Professional Documents
Culture Documents
org
Provide comprehen-
gram is significantly less
expensive than putting the
mother in jail and placing a sive and innovative
child in foster care,” said services to the broad-
Berman, who added that est range of metro
another key benefit to plac- New York’s popula-
ing mothers in treatment tion who abuse
is the increased likelihood
drugs, abuse alcohol,
of keeping a family togeth-
have mental illness.
er by helping mothers
retain custody of their
children. Provide high quali-
ty, holistic treatment
Darielle Baker with her daughters. Baker has been sober for 14 History of Treating
impacting all major
months and is training to become a medical assistant. Women with Children
Odyssey House has
life spheres: psycho-
Saving a family been treating women with logical, physical, so-
Darielle Baker is in treatment at the Odyssey House children in residential pro- cial, family, educa-
family program in East Harlem with her two daughters. grams for over 30 years. tional, and spiritual.
“Both of my parents were addicts and I was forced to The first parent/child
grow up too soon with too little guidance,” Baker said. “I
started using cocaine at the age of 19 to help battle severe
program began in 1973,
allowing families to reside
Support personal re-
depression,” she said.
habilitation, renewal,
together while parents re- and family restora-
“By the time I was 23 I was using cocaine every day. I
ceived treatment. Odyssey tion.
was also a young mother. Because of my drug abuse, I
House now has one of the
ended up incarcerated and having my oldest child taken
away from me.” largest family programs in
the state of New York. Throughout its activi-
Baker was referred to the Odyssey House Family Center
of Excellence. In 2004, Odyssey ties, Odyssey House
“I was lucky. I had just found out I was one month House admitted 128 undertakes to act as a
pregnant. The judge told me if I went to Odyssey House I women with their young responsible employer
could have my baby there and I could get my oldest children; more than one and member of the
daughter back. I was relieved. I was happy. And I was third from the criminal jus- community and to
determined to make it work,” Baker said. tice system. manage the assets of
the organization in a
Give to the “Friends of Odyssey House” campaign. Please contact: professional manner.
Odyssey Foundation, 95 Pine Street, New York, NY. Tel: 212-361-1609.
Page 8 Odyssey House news
95 Pine Street
New York, NY 10005
www.odysseyhouseinc.org
Tel: 212-361-1600