Pubdate: Mon, 01 Oct 2007
Source: Mail Tribune, The (Medford, OR)
Copyright: 2007 The Mail Tribune
Contact:  http://www.mailtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/642
Note: Only prints LTEs from within it's circulation area, 200 word count limit
Author: Sanne Specht
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

GRANT MONEY TO AID PARENTS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION

Children born into families shattered by drug addiction  often end up 
as victims of abuse and neglect. Many are  placed into an already 
overburdened foster-care system,  social services officials say.

"Southern Oregon's high rate of methamphetamine use has  devastated 
families and overwhelmed our fragile  foster-care system," said Dr. 
Rita Sullivan, OnTrack's  executive director.

OnTrack on Thursday received a 5-year, $2.5 million  grant from the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human  Services' Administration for 
Children and Families. The  money is designed to help Southern Oregon 
children grow  up in healthy, drug-free families, said Sullivan.

The newly acquired funds will support programs aimed at  reducing the 
number of children placed into foster care  due to parental substance 
abuse in Jackson and  Josephine counties, she said.

The funding will be used to help high-risk parents  access immediate 
substance abuse treatment while  continuing to care for their children.

"When children must be removed from the home for safety  reasons, 
services will enable families to maintain  sobriety and stability in 
order to re-unite as soon as  possible," Sullivan said.

Services will be provided through a collaboration with  local 
partners, including the Court Appointed Special  Advocates (CASA), 
the Department of Human Services  (child welfare), Options for 
Southern Oregon, the  Center for Non-Profit Services, Jackson 
County  Community Drug Court and the Commissions on Children  and 
Families in Jackson and Josephine counties.

Other state recipients include Baker County, Klamath  Tribes and 
Multnomah County.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom