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On this week's episode, Jeff speaks with Shaun Cross. Shaun is an attorney who has practiced corporate law for over 40 years and who is currently serving as the President/CEO of Maddie's Place, a free standing clinic that provides medical care for drug dependent infants and their mothers.In the episode, Shaun shares how Maddie's Place came to be, how the Opioid Crisis is impacting prenatal exposure to drugs & alcohol, and how Maddie's Place is working to make a difference.About Shaun Shaun is a 4th generation native of Eastern Washington and one of 10 Cross lawyers who have practiced law in Washington State over the past 130 years. In addition to his corporate law practice, Shaun has led numerous organizations in the Spokane Region over a 41-year career. For more than 14 years Shaun served as the CEO and Managing Partner of two of the largest law firms in the Region, Lee & Hayes, PC, and Paine Hamblen, LLP. He is known for his community service having served on the Boards of Trustees of Whitworth University, Spokane Chamber, the Spokane Public Facilities District and various non-profits. Shaun and his wife, Kathy, have been married for 45 years and have four adult children.Shaun has served as the Founding Chairman of Maddie’s Place since he incorporated Maddie’s in March 2018. Fueled by a love for the Spokane Region and for people generally, Shaun has a passion for Maddie’s mission to assist babies born dependent on substances and their moms who too often are trapped in a cycle of despair. During his life Shaun has seen the effects of addiction on members of his extended family and some of his closest friends. Shaun sees Maddie’s Place as an opportunity to provide love and serve some of the most innocent and helpless in our community.About Maddie's PlaceMaddie’s Place is a 501(c)3 non-profit, free-standing recovery nursery for babies experiencing withdrawal due to prenatal substance exposure. They firmly believe that low-intervention, highly nurturing care is the best way to help babies through this difficult time. They also believe that “mom is the best medicine,” and aim to support moms and babies together, encouraging bonding and attachment and alleviating physical symptoms.This major philosophical shift in the care of babies experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, or NAS, is evidence-based and leads to greatly improved long-term results. Their method also provides a cost savings of 70-80%, when compared to caring for these babies in the NICU, as well as an even greater reduction in the amount of Morphine required to help a baby through the peak of their symptoms.Supporting early connections and providing nurturing comfort from the beginning results in a happier, healthier baby and a more stable attachment, which changes the trajectory of lives.More Information on Maddie's Place: www.maddiesplace.org