Federal Funding Cut for Drug Program for Babies, Mothers

A highly praised program aimed at getting pregnant women and new mothers off drugs received some bad news this holiday season.

Administrators of the live-in program--which says that 155 babies have been born drug-free to women living at its facility--were optimistic only a few weeks ago that federal funding for the program would be continued. That was because of Congress’ recent decision to devote more money to drug treatment programs.

But on Wednesday, administrators at Tarzana Treatment Center, which oversees the program, said they have been notified that the funding will not be extended. The program, housed on a residential street in Long Beach, will end Dec. 31.

“You hear all this rhetoric from politicians and in the media about the importance of fighting drug abuse, and then it turns out it means nothing,” said an angry Albert Senella, administrator of Tarzana Treatment Center, which oversees several Los Angeles County drug treatment programs.

“This program serves the most important population we can serve, and that is pregnant women and their children. This is our future.”

A total of 406 women and 203 children have lived at the facility since the program began in 1993. Of the women who completed the program, about 65% remained drug-free a year after graduation, according to program administrators.