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fighting addiction giving women hope Programs help battle abuse
A Woman's Place providing services to women affected by substance abuse for over 20 years
Date published: 6/17/2007
BY ERICA MASON Sharon Cross is dedicated to helping women in the Fredericksburg area end their dependency on drugs and alcohol. Cross is the coordinator for A Woman's Place, a Fredericksburg clinic that provides services to women affected by substance abuse. "In society, women have such a hard time in different areas," Cross said. "You want to see them succeed." Opened in 1986, A Woman's Place has a seven-member all-female staff. Last year, 339 clients came to the center seeking help. Project Link, the sister clinic to A Woman's Place, works on parenting issues with women affected by chemical dependency. In May, both clinics hosted an open house to raise awareness about the services they provide. "We just really wanted to get ourselves back out there," Cross said. "It's been a long time since we've done any sort of open house and reached out to the community." According to Cross, the event was a success. Community members, former patients and Fredericksburg Mayor Tom Tomzak stopped by. "People came as soon as we opened the doors," Cross said. Cross said sometimes it takes women a while to open up, but that most clients who come to the clinic are willing to be helped eventually. "They may not give us their history right away, but once they get comfortable and trust the staff, they talk to us," Cross said. A Woman's Place serves women based on how much treatment they need. Cross said some women need tri-weekly treatment while others need it on a monthly basis. "Our primary program focuses on group therapy and some individual therapy," Cross said. If a client's insurance does not cover treatment, A Woman's Place allows payment on a sliding scale, based on income and living expenses. Project Link manager Deidre Bryant said watching the mothers with their children was the most rewarding thing about her job. "I like just watching the mother-child interaction improve," Bryant said. "You see a woman who's really struggling, and she reaches an 'aha' moment," Cross said. "It's nice to be a part of that." Cross said sometimes it is difficult trying to figure out how to track women once they've left the program. She said they are working on ensuring that women who leave the clinic stay clean. However, working with the women is what Cross and Bryant are there to do. "We have that connection with them, being women ourselves," Cross said. Erica Mason: 540/374-5000, ext. 5658Email: emason@freelancestar.com
Date published: 6/17/2007
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