Maddie’s Place was born from a deeply personal experience that revealed a critical gap in care for substance-exposed infants.
In 2008, a Spokane foster family welcomed a newborn experiencing severe withdrawal due to prenatal substance exposure. What followed was months of intensive, round-the-clock care. The baby struggled with tremors, feeding difficulties, disrupted sleep, and challenges with self-regulation — symptoms requiring constant comfort, soothing, and specialized attention.
She was not the only infant the family cared for facing these challenges. Through the experience of nurturing multiple substance-exposed newborns, a clear reality emerged: many infants required highly attuned, comfort-based care, yet few families had the resources or support to provide it.
A powerful question took shape:
What if this kind of care could be replicated for every baby who needed it?
A year later, the baby was adopted and given the name Madeline (Maddie). The care that helped change the course of her life became the inspiration for something much bigger.
Maddie’s Place was named in her honor.
“What if this kind of care could be replicated for every baby who needed it?”
From Vision to Vitality
As the opioid crisis intensified, community members, healthcare professionals, and advocates came together around a shared concern: the growing number of infants affected by prenatal substance exposure.
In 2018, Maddie’s Place was incorporated as a Washington State nonprofit organization. What began as a grassroots effort — fueled by volunteers, donors, and unwavering community support — steadily gained momentum.
Despite the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vision persisted. Maddie’s Place secured its facility, completed renovations, and received licensure as a pediatric transitional care facility.
In October 2022, we opened our doors.
Days later, we welcomed our first infant.
Leading Care & Advocacy
Today, Maddie’s Place provides specialized, comfort-based medical care for infants experiencing withdrawal, alongside comprehensive support for parents and caregivers.
Our model is grounded in a simple but transformative belief:
Healing begins with connection, regulation, and compassionate care.
Since opening, Maddie’s Place has grown into a nationally recognized leader in the care of substance-exposed infants. Our innovative, non-pharmacologic model and dyad-focused approach are helping shape best practices, inform research, and advance policy conversations at both state and national levels.
What started as one family’s experience has become a community-driven mission — and a growing movement — to ensure that vulnerable infants and families receive the stability, support, and hope they deserve.
And our work is just beginning.
