A new CCRC program will help address substance use within families and help them recover while supporting their children.
The Road to Resilience offers screenings, assessments and connection to community resources.
This initiative is funded by the Office of Child Abuse Prevention and is available to expecting parents or those with a child up 18 months of age, specifically families with a history of or risk of substance use in the Victor Valley and Big Bear areas.
When a parent of caregiver is experiencing a substance use disorder, it can have detrimental impacts on the child and family. According to the American Addiction Centers, “a parent’s substance use can impact a child’s physical, psychological, cognitive, social, and economic well-being. Over time, continued parental substance use can have long-term detrimental effects on a child.” Addiction is classified as a chronic medical condition but due to the stigma around substance use, many people suffering from the disorder do not seek help.
Through the Road to Resilience, we will offer postpartum nurse visits, making sure the mother is healing appropriately, the baby is breastfeeding and gaining weight.
The home visits are different than our Parents as Teacher curriculum, as they will offer substance use screenings, then connection to resources in the local community.
We have at least 10 community partners so far.
“There may be economic or financial concerns with family, these are all stressors that read to neglect and abuse, substance use for adults,” says CCRC Family Well-Being Director Kelly Morehouse-Smith. “That’s why office of child abuse prevention really looked at this population to see what we can do to support them and connect them so they’re not isolated and they have people around them who know what’s’ going on and understand them and looking to help them lighten the load so they don’t have as much stress going on and if they needed further treatment, being able to connect them with appropriate treatment.”
Victor Valley and Big Bear families who are interested in learning more can click here to submit a referral form.
