MOM IN DRUG PROGRAM PROGRESSING

FAYETTEVILLE -- Amanda Davidson quietly rocked her baby outside the
courtroom as she waited for her hearing to start.

Once inside, Circuit-Chancery Judge Mary Ann Gunn told Davidson, "You look
great. You look better than you have since I've met you."

Davidson, who tested positive for methamphetamine while she was six months
pregnant, gave birth to a healthy baby boy this spring. Monday was
Davidson's second drug court hearing since returning to the drug court
program about six weeks ago.

Karen Goins, a substance abuse counselor, told Gunn that Davidson hasn't
tested positive again and has attended most of her counseling sessions and
12-step meetings.

Davidson told Gunn she's living with her boyfriend's mother and taking
responsibility for her children for the first time. "Where's that baby?"
Gunn said. "You want to see him?" Davidson said. "Yeah, I want to see him,"
Gunn said. "I can't believe he's sleeping through this."

Davidson, 27, was the Washington County Drug Treatment Court's first
pregnant defendant, although more than one-third of the participants have
children.

The program gives some accused drug offenders the option of completing a
nine-month treatment program instead of facing probation or prison. If a
participant completes the program, the criminal charges are dropped.

After the Jan. 3 drug test came back positive, Davidson was sentenced to 28
days of residential treatment at Decision Point, a substance abuse
counseling center in Springdale. She left the center without permission for
a few minutes Jan. 21.

At a hearing the next day, Gunn ordered Davidson to stay in jail until the
baby was born. On Feb. 2, Gunn changed her mind and sent Davidson to
Arkansas Cares, a substance abuse clinic that offers parenting classes and
job training for women who are pregnant or have young children. The program
also provided prenatal care for Davidson and counseling for her two other
children.

Gunn visited Davidson and her son a few weeks after the baby was born. "It
was a very joyous occasion," Gunn said.

Decision Point Director Larry Counts said methamphetamine's effects on
unborn children resemble those of cocaine. They range from low birth weight
to heart damage and other birth defects. Babies also can be born addicted
to methamphetamine, Counts said.

In Pulaski County, which has the state's only other drug court,
Circuit-Chancery Judge Mary McGowan said she's had a few pregnant
defendants but never one that tested positive for drugs.