University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR

Written by Cindy Crone, Director of Family Treatment Consultation, Partners for Inclusive Communities

A Mother's Story

Anne is a tall, slender and attractive brunette with captivating eyes. Her childhood was cut short when she began using alcohol and marijuana at age 11. “I then started using other drugs and by 13 I was making money from older men —doing things no 13 year old should even know about.”

At age 18 Anne had a baby, Mary. Due to her drug use, Anne lost custody of Mary to her parents when Mary was three. Later, Anne had a son and also lost custody of him to his father due to her continued drug use. She was estranged from her family and never kept a job. She tried treatment at a 30-day residential program but dropped out. Eventually, Anne was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine—a felony. She was incarcerated for a year and paroled to a traditional 12-step drug treatment program—but she didn’t stay. She became pregnant again and violated parole by testing positive for illicit drugs. Anne was re-incarcerated while pregnant. She felt hopeless.

In prison, Anne was assigned to work in the kitchen. She loved the sounds and smells there. They made her think of the only happy childhood times she could remember—being in her mother’s kitchen—cooking with her. “I felt special then.” As she became more proficient cooking for other prisoners she thought, “I’d like to become a chef when I get out of here.”

Because of her pregnancy, Anne was paroled to another addiction treatment program for women. “But I didn’t fit their nice mold,” she said. “I had too many problems. Besides my addiction and pregnancy, I was depressed and had an eating disorder.” That program referred her to Arkansas CARES---a comprehensive, long-term family treatment program 160 miles away in Little Rock that specializes in treating mothers with substance addictions and mental illness. “I loved it there. CARES was so cool. I began to work with my case manager, parent educator, and therapist on long-standing issues that led me to use drugs. I also decided that this was not the right time to have another child and planned to place my baby for adoption.”

Adoption was not the norm for Arkansas CARES where most mothers kept their babies and couldn’t understand that Anne would give her baby away. She dreaded going to the hospital where she might be judged again. In the delivery room, the doctor said, “I understand you plan to place your baby for adoption.” She quietly said “yes.” He put his arm around her and said, “That’s such a wonderful gift. I was adopted.” For Anne, receiving this support from yet another unexpected place was a turning point.

Anne progressed in treatment. She smiled and seemed more relaxed and confident. She looked forward to her therapy appointments, and to defining and achieving specific life goals. After seven months, her counselors said she was ready to leave the intensive residential program. She wasn’t so sure. When asked if she’d like to participate in Building Bridges, a continuing care program that helps mothers make the transition from intensive treatment to community living, she excitedly said “Yes!” Building Bridges offers recovery support services to help women prevent relapse and improve their health and self-sufficiency.

Then came another life-changing question: Did she want to go to culinary school? For Anne, this was a dream come true. Beth, her Building Bridges case manager, helped her petition the court in Ft. Smith to move her supervision to a Little Rock drug court. Because of her felony history, she could find no affordable housing, so she lived in a Building Bridges apartment until she could get out on her own. She excelled in school and was hired as a cook and culinary apprentice at CAREfully Catered, a Building Bridges social enterprise venture. Anne continued in therapy and was beginning visits with her children. She was named “Student of the Year” at the culinary school and glowed as she approached the stage in the ballroom of a premiere hotel in Little Rock to accept her award. Her parents, daughter, and sister were there.

Anne recently graduated from the three-year culinary school and moved back to Northwest Arkansas to be near her daughter. She was offered a good job as a chef at a major company but could not pass the background check due to her felony conviction. Devastated, Anne once again turned to Beth, her Building Bridges case manager, who helped her plan a pardon request to the Governor which would expunge her felony from the record. Her felony had been related to her addiction and now, drug-free for more than four years, it was a barrier to self-sufficiency. In addition to required letters, Anne’s pardon request contained a photograph of her with the Governor when she catered a governor’s event.

Today Anne has regained custody of her daughter Mary, now 15. Her son just completed a four-day visit with them. Anne is engaged to a man who is also in recovery for more than five years now. He has custody of his two young daughters. Anne is now a stay-at-home mom. “I’ll likely go back to chef work someday, but for now this is where I need to be—mothering the girls.” Recently Mary asked her, “Mom, what would have happened if that other treatment program hadn’t kicked you out and sent you to Arkansas CARES?”

Fifteen years old, Arkansas CARES has helped more than 1500 mothers. Building Bridges, the continuing care program, has now helped more than 130 mothers with breaking the cycles of welfare dependence, substance dependence, and family abuse through innovative, integrated services and community supports to improve their health and self-sufficiency.

More moms like Anne need this service. And need it sooner. We wonder, what would have happened if Anne had found Arkansas CARES 15 years ago?

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