PROGRAM NEEDS HELP

Keystone Substance Abuse Services says it costs about $10,000 to house,
feed, treat and counsel a client in the nonprofit organization's Boarder
Bed program. The program, which is in danger of curtailment or termination
for lack of money, would be a bargain for taxpayers at twice or even

10 times the price.

Boarder Bed provides lodging and round-the-clock supervision and treatment
for pregnant women who have abused drugs or alcohol but who want to keep
from harming their unborn children. According to Janet Martini, executive
director of the nonprofit substance-abuse treatment center, about 125
mothers-to-be have completed Boarder Bed since its inception in 1998. The
program costs about $200,000 a year, which sounds like a lot of money but
really isn't when compared to the cost society incurs when a child is born
addicted to narcotics or suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome. If such a
child ends up in a state institution until age 18, the cost to taxpayers
easily could exceed $1 million.

Like many worthy social programs, Boarder Bed faces a dim future in this
climate of government cutbacks. Indeed, it has never received significant
direct government funding but rather has relied on start-up grants and
other donations from private sources. Nevertheless, other agencies that
support Boarder Bed are themselves facing state cutbacks. A recent
fund-raiser, underwritten by Metro Grille, is expected to help, but Boarder
Bed still needs more than $150,000 next year.

Ideally, a similar program will be adopted by the state, which would make
it eligible for third-party funding such as Medicaid and other health
insurance plans. In the meantime, Keystone continues to scratch and dig for
private donations. Anyone who would like to assist in this worthy effort
may contact Janet Martini at Keystone Substance Abuse Services, 324-1800;
P.O. Box 4437, Rock Hill, SC 29731.