HOME Program

Intensive residential treatment for mothers and their children

The love of a mother for her child can be stronger than addiction. But support is a critical success factor in a woman’s struggle against drugs and alcohol. OnTrack’s HOME program offers pregnant and parenting women a fighting chance to rebuild their lives…and to become capable, caring parents.

Saving the bond

For a baby, the unwavering commitment of a mother can mean the difference between a healthy, productive life and a future full of abuse, dysfunction and failure. Ideally the bond between mother and child begins before birth and continues through a lifetime.

Too often, chemical dependency dissolves this bond before it develops. Separating an addiction-prone mother from her newborn baby or young child, while sometime unavoidable, often severs an emotional connection that can never be restored.

The HOME program is the only facility in Southern Oregon, and one of the first in the nation, designed specifically to preserve and strengthen the bond between mother and child.

A clean start

The first goal of the HOME program is to ensure that women deliver drug-free babies. For this reason, residential treatment, including individual counseling and chemical dependency group therapy, often begins during pregnancy.

Both pregnant women and mothers are screened for health risks including HIV and hepatitis C. All women participate in nicotine cessation groups, exercise periods and preventative education programs for infectious diseases.

A staff nurse attends to minor health issues and links residents to primary health care providers, dentists and pediatricians. The nurse also ensures that residents comply with physicians' orders, keep scheduled appointments, and observe safety precautions.

Skills for going forward

The HOME Program recognizes that becoming clean and sober is just a first step toward a productive, independent life. In daily life skills classes, residents learn how to apply for and hold jobs, manage money, build healthy relationships, resolve conflicts and function as successful parents.

Nurturing children

While mothers participate in treatment and education programs, staff and volunteers nurture infants in the HOME Program nursery. Older children attend therapeutic day care.

In addition, staff members offer individual coaching to mothers and model parenting skills throughout the day.

Back to school

Completion of educational requirements is a positive step toward long term recovery from addiction. The HOME Program encourages residents who have not completed their high school diplomas to participate in North Medford High School's TEEN Parent program, which provides on-site day care for young mothers who are attending classes. The HOME Program transports teenage mothers and their babies to and from the high school.

Family dynamics

Recovery often involves rebuilding family relationships. Weekly family groups bring resident women together with their partners or spouses and other family members.

Case management

Each resident works with a case manager to obtain public benefits, complete educational programs, develop employment skills, address medical needs and secure safe, drug free housing following graduation from the HOME Program.

Public and private partnerships

The HOME Program works closely with numerous public and private agencies to coordinate care and treatment of pregnant women and those who have delivered drug positive babies. Cooperating organizations include Oregon Department of Child Welfare, Community Family Court, Jackson County Corrections, local hospitals, obstetricians and pediatricians.

OnTrack and Jackson County Women in Leadership (WILL) offer a mentoring program that pairs women in recovery with active community members.

Success

More than 90 percent of women who graduate from the HOME Program deliver drug-free babies; move on to safe, drug-free housing situations; and continue to receive indicated case management. All of their children are screened for developmental problems and referred for appropriate services.

For the community, the value of restored lives is very large. Each functioning mother and nurtured child reduces the enormous costs of crime, law enforcement and child welfare -- not to mention lost contributions to the society and the economy.

For the individual mother and child, however, the value of a healthy, happy, productive future is beyond measure.