Moms and pregnant women with substance abuse issues are highly stigmatized by society and are often considered to be high risk, making it terribly difficult for them to find the help they need. “But why would you treat a mom with diabetes any differently than a mom with addiction problems?” asked Anna Rodriguez, Manager of Santa Barbara’s Perinatal Program at Project Recovery, “They’re both diseases.”
Jennifer Valentine, 31, a mother of six and a longtime abuser of meth recently completed the Perinatal Program at Project Recovery and re-gained custody over two of her daughters.
Born to two meth-addicted parents in Ventura, there was never much hope for Valentine. As a child, she was abused, molested, and raped. She smoked meth for the first time when she was only 11 years old. She became pregnant with her first son at age 14.