Pubdate: Tue, 02 Jul 2002
Source: Herald, The (SC)
Copyright: 2002 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.heraldonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/369

PROGRAM NEEDS HELP

Keystone Substance Abuse Services says it costs about $10,000 to house, 
feed, treat and counsel a client in the nonprofit organization's Boarder 
Bed program. The program, which is in danger of curtailment or termination 
for lack of money, would be a bargain for taxpayers at twice or even

10 times the price.

Boarder Bed provides lodging and round-the-clock supervision and treatment 
for pregnant women who have abused drugs or alcohol but who want to keep 
from harming their unborn children. According to Janet Martini, executive 
director of the nonprofit substance-abuse treatment center, about 125 
mothers-to-be have completed Boarder Bed since its inception in 1998. The 
program costs about $200,000 a year, which sounds like a lot of money but 
really isn't when compared to the cost society incurs when a child is born 
addicted to narcotics or suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome. If such a 
child ends up in a state institution until age 18, the cost to taxpayers 
easily could exceed $1 million.

Like many worthy social programs, Boarder Bed faces a dim future in this 
climate of government cutbacks. Indeed, it has never received significant 
direct government funding but rather has relied on start-up grants and 
other donations from private sources. Nevertheless, other agencies that 
support Boarder Bed are themselves facing state cutbacks. A recent 
fund-raiser, underwritten by Metro Grille, is expected to help, but Boarder 
Bed still needs more than $150,000 next year.

Ideally, a similar program will be adopted by the state, which would make 
it eligible for third-party funding such as Medicaid and other health 
insurance plans. In the meantime, Keystone continues to scratch and dig for 
private donations. Anyone who would like to assist in this worthy effort 
may contact Janet Martini at Keystone Substance Abuse Services, 324-1800; 
P.O. Box 4437, Rock Hill, SC 29731.
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MAP posted-by: Beth