Treatment
-----------------------------------------------Gratitude House is able to restore hope to the lives of many women and children thanks to the support of our generous donors.
Mothers & Infants in Treatment Together (MITT)
Last year 2,019 babies born in Florida were diagnosed at birth with drug withdrawal, narcotic exposure or both – 219 of those infants were born in Palm Beach County. The MITT (Mothers and Infants in Treatment Together) program provides a tremendous opportunity to help addicted women and their babies at a critical time in their developing lives. The treatment is child-focused, helping women to have safer pregnancies, healthier babies, become better parents, bond with their infants, and assure infants receive appropriate developmental interventions & support.
Our MITT Program is specifically designed for pregnant and post-partum women and allows women to have their infants (up to 1 year) reside in treatment with them, ensuring a safe environment for the bond between a mother and baby to flourish. We believe it is important to address and treat the issue of pregnant and postpartum women using drugs in a therapeutic and educational setting while not forcing new or expectant mothers to choose between treatment and caring for their babies. Upon entering treatment, pregnant women are connected with the high risk pregnancy center at St. Mary’s Hospital and are medically treated there for all required prenatal services and doctor’s appointments. One of our goals is to help in the delivery of healthy, drug-free babies, while providing women with the tools to remain drug and alcohol free.
Another goal is to foster change in high-risk, co-occurring women while at the same time reducing the risk of infant maltreatment by protecting and nurturing the safety and developmental capacity of the infants. The first years of life provide the basis for children's mental health and social-emotional development. We provide prevention, intervention and support to our mothers and infants to help build parent/child relationships which support attachment and positive social-emotional development of children, in other words, good mental health for both moms and their children. Clients attend groups to help them understand the importance of early attachment & positive social-emotional development of children. Our staff is trained in early childhood development, Touchpoints, and Triple P Parenting (Positive Parenting Program). All clients attend groups to help them understand the importance of early attachment and positive social-emotional development of children. Along with their substance abuse treatment, our Infant Mental Health Specialists provide child-parent psychotherapy, infant assessments and evaluations to ensure their child is meeting their sensory and developmental milestones and obtaining social-emotional wellness and secure mental health.
We also provide comprehensive support services, such as Case Management to review client needs, enroll in food stamps, WIC, Medicaid, healthcare and help to find housing. MITT clients are taken WIC shopping and taught how to plan and budget for their necessities. Our vocational counselor helps clients with their resumes, job searches or educational pursuits. We work to lay a foundation for a healthy, sustainable future and in doing so we’re creating a better life for them & their children.