В Массачусетсе сократилось число обращений в службу опеки из-за отказа от автоматической отчетности при положительном тесте на наркотики

Support WBUR Boston's Morning Newsletter Without strict reporting requirements, fewer babies are reported to DCF after positive drug screen Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here. Missed yesterday's partial solar eclipse? The moon took a little nibble out of the sun here, but it was nothing like the total eclipse Europe saw. Check out photos from across the Atlantic (and in our own backyard) here. Now, the news: Discretion matters: When a newborn baby tests positive for opioids, doctors in Massachusetts are no longer required to automatically make a report to the Department of Children and Families. A new study finds that flexibility can have a big impact on families. BMC researchers say that when the hospital evaluated each family's situation — rather than automatically reporting them for a positive test — nearly 50% fewer babies were reported to the state, as compared to other hospitals, WBUR's Martha Bebinger reports. Lead author Dr. Rohan Khazanchi told Martha that BMC developed guidelines to determine when the infant would be safe with their birth family. "For those families that we know are low risk because they’re in stable recovery, on medications for opioid use disorder, we can make an evidence-based decision not to report. And it’s one less stressor for the family," he said. - A positive opioid test in a newborn doesn't necessarily mean the mother is taking illegal drugs. She could be taking addiction treatment medication like buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone, or methadone. Khazanchi said more research is needed on the long-term welfare of these kids. - BMC stopped reflexively reporting families with positive tests in 2021. Mass. General Brigham followed in April 2024. The mandatory reporting requirement for all hospitals was lifted in December 2024. - What's next: The Department of Public Health is drafting updated guidelines for hospitals to give them more clarity on when they should report to child welfare authorities. In other newborn news: Adding genetic testing to other routine newborn blood screenings could help catch childhood cancers early. That's according to a new study out of Dana-Farber and Boston Children's Hospital. Researchers estimated about one in 27,000 children would develop a kind of cancer that could've been predicted through newborn screenings. - Researcher Dr. Richard Parad, director of the Neonatal Genomic Medicine Program in the Mass General Brigham Department of Pediatrics, said monitoring babies early could stave off more serious treatments. "It could save the life of the child and could help [them from] being exposed to more toxic therapies," he told WBUR's Amy Sokolow. - Newborns are already screened for several disorders using a blood test, including congenital hypothyroidism and sickle cell anemia. He said, she said: The embattled Stoughton Police Department is bringing in an outside investigator to suss out what's really going on in the dispute between the town manager and police chief, who are both on leave. The town has hired Ed Davis, the former Boston police commissioner, to determine whether anyone violated laws or town policies. The investigation is expected to last at least two months. Davis will submit a report to the select board, which has the final say over what happens next. - How'd we get here? Town Manager Tom Calter and Police Chief Donna McNamara were both put on leave last month after the pair traded accusations. Calter said a complaint was made against McNamara and he replaced her with an acting chief. McNamara then filed a lawsuit accusing Calter of discriminating against her because she's a woman and interfering in her running of the police department. - Bubbling behind the surface of it all is the investigation into the death of Sandra Birchmore, the 23-year-old pregnant woman allegedly killed by her former boyfriend, a Stoughton police officer. McNamara claims Calter ordered her to destroy an internal affairs investigation about Birchmore. Calter refutes this. Rush hour stabbing: Boston police say a man was fatally stabbed on an escalator inside South Station yesterday around 5:30 p.m. The victim, an adult man, hasn’t yet been identified. Police say they’re still looking for a suspect, and that it appears the victim and suspect were in a fight on an escalator exiting the station when the assault occurred. P.S. — The most famous author to ever write about New Bedford is getting some extra attention starting today. The city is kicking off a four-day cultural and literary festival honoring Herman Melville and his epic "Moby-Dick," hosted by the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The festival includes public conversations with artists inspired by Melville's work — including the author's great-great-great-granddaughter, a playwright — and the unveiling of a public statue of Melville at the city's Seamen's Bethel.