Hope and New Beginnings
by Barbara Nicholson-Brown

Recently, the news has reported grizzly stories of newborns being discarded and abandoned in dumpsters. Every child deserves a fighting chance for a healthy happy life. When the mother is an addict this God given birthright is stripped from a baby before it enters the world.

Drug and alcohol abuse can occur at any stage in a woman’s life. When a pregnant woman uses drugs or alcohol, she and her unborn child face serious health problems. The damage begins during pregnancy, when the drugs used by the mother can enter the baby’s bloodstream. The most serious effects can be HIV infection, AIDS, premature birth, low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, small head size, stunted growth, poor motor skills, and behavioral problems. A mother’s continuing drug use puts her children at risk for neglect, physical abuse, and malnutrition.

Research shows that providing care and treatment to the pregnant drug abuser can reduce many of the negative effects on her baby and change mom’s life dramatically.

Studies have also found that more than 4 million women need treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why women do not seek help. Some may not be able to find childcare or fear authorities will take away their children. Some fear they will be punished by admitting drug addiction; or they simply cannot stop the vicious cycle alone. Many women fear violence from husbands, boyfriends, or partners and are forced to live on the streets, and many do not have the life skills or money to seek treatment. These women they are lost, scared and pregnant.

The Center for Hope for Infants and Mothers at Risk in Mesa is a silver lining to a very dark cloud.

"There’s no question that treatment provides a second chance to mothers and children," said Kristen Pollen, Director of Community Programs and Public Relations at Community Bridges, "We need to do everything we can to give them an opportunity. We must make effective community-based treatment programs available to those who need it and this is why we opened the Center for Hope." The Center for Hope has been something Dr. Frank Scarpati has been working on for over six years. "We knew there needed to be a safe and effective program for expecting moms struggling with homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health problems. The Center provides a safe and nurturing environment where women can experience recovery, parenting classes, prenatal care, vocational training, and support for the long term", Pollen said.

"The program is doing exactly what it was designed to do….moms are getting a fresh start, the babies are safe and healthy, and this new family is thriving. We are so excited we are finally at this place that has been a dream for so long", Scarpati added.

Julie, (not her real name) a resident at the Center, shared her thoughts on what brought her there. Like many young girls she experimented with alcohol at age 15. Her drinking quickly escalated to hallucinogens and other substances. Not long after, her drug abuse avalanched to shooting crack, meth and cocaine. As she descended down the addiction spiral, Julie discovered she was five weeks pregnant. Strung-out and confused, she fled her relationship from the baby’s father and hid out in a hotel where her drug use continued. With the little money she had feeding her addiction, eventually Julie was tossed out for her inability to pay her hotel bill. She had nowhere to go but the streets. Luckily she had another option—make contact with her family. Fortunately they allowed her back home on one condition—get into treatment.

Maybe this young mom’s intuition told her it was the last stop. After a few weeks clean it became clear to Julie she wanted the baby and she had a strong desire to live.

Though Julie was reluctant, with encouragement from her family she entered the Center for Hope. The years of drug abuse made her detached, angry and bitter and now it was time to face her demons.

Months of intensive therapy, group meetings and living with others has taught Julie how to care again. She has been given a fresh start on life.

Today, she feels like a whole person. For the first time she has goals and is experiencing a sense of serenity and wonder about what her future holds. With gratitude in her voice, Julie said, "I was looking on the outside for fulfillment, thinking I could find it in drugs, I see how it made me a shell of a person. Now, I look inside and feel complete. I have a belief system, a support group and women in my life who are my mentors. I am learning to love and accept myself today". "I would never have known this freedom without getting clean and sober", she added.

The Center for Hope for Infants and Mothers at Risk was born from the need for a place where wraparound medical, emotional, and social services could be provided to pregnant and postpartum women with a history of dual diagnosis disorders. The project’s primary goal is to reduce and eliminate the impact of drugs and alcohol on the developing fetus.

The Center provides a long-term safe and structured environment where pregnant women can begin to heal physically and psychologically and follow a behavior modification plan designed to replace old damaging behavior with new socially appropriate skills. These new mothers face a myriad of problems. Many have been victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, lack employment skills and education, live in unsuitable housing or are homeless.

Without a network of support for childcare and adequate parenting training, many of these mothers will not be able to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their babies. At the Center for Hope, women receive a comprehensive program that addresses these issues and ensures a healthy pregnancy, childbirth and a safe start for their baby.

As for Julie, her son is due to make his entrance on January 2nd and she is thrilled about becoming a mom. After the birth, they will return to the Center for Hope until her graduation in May. She then plans on attending the Arizona School of Massage Therapy, and share an apartment with women and her child from the Center. While Julie is at school, childcare will be provided by her mom, who is excited to have her daughter living a sober life. Miracles can happen and Julie is one of them.

The 20,000 square foot campus consists of three wings (cottages), each symbolizing a cornerstone of the road to recovery (Faith, Hope, and Courage). There are eight bedrooms in each cottage, a shared living room, and light utility kitchen. The campus has a central restaurant style kitchen and dining area where three full meals are prepared and served each day. Other amenities include an on-site child development center, a multi-purpose activity room, a playground area and meeting rooms for support groups and educational classes. All of the necessary services and activities for the health and welfare of the mother and her children are self-contained within the protected environment of the Center for Hope.

The needs of children at the Center for Hope can be met with contributions of the following items:

• Single and Double Strollers/ Travel Systems

• Infant Carriers/Slings for Breastfeeding

• Baby Jumper

• Avent Starter Sets

• Baby Hygiene Sets

• Nursing bras, tank tops, transition clothing

• Infant Swings

• Bouncy Seats

• Nursing Supplies, i.e. breast pads and lanolin cream

• Receiving blankets/burp cloths

Center for Hope is a program of Community Bridges. For information on the Center for Hope call 480-461-1711 or visit www.communitybridgesaz.org