For Women Only® Designed To Keep Them Up-To-Date. Articles Dedicated To What's Happening In The World Of Women And What Improvements They Are Making...

Center City, Minn. (Mar. 11, 2008) - The Hazelden Foundation today announced the release of a new addiction recovery resource for women, A Woman's Guide to Recovery. Written by Brenda Iliff, Clinical Director of the Hazelden Women's Recovery Center, the book offers an honest and direct approach for women seeking solace from the grips of drug and alcohol addiction. Iliff gives practical advice, hope and encouragement, and focuses on the unique issues and needs women face in addiction and recovery.

There is a growing need for more women to receive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. An estimated 7.4 million females in the U.S., age 12 and older, were substance dependent or abusers in 2004. Of those, only 10 percent received treatment.

"Addiction is a disease of isolation and disconnection," said Iliff. "Disconnection with one's self, others and the world. Recovery is ultimately about connections - connecting with one's self, and with others who share your experiences. As women are wired for connection, recovery is truly a natural for women. This is a book of great hope. Of moving from isolation and despair to a way of life beyond our wildest dreams. It's my hope that it's practical, and helps people as they make this journey, one small step at a time, one day at a time."

The disease of addiction and receiving treatment are unique for women because: Women start using alcohol and drugs for different reasons than men. Women metabolize alcohol and drugs different than men, enabling them to become addicted more quickly and experience more progressive and destructive physical health affects from using. Women experience co-occurring mental health disorders differently than men including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress syndrome, which need to be addressed in treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. There are often barriers for women to seek and receive treatment for addiction including childcare and family needs, stigma and shame and financial concerns.

In her book, Iliff draws on more than 20 years of clinical experience in the addiction treatment field to teach women about: The basics of addiction, and how to get started in recovery How addiction and recovery are different for women What self-care means - physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually How recovery affects relationships, including those with children Why does relapse happen? The myths and warning signs, and tips for preventing relapse Practical tips for getting and staying in recovery How the promises of recovery can transform a woman's life

The book helps women "connect" by illustrating the inspirational stories of 10 women who have succeeded - sometimes against unbelievable odds - in finding recovery and creating lives of personal freedom, strength and accomplishment.

"I just want women to know that it gets better," says Glenda, a woman in recovery whose personal story is illustrated in the book. "And if there's no pain there's no gain...But it will pass. And no matter what situation comes up, no matter how life shows up, know that you don't have to use, no matter what."

A Woman's Guide to Recovery is available at book retail outlets nationwide, online on major book retailer Web sites and on the Hazelden Web site at hazelden.org/bookstore. For more information about Hazelden or additional resources offered by Hazelden Publishing, visit hazelden.org/bookstore or call 1-800-328-9000.

About the Author
Brenda Iliff, M.A., is a clinician, author, administrator, lecturer, and writer in the field of addiction. She is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and has worked in the addiction treatment field for more than fifteen years. She is currently the clinical director of the Hazelden Women's Recovery Center at Hazelden in Center City, Minnesota.

About the Hazelden Women's Recovery Center
The Hazelden Women's Recovery Center opened in the fall of 2006 in Center City, Minn. to meet a four-fold increase in demand for women's services at Hazelden. The facility expanded Hazelden's capacity to treat women by more than 37 percent, and provides an enhanced care environment conducive to the unique needs of women struggling with addiction.

About Hazelden
Hazelden, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1949, helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. Built on decades of knowledge and experience, Hazelden offers a comprehensive approach to addiction that addresses the full range of patient, family, and professional needs, including treatment and continuing care for youth and adults, research, higher learning, public education and advocacy, and publishing.

Contact: Christine Anderson, 651-213-4231, cell: 715-553-0268

I have been an active committed member of The National Organization of Women.

Our objectives are two-fold: 

Host a session exposing the War on Drugs as a stealth attack on women, children, communities of color, and other traditionally under-represented and -served populations.  Many people assume NOW's one and only concern is the protection of reproductive rights, but this is false.  - NOW's mission is to eradicate oppression in all its incarnations.

  National Organization of Women adopted a resolution that opposes the war on drugs and in its stead supports an approach to drug use, abuse, and addiction that fosters compassion, health, and human rights.

 The resolution obligates National Organization Of Women to educate its Leadership and Membership about the unique impact the War on Drugs has on women though the use of the Organizations Site, Resources, Materials, and Literature, as well as through Regular Legislative Updates, especially on Pending Drug Laws and Policies that impact women. 

