GRANT MONEY TO AID PARENTS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION

Children born into families shattered by drug addiction often end up
as victims of abuse and neglect. Many are placed into an already
overburdened foster-care system, social services officials say.

"Southern Oregon's high rate of methamphetamine use has devastated
families and overwhelmed our fragile foster-care system," said Dr.
Rita Sullivan, OnTrack's executive director.

OnTrack on Thursday received a 5-year, $2.5 million grant from the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for
Children and Families. The money is designed to help Southern