Family’s ‘Graduation’ to a Drug-Free Life : Heritage House in Costa Mesa Reaches Milestone in Getting Mom, Children Back on Feet

Family life for some drug- or alcohol-addicted mothers has spiraled so far down that, even after they become sober, the basics of family life must be relearned. Yet it’s only been since December that Orange County has had a facility--Heritage House in Costa Mesa--where mothers and their children could regroup and become functioning families. Now Heritage House is celebrating the “graduation” of its first family, and other families are expected to soon follow. A little bit of pomp is appropriate to the circumstances.

Heritage House is actually a group of eight houses, each capable of holding up to six residents, that are owned and operated by the Southeast Council on Alcohol and Drug Problems based in Downey. The most unusual aspect of Heritage House is that it allows mothers to remain with their children while undergoing residential treatment. Too often, mothers will refuse treatment if it means they must be separated from children who can provide motivation for mothers to get away from drugs and alcohol.

There are nine women and their 10 children living at Heritage House. More are expected. There are an estimated 51,000 women in Orange County of childbearing age with a substance abuse habit. Obviously, Heritage House can help only a few.

Of course, providing intensive rehabilitation programs for mothers and their families is not cheap. So far, Heritage House has been fortunate. It is operating on a $438,000 grant from the Orange County Health Care Agency and private donations. But future funding, while not immediately jeopardized, is by no means assured. “We do a lot of praying,” said Jackie Foley, associate executive director of Southeast Council.

Heritage House’s first graduates are Viola Bennett, 28, and her two children, Stephanie, 7 and Dvon, 5. As with all graduates, they are wished good luck and success in the future. The same goes to Heritage House.