Press Release | Contact: Kristie Greco (202) 225-6416

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield) today announced that he was able to help Oregon Relief Nurseries secure a $350,000 grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services Administration. The grant will allow the agency to take its Accessing Success Peer to Peer Recovery Support Services to parents of children at risk for abuse and neglect in Cottage Grove, Salem and soon to be released women in the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville.

"Oregon's Relief Nurseries provide invaluable early intervention services to children at serious risk of abuse or neglect," said DeFazio. "The Relief Nursery has a great track record of success, and I am pleased this funding will help continue their important work."

"This grant gives a virtually unique opportunity to help clients maintain sobriety, keep their children safely in their home and form Recovery Community Organizations in each community served," said Relief Nursery Executive Director Jean Phelps.

Governor Ted Kulongoski called Relief Nursery and its Accessing Success program "a pioneer in peer driven recovery support services offering a program in which parents of young children can support each other to fully recover from substance abuse while learning to be better parents."

A former Relief Nursery Accessing Success parent, named Christie stated, "I truly believe had I not gotten involved with Accessing Success program that I would not be clean today. I had a peer support who I trusted to call, someone who had been where I had been and knew what I was talking about. I had someone who I felt was on my side and believed in me. Today I am proud to say that I have been able to stop the cycle of addition criminality and abuse."

Project manager, Cheryl MacGinitie added,"In today's funding climate for treatment, which is ever diminishing, the award of this grant to provide recovery support services to parents of young children is heartening. I am renewed in my belief that SAMSHA is on the cutting edge."