Ballad’s Strong Futures Program to Open Monday | Local News

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Ballad Health’s Strong Futures residential rehabilitation program will officially open on Monday at the old Takoma hospital.

Strong Futures takes a holistic approach to care and treatment for mothers diagnosed with an addiction disorder and their children.

The regional program was announced in January and currently serves four women. Ballad’s vice president and CEO of Behavioral Health Services Tammy Albright said the four women would move to the newly renovated residential area on the fourth floor of the old Takoma hospital on Monday.

Albright, who started working at Takoma Hospital in 2006 as a head nurse, is delighted that the facility has opened and to see Takoma being used again. She organized a tour of the facility on Friday morning.

“It is heartwarming to see the reassignment of this facility. The work continues here and we are doing what is important to the community, ”said Albright.

The fourth floor of the old hospital has been transformed into a residential space for up to 12 women. Of the 12 rooms available, two are suites which each have two bedrooms, one for a mother and one for a young child. The other 10 bedrooms can comfortably accommodate a mother and infant or toddler.

According to Ballad’s Senior Director of Addiction Services, Dr Michael Bermes, children will be able to stay at the facility as long as they are 5 years old or younger. The reason for the current age limit is due to funding restrictions for grants from the state government of Tennessee.

A woman must be a mother to be admitted to the residential program. This also includes mothers-in-law, pregnant women or those whose children have been taken out of the home but who are working towards the goal of reunification.

Each of the hotel’s 12 rooms has a changing table, a small refrigerator and a safe to secure medication. In both suites, the children’s room has a bed and a cradle. Cribs can also be placed in the other 10 bedrooms if required.

In addition to the residential rooms, the establishment has two day rooms for the relaxation and rest of the patients.

A common room is for mothers to use mainly on their own for reading and relaxing. The other day room is more oriented towards children’s recreation. It contains toys and room to play.

Also on the fourth floor is a large kitchen where instructors from the University of Tennessee extension office will come and teach residents how to cook. A laundry room is also included where residents can do their own laundry as well as a study room with computers so residents can work toward their GED or pursue other educational opportunities. There is also a common area where residents can eat and socialize with each other.

According to Bermes, Ballad used the Ronald McDonald House as a type of blueprint to design how to make the space functional and comfortable.

Bermes wanted the space to be different from other facilities. The emphasis is on making residents feel as independent as possible by being able to do their own laundry and cook for themselves.

Albright compared the arrangement to living in a condo or a dormitory.

Ballad has marketed the program’s services to OBGYNs, pediatricians, recovery courts and other parts of the justice system.

“We want children to have the best possible life, and we want to give mothers skills that will help them make a positive impact in the community,” said Albright.

Bermes echoed the idea of ​​keeping families together and touted that the program offers more support than many short-term programs.

“It’s all about families,” Bermes said, “We can change the addiction paradigm. Other concepts have failed because they can only go 50% or 75% of the way, and you end up compromising. There will be no compromise here. We can help future generations and fight poverty with this program which we hope will be a long term solution. We want lasting change.

According to Bermes, month-long recovery programs do a thing, but for many, they’re not effective enough. Mothers can stay at Strong Futures for up to 15 months.

Bermes believes that drug addiction affects the entire community, not just those struggling with drug addiction. He feels called to do his part to help solve the problem.

“Drug addiction is a cancer for all of our society. It creates dysfunction, economic disaster and pain, ”Bermes said. “It is our duty to provide this service to the community.

The Strong Futures program serves Greene, Carter, Cocke, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties.

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