(Hawk's 'Subject'; Note: Here's the second in that 4-part series by Shannon
Wright. It was at the bottom of page 18A and was accompanied by a picture
of Carmen Williams getting baptized.):

MENTORS ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO RECOVERY FROM DRUG ADDICTION

A single woman picks up a mother and her five young children for church
every Sunday.

An older working mom mentors a young mother just entering the work force.

It may not sound like textbook drug rehabilitation, but many experts are
exploring the benefits of involving private citizens in the rehabilitation
of recovering drug addicts.

Mel Taylor, executive director of the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse,
said the council is considering the idea of mentoring people through churches.

"It's not about being religious, it's about finding people who are living a
different lifestyle they can embrace and who will help with the day-to-day
support of how to sign a lease, how to get a phone, how to attend
parent-teacher conferences," Taylor said. "Many of our clients don't have
those skills."

The investment of private citizens and churches offers recovering addicts a
vital sense of community, Taylor said. "When people know they're really
supported by their community, they'll work harder to live up to those
expectations."

Ramona Williams is the beneficiary of such a program. The Singles Ministry
of Brentwood Baptist Church had volunteered at Star of Hope for several
years. When the group looked into adopting a family, it was referred to
Williams, who had just moved from the Star of Hope.

Roshanda Johnson is the missions coordinator for the Single Adult Ministry,
and she drives Williams and her children to and from church every Sunday.
In addition to providing a church family, the ministry, funded by a monthly
$2 donation from everyone in the class, has provided Williams with a set of
bunk beds for the children and summer clothes and shoes for all five of
them. They also plan to aid her in purchasing uniforms this year since four
of Williams' five children will be in school or early childhood programs.

"It's going pretty good," said Johnson, who has been involved with
Williams' family for almost four months. "She's not used to having someone
at her beck and call, so she's been very hesitant to ask for things."

Williams has spoken of joining the church choir, and four of her children
were baptized in early August.

Guy White has headed up the ministry to recovering addicts and others
suffering from compulsive behavior at First Baptist Church for 10 years.
First Baptist was one of the first area churches to institute the 12-step
program used by Alcoholics Anonymous.

The ministry features three Sunday morning Bible studies, as well as
Tuesday and Thursday night meetings and a forthcoming Wednesday night study
on boundaries. Each Sunday morning class draws an average of 30 attendants.
The class is divided further into care groups, clusters of 10-20 people
with a leader, who form a more intimate group.

Private citizens and churches can also provide practical help, such as
transportation and childcare, while recovering addicts get back on their
feet, said Pat Comilleau, Williams' counselor at the Haltlands, a drug
treatment program under the auspices of Volunteers of America. Other needs
are tutors for adults and children, since many of Comilleau's clients have
not completed high school.

But before the public can aid recovering addicts, Comilleau said, "they
must be educated and open up their hearts. We need people who will commit
to being there. We have so many clients come in with no support at all.
Everyone is afraid of these people (recovering addicts). If they're
educated, they can help us give them a second chance."

Copyright 1998 Houston Chronicle

Checked-by: Pat Dolan