 Finally, we will work with National Organization Of Women to convene an ad hoc committee to research current drug laws and policies with a     particular impact on women and develop an action plan to be implemented  locally and nationally by National Organization Of Women Chapters and The National Organization Of Women National Action Center.  

Imagine how many more people will now contact their Representatives and Senators as a result of National Organization Of Women Action Alerts on Local and National Drug Laws and Policies.

National Organization of Women is one of the largest organizations in the country, and they have an amazing base of activists and chapters ready to take action to end the Drug War. This is HUGE!  If you are unaware of the impact the War on Drugs has on women, you must log on to the Drug War Facts site on Women:
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/women.htm.

 - - - A real movement means mobilizing those impacted by bad laws and policies.  Many of us have chosen to choose this fight - which without a doubt is noble - but we must acknowledge those who were left without a choice.  - - Fighting the Drug War is a matter of day-to-day survival for some.  We must meet these survivors and strugglers where they are at, developing a mutual relationship of cooperation and support.

All The Best, Scarlett Swerdlow 

Please contact me -- if you want to be involved in the coalition that's forming to address the intersection of the Drug War and Women. Contact me at: MATDirector@aol.com If you would like information, please contact me. ~  Maybe you would like   to get involved ? I did want to bring it to your attention and let you know their agenda. We need people in other organizations with the same goals as  ours working with us.  We need their help in standing with us...

*WHEREAS* the incarceration rate of women convicted of low-level drug-related offenses has increased dramatically in the past decade as a result of our nation's relentless "war on drugs." Poor women and women of color have been dispropor-tionately targeted for drug law enforcement and receive long mandatory prison sentences that have little relationship to their actions or culpability.

*WHEREAS* two thirds of women in prison have at least two children who are displaced as a result of their incarceration often forced to live in the care of family, friends, or state sponsored foster care where they may be at increased risk of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse,

*WHEREAS* women's unique patterns of drug abuse and addiction and special treatment needs are inadequately addressed as women often turn to drugs to cope with undiagnosed or untreated mental illness, and/or the trauma of physical or sexual abuse, or other stresses particular to women,

*WHEREAS* the intersection of substance use and pregnancy are increasingly the focus of drug law enforcement,

*WHEREAS* violence against women and other circumstances specific to women's involvement in drug-related activities are often overlooked or ignored in sentenc- ing, such as situations where women who have been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused by boyfriends or husbands involved in drug operations are depen-dent on these men and unlikely to turn to the authorities,

*WHEREAS* after incarceration women continue to bear the stigma and burden of post-conviction sanctions that constitute collateral consequences of incarceration impeding their reintegration into society,including denial of access to public hous-ing, public assistance and food stamps, higher education aid and civic participa-tion, effectively making them second-class citizens.

*THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED*,that the National Organization for Women (NOW)
(iterate its opposition to the War on Drugs and in its stead support an approach to drug abuse and addiction that promotes compassion, public health and human rights; and

*AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED*,that NOW educate its member-ship about the harms the "War on Drugs" inflicts on women using the NOW web-
site, NOW materials and literature, and regular NOW legislative updates, including updates on pending legislation that would negatively impact women; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED*, that an ad hoc committee be convened to research current drug policy that has a particular impact on women and report back to the leadership and membership at the next national conference on a potential action plan to be implemented locally and nationally in conjunction with other organiza-tions currently working towards the same objectives.

Scarlett Swerdlow, Executive Director
1623 Conneticut Avenue NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009
202.293.4414(p) 202.293.8344 (f)

Attachment: http://drugsense.org/temp/part432.html

Pregnant women with untreated drug or alcohol problems are getting arrested and jailed for child abuse. ~ Our commentators say this goes against the best medical advice and subverts the intentions of child-endangerment laws.

Editor's Note: The following is a commentary. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily the views of Women's eNews.


(WOMENSENEWS) --In recent months, pregnant women have been arrested and jailed in South Carolina,  New Mexico,  Arizona,  Alabama,  Colorado, Georgia, Missouri,  North Dakota  and New Hampshire, among other states, based on the claim ~ that pregnant women can be considered child abusers even before they  have given birth.

Women targeted for these arrests are usually those with untreated drug or alcohol problems.

Other women have also been arrested for endangering the fetus by not getting to the hospital quickly enough on the day of delivery and by not following doctor's advice to get bed rest.  ~ ~  ~  One woman who suffered a stillbirth was arrested for murder based on the claim that by exercising her right to medical decision-making and postponing a Caesarean section, she caused the death of her child.

Law enforcement officials often justify the application of criminal laws to pregnant women by claiming that the arrest and imprisonment of pregnant women will pro-tect fetuses and advance children's health.

