Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) is pleased to announce that IHR’s Director of Recovery, Latisha Goullaud, is a co-author of a newly published peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment (DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2026.209988).

The article, “Experiences of pregnant and postpartum people of color engaged in a randomized clinical trial of medication to treat opioid use disorder during pregnancy: a ‘Positive Outliers’ analysis,” explores what helped participants successfully engage in medication treatment and remain connected to care despite the very real barriers of racism, stigma, mistrust, and systemic inequities.

Using a “positive outliers” approach, researchers interviewed participants enrolled in the MOMs clinical trial and found several key themes: compassionate and nonjudgmental care, strong therapeutic relationships, flexibility, transparency, and consistent emotional support all played a critical role in helping participants feel safe, respected, and empowered in their recovery journeys. Participants repeatedly described how being treated “like a human” — rather than being defined by substance use, pregnancy status, or race — transformed their willingness to engage in care.

Importantly, the publication highlights how culturally responsive, relationship-centered approaches can serve as an antidote to stigma and discrimination within healthcare systems. The findings reinforce many of the values that guide the work of Institute for Health and Recovery — including the importance of lived expertise, trauma-informed engagement, harm reduction, and sustained relational support for families navigating recovery and parenting.

Latisha Goullaud’s contribution to this publication reflects IHR’s commitment to advancing compassionate, evidence-informed approaches to care for pregnant and parenting people affected by substance use disorders. Through participation in research and collaboration with partners across the field, IHR staff help bring frontline experience and community-centered perspectives into conversations that shape treatment, recovery support, and health equity initiatives.