Abstract
Abstract: Identification and care of substance-dependent neonates requires a holistic, family-centered approach to care, starting in the prenatal period and continuing long after the infant is born. Interventions useful in working with families of substance-dependent neonates include psychological support, substance abuse treatment, and physiologic support in the form of nonpharmacologic andpharmacologic therapies. The nurse can play a powerful role in determining the fate of each family. Early recognition of the problem and appropriate, decisive intervention is necessary if the long-term outcomes of substance dependence are to be improved.