collects monetary donations from the VCU Children’s Hospital of Richmond Foundation beginning in October. Those donations are used to purchase small tokens of recognition that pamper the mothers and their babies.
The gifts for mom include candles, lotions and reusable tote bags. For the babies, the clinic will purchase diapers, wipes and small toys. Most of the gifts are purchased from a Richmond local business, Little Nomad.
The clinic is part of a fellowship program through the VCU Department of Psychiatry that aims to tackle addiction at all of its intersections. The program covers outpatient services, research projects, anesthesiology pain services and more. The program also collaborates with the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Scheikl says the need for the clinic is always there. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows there was an 81% increase in maternal death from overdose between 2017 and 2020.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse also says that between 2018 and 2021, the death rate tripled for pregnant and postpartum people from overdose. Those numbers, according to Scheikl, exclude alcohol and antidepressants. The program covers any and all substances, like marijuana use disorder.
“It’s sort of like alcohol, where things that are commonplace and normal in society, people equate with safety, even during pregnancy,” Scheikl said. “Research has shown that these substances are not safe.”
SAMHSA also says women are at their highest risk to develop a substance use disorder during their peak reproductive years, which are between the ages of 18 and 29.
The clinic works to extend a calming hand through all barriers that come from dealing with pregnancy, regardless of where patients are in addiction or recovery.
Scheikl says some patients are afraid of how they will be treated as they approach birth when it comes to pain management. To mitigate any anxieties and avoid any negative reactions, Scheikl says the clinic sets up appointments between patients and anesthesiologists ahead of time.
Scheikl says the clinic does the same thing for pediatric care. Patients will be set up with a pediatric team while they are still pregnant. There, they will talk with providers on how certain medications for substance use disorder will affect their baby. They also talk about how their baby can be monitored.
Marjorie Scheikl says the need for the OB MOTIVATE clinic is always there. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows there was an 81% increase in maternal death from overdose between 2017 and 2020. The National Institute on Drug Abuse also says that between 2018 and 2021, the death rate tripled for pregnant and postpartum people from overdose.
The gift baskets are given to patients as a surprise at the end of their appointments. The gift-giving usually begins right before Thanksgiving Day and ramps up throughout December. Depending on when patients are able to schedule appointments, gifts can be given out as late as January.
“It’s something that brings a lot of joy,” Scheikl said. “Just getting recognition to our patients that are working super hard on their own health and the health of their family as well.”
From the Archives: More movies and shows filmed in Richmond
08-16-1984 (cutline): Actors warmly costumed in Colonial outfits, eat during a break in filming at the farm in Dinwiddie County. The filming was part of a series on the history of America.
09-20-1985 (cutline): Lynn Redgrave plays strong-willed mother in “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home.”
10-01-1985 (cutline): Jon Cryer and Lynn Redgrave rehearse a scene from “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home.”
10-17-1986 (cutline): Director Jerry Williams (center) sets up shot with aid of inmate technicians Jesse Knight (left) and Ivan Sparks (right). More than a dozen inmates are involved in the educational film, “Time to Learn,” which is being made in the State Penitentiary on Spring Street.
10-24-1987 (cutline): Director Lamont Johnson works with Sheldon Pinchuk, Sam Waterson on set of mini series “Lincoln.”
10-24-1987: Actors Dwayne Plasterer, Blly Stafford and Julian Fetzer play dominios between scenes on the set of the mini series “Lincoln.”
10-19-1989 (cutline): Seal of Approval–The state Capitol is a backdrop for “Navy S.E.A.L.,” a film written by Chuck Pfarrer (right), a former SEAL. He is technical adviser with Frank Capra III, an assistant director. The stars include Charlie Sheen, Michael Biehn and Joanne Whalley-Kilmer.
09-20-1985 (cutline): Alan Beck prepares to give upperclassmen a water-filled room in scene for “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home.”
09-20-1985 (cutline): Director Terry Winsor (center) discusses scene with actor Alan Beck as crew readies for retake on set of “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home.”
09-30-1985 (cutline): Between Scenes–Jon Cryer plays high school student in movie being filmed in Richmond and Charlottesville. The film was called “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home.”
In October 1989, actor Michael Biehn, whose credits included “The Terminator, ” “Aliens” and “The Abyss, ” adjusted his tie on the Richmond set of “Navy SEALs, ” which starred Charlie Sheen. Much of the action film was filmed in the Norfolk area, but cast and crew were in Richmond for a few days to shoot scenes at the Capitol.
