Question by djvenney: Restoration house program for mothers with drug problems?
A community based residentioal treatment program for women with dependent children, shows that 70 percent of women who completed follow up interviews six months after treatment have maintained abstinence or reduced their drug use. The other 30 percent, however, lapse into their old habits.

The program relies on restorative justice techniques in which community people meet with the women to discuss the harm drug use can cause and how it can damage both them and their children.

Women who complete the restoration houseprogram inprove their employment, reduce parenting stress, retain custody of their children, and restore their physical, mental, and emotional health. The program focuses on reducing drug and alchohol usage, increasing health, safety, self sufficiency and positive attitudes.

Would you consider this program a success? What questions would you ask before it gets your approval. How you handle the women who don’t succeed, is there a different approach for this women?

Best answer:

Answer by Kelly B
I think success in this situation can’t be obtained by the organization itself. Seeing as how technically they have no control over the women’s actions after this “rehabilitation” is complete. I believe that they ARE “successful” so to speak, because they are making the effort to help people change. When in all reality that’s all we can ask for. I think it feels good know that there are people out there who care enough to make an attempt to motivate people in need.

I think the only question I would ask is Why can’t there be more people out there like the ones who created this program.?

The women who find there way to places like these walk in with the hope that they will “recover”. But, I think many misunderstand the point. These programs are designed to help the women understand why this is a bad way to be and to help them cope through the hard times…..their fate is solely in their own hands.

The women that “fail” are ones who do not have the will power to pull through the hard times. I think the only way to deal with these women is to remove their children from their custody and pray they find their way to successful rehabilitation, if they continue to go back to the drugs, that is their choice, and no one can help someone who refuses to believe what they are doing is wrong. Ultimately the environment just needs to be “safe” for the children. The rest is left to God.

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