Drug Abuse Prevention Center

P.O. Box 890

Kelso, Wa 98626

Dear Mr. Nolte:

I am writing to support DAPC’s effort to establish inpatient treatment capacity for pregnant and post partem women in Cowlitz County. Cowlitz County Guidance Association, d.b.a. Lower Columbia Mental Health Center, is in full support of this effort.

Cowlitz County’s pediatricians estimate as many as one in five children are born with illicit substances in their bloodstream. A child born affected by narcotics already has a strike against them. It is well documented, drug affected children have increased rates of mental and physical disabilities. The consequences of allowing a baby to be born drug affected are numerous and devastating, on the child and society. The child will grow through an entire life of struggles to learn, be healthy and belong. Society will pay tens of thousands of dollars in increased healthcare costs for the child. With quality treatment, this is a situation we can impact in a very positive way.

I commend and support your efforts to develop inpatient treatment especially designed for pregnant and post partem women. As a community mental health center, I pledge my agency’s support in helping you attain this necessary goal for our community. Please let me know how I may help.

Sincerely,

Eric Yakovich

Community Caring Project

Octomer 8, 2004

Mr. Gus Nolte

Executive Director

Drug Abuse Prevention Center

P.O. Box 890

Kelso WA 98626

Dear Gus:

We applaud and heartily support your efforts to secure sixteen pregnancy and postpartum treatment beds for our area. At Parents Place we provide a variety of services to families and it is with our First Steps program that we come in direct contact with women who would greatly benefit from this treatment option.

First Steps is a statewide program providing maternity support services and infant case management to low income, Medicaid eligible women and children and we are one of two providers in Cowlitz County. Parent Place enjoys a strong partnership with the Cowlitz County Health Department. Through an effective team approach, qualifying women and children are in regular contact with behavioral health specialists and public health nurses. We see them in their homes, at our offices and at multiple sites countywide. The two First Steps service providers see nearly 500 women monthly. The likelihood that we can identify 16 women who need pregnancy or postpartum beds from this population is a relative certainty.

Our experience indicates that visitation contact greatly increases the likelihood of completing any treatment program. The financial constraints faced by our clients severely restricts their ability, and almost without exception, the ability of their family and other support structure, to travel out of area for any service. We believe that local treatment beds would be far more effective and have a far greater positive benefit for the women and children in our community if, for no other reason, they are more likely to stay and complete a treatment plan because they are supported by friends and family.

Cowlitz Meth Action Team

By providing a Pregnant and Parenting Women’s Residential Program here in Cowlitz County we can fight this problem not just here but in the many surrounding counties that are similarly affected by this issue. With the increase in methamphetamine use, many counties are seeing a huge increase in the number of women addicted that can not quit using this drug without significant inpatient treatment. The severity of the effects on the children living in a home with methamphetamine use is unfathomable. They live through things that we cannot even imagine. This will continue to happen until we deal with the issue of drug using mothers.   I believe DAPC is the best agency in Cowlitz County to provide these services.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at any time at (360) 577-3041 orslenhard@cwcog.org.