"We have to look at each fact to determine what the right thing is to do to protect the children," Jerry Peace, a South Carolina prosecutor, said recently.

But every leading medical organization to address this issue -------- including the American  Medical  Association, the  American  College  of  Obstetricians  and Gynecologists, the American College of Nurse Midwives, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the March of Dimes--has concluded that the problem of alcohol and drug use during pregnancy is a health issue best addressed through education and community-based family treatment, not through the criminal justice system.

As leading public health and child welfare groups have long noted ------ pregnant women do not experience alcoholism and other drug dependencies because they want to harm their fetuses or because they don't care about their children. Threats Don't Work!!!

Medical knowledge about addiction and dependency treatment demonstrates that patients do not, and cannot, simply stop their drug use as a result of threats of arrest or other negative consequences.  ~ ~ This is one reason why threat-based approaches do not work to stop drug use or to protect children. Such approaches have, in fact, been shown to deter pregnant women not from using drugs ---- but rather from seeking prenatal care and what little drug and alcohol treatment may be available to them.

Health risks to women, fetuses and children ---------- whether arising from poverty, inadequate nutrition, exposure to alcohol, drugs or other factors-can be mitigated through prenatal and continuing medical care and counseling.

For this to be effective, however, the woman must trust her health care providers to safeguard her confidences and to stand by her while she attempts to improve her health ---- even if those efforts are not always successful. Transforming health care encounters into grounds for prosecution ---------------- and turning health care professionals into agents of law enforcement destroys this all-important trust.

Not only does the threat of arrest deter women from seeking care that could further both maternal and fetal health ----- but the imprisonment of pregnant women itself also poses significant dangers.

A 2005 Maryland case belies any claim that arresting pregnant women protects fetuses, children or families.

Kari Parsons was imprisoned specifically to protect the health of her fetus.

She was arrested when she was seven months pregnant because a drug test man-dated as part of her probation for shoplifting returned a positive result.  ~Though standard practice is to release people arrested for probation violations on their own recognizance until their later court dates, the judge in Parsons' case sent her to jail, citing his interest in protecting the fetus's health.Born in a Jail Cell

Yet three weeks later ------ because of the judge's ostensible concern for the fetus, Parsons' son was born in conditions that put both his and his mother's health and life at risk.

Parsons gave birth to her son alone in a dirty Maryland jail cell furnished only with a toilet and a bed with no sheets. She had been in labor for several hours and had countless times pleaded for help and medical attention. The requests were denied.

The Jennifer Road Detention Center, where she was incarcerated, repeatedly ignor-ed her cries that she was well into labor and needed to go to the hospital.  ~ Other inmates, hearing Parsons' cries, implored guards to take her to the hospital.

Instead, guards took her out of a holding area with other inmates--who had helped to time her contractions--and put her in a cell by herself.  ~ ~ ~  A few hours later, Parsons gave birth completely alone, without health care or support of any kind. According to press reports, although completely healthy when he was born, her  son soon developed an infection due to the unsanitary conditions of his birth.

Only last week, a woman gave birth in a Harris County, Texas, jail cell.  ~ Another inmate who witnessed the birth told local television news reporters that despite the pregnant woman's pleas for medical attention, guards refused to help her.  ~ She gave birth in a jail cell without medical assistance.

The argument that arresting pregnant women protects fetal or maternal health is squarely contradicted by another typical prison condition.

Prisons throughout the United States restrain and shackle women throughout pregnancy and during labor, even though international human rights law bans restraints under these circumstances.

When Kari Parsons began to have labor pains a few days before giving birth, she was taken to a medical facility and later returned to the detention center. She was transported in handcuffs and shackles. ~ ~ Although international law and treaties signed by the United States ---------- prohibit the shackling of pregnant and birthing women, Amnesty International USA reports that only two states --------- Illinois and California--have banned the barbaric practice throughout pregnancy and child-birth.

Besides being dehumanizing and totally unnecessary for public safety, the use of shackles and handcuffs during pregnancy and childbirth is dangerous to maternal and fetal health.

Pregnant women in their third trimesters may already have balance problems; shackling their legs heightens the risk that a woman will fall, potentially injuring them and their fetuses. Also troubling is that the use of restraints during labor can, according to Amnesty International USA, "compromise the ability to manipulate (the pregnant woman's) legs into the proper position for the necessary treatment."

Furthermore, when the doctors need to remove the restraints to provide adequate care--such as performing an emergency Caesarean--it can take five or 10 minutes to locate the keys, unlock the shackles and free the woman's legs. This delay can be the difference between life and death for a woman or her child.

