A dozen healthy, drug free babies away from its start and Manchester Kentucky's Freedom House is well on its way to "keeping families together."
Manchester, a Clay county community, grew into a settlement for salt mining, which gave way to timber and coal as the years progressed. Now, with coal mines closed and their economic impacts gone, citizens struggle against poverty and the shadows and issues that follow.
The Manchester House models the success of two residences in Louisville, Ky. with the goal of helping women, children and families overcome opioid addiction.
“We see ourselves as a two-generation solution,” says Doug Scofield, senior director of communications and government relations for Volunteers of America Mid-States.
“Coming into residential treatment is a very difficult decision for any woman to make. But if you have to think about ‘What am I going to do with my kids?’ — leaving them behind with a parent or another family member or whomever you can — that’s a real barrier to treatment,” Scofield adds. “Instead, we are able to keep families together. We believe family unity is a really big part of the recovery process.”
Currently, the Manchester Freedom House can serve up to 16 women and their children, who range from newborns to adolescents and teens. Residents live together, communally, and support one another on their recovery journeys, while receiving support services including therapy, parenting classes and job skills training.
Operated by Volunteers of America, the VoA website describes the Freedom House model as one that "provides residential treatment program for alcohol and/or drug dependent pregnant women and women with young children. This holistic and comprehensive program is designed to treat the women’s chemical dependency, to break the cycle of addiction in families, to reunite families broken apart by addiction, and to promote the birth of healthy, drug-free babies.
Using an evidenced-based clinical services model of recovery and holistic, family-centered treatment, Freedom House addresses the cycle of addiction with children while simultaneously treating their mothers. The program offers individual, group, and family counseling; drug and alcohol dependency education; parenting classes; life skills training; nutrition classes; vocational training and employment services; and child care services. Since its creation, more than 200 babies have been born drug-free to women in the program (Louisville and Manchester) ensuring a healthy start to their lives."
HELP MANCHESTER FREEDOM HOUSE WITH ITS MISSION
Two nurse practitioners work with the families at the Manchester Freedom House facility and are helping give babies their best start in life with healthy, drug-free moms.
In celebration of National Nurse Practitioners Week, KANPNM is adopting "Manchester Freedom House" as a service project. During the month of October we will gather donations to aid in programming and resources for the families in the house.
Things like "welcome blankets" for newborns, necessary items to care for baby to school clothes for older siblings -- all designed to aid a family in staying healthy and together are needed. Won't you take a moment to make a quick donation online though KANPNM's payment portal?
YES! I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO HELP THE FAMILIES AT FREEDOM HOUSE SUCCEED
I understand that Volunteers of America is a charitable organization and my donation will be tax deductible.