In 2005 Regina Kilmon and Kelly Lynn Cruz in Talbot County, Maryland ----- were arrested and charged with child abuse and reckless endangerment when they gave birth in spite of a drug problem. ~ ~ The local social services director, Cathy Mols, said that such prosecutions were "helpful in protecting children and families."

Recently -------- Maryland's highest court unanimously overturned the convictions, concluding that the state legislature never intended its child endangerment law to be used as a basis for policing pregnancy. ~  Such a ruling, however, should not have been necessary to persuade prosecutors and other state officials that arresting and imprisoning women is no way to protect pregnant women and their children.

Julie B. Ehrlich is a law student at New York University and legal intern at National Advocates for Pregnant Women. Lynn M. Paltrow is an attorney and executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women.


We at Medical Assisted Treatment of America welcomes your comments.  Please send any feedback you have on the issue to:

Mothers with substance abuse issues are generally victims of sexual and domestic violence (97 percent). Often, the underlying reasons for addiction among mothers are untreated post-traumatic stress and/or major depression disorders, precipitated by the injuries of sexual and domestic violence.  ~ When these mothers seek out treatment to heal from their addiction, they face an uphill battle. ~ ~ ~  Families struggling with substance abuse issues are offered few opportunities to find treat-ment and recovery for themselves and their families.

The 1996 Uniform Facility Data Set found that only 6 percent of the treatment programs surveyed included prenatal care and 11.5 percent provided childcare. Only 37 percent of mothers in need of drug treatment who are mothering children under the age of eighteen receive any kind of treatment services.

Parents involved in the child welfare system are especially impacted by the dearth of drug treatment programs available to families:  ------- Over two-thirds of parents involved in the child welfare system require substance abuse treatment, yet exist-ing treatment meets less than one third of that need.  ~ Only ten percent of child welfare agencies report that they can successfully find substance abuse programs for mothers and their children who require the treatment in a timely manner.

The newly passed Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) mandates that child welfare systems make permanency decisions for any child in foster care for 15 consecutive or 15 of 22 months.  ~ ~ Often mothers cannot even gain access to substance abuse treatment programs within that timeframe. Because of the dearth of available treatment for families, many mothers seeking treatment must enter single adult treatment programs and make a "Sophie's Choice" between custody of their children or treatment.

The absence of treatment opportunities for families has also extended out to the criminal justice system.  ~ ~ Since 1986, following the introduction of mandatory sentencing to the federal drug laws in the mid 1980s, and its adoption by many states at about the same time ------- the number of women in prison has risen 400 percent, according to a recent Department of Justice report ~ ~"Survey of State Prison Inmates"; for black women, the figure is 800 percent.

Most of these women and mothers incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses are suffering with substance abuse issues. In federal prison, for example, 87 percent of the women report being drug addicted. These women and mothers are untreated addicts who are criminalized for their addiction rather than offered treatment and rehabilitation.  ~ ~Mothers struggling with substance abuse are more likely to be afforded access to prison than to comprehensive family treatment.

When it is available -- family treatment offers a comprehensive opportunity for a parent to heal from addiction with their children.  ~ ~ ~ Families struggling with addiction possess the basic human right to find healing for themselves and their families. Denying mothers and their children the chance for recovery,instead often throwing these mothers into the prisons and the criminal justice system,entrench-es low-income families in their poverty and ---- unfairly disintegrates sacred family ties. 

Reference: http://www.rebeccaproject.org/issues.php

Women, we must not allow this to happen. It is time! We decide it is time to stop!
It is men making most of these decisions and there is more women than they are men.  Do you want them deciding what is best for our children? (I am not saying
there are not capable men because they are.) If they think it is better for a woman
to give birth in a jail cell then they are badly mistaken.  Addiction Is A disease!!!

Please let me know you give a d- - -?  Have you become so involved with yourself you just don't care anymore? It could happen to you,  and if it does then you just might need a taste of what it is like to change your mind.  ~ ~ We must start caring before it is too late.  ~ ~  I promise you if helping others don't make you feel better about yourself,  then you are hopeless.  ~ ~ We women need to stick together and fight  for our rights. There are more of us working then men.   ~ ~We can make  a change if we unite. How about it? ~ Please take an interest and let me know you care?  How about some feedback on these issues? 

If you have any other issues concerning women then please let us hear from you? I will be more than thrilled to print what you have to say.  Take action!  ~ Use to get your word out to the people.

       Updated By:  Rozi Fox                       Updated:  20 March 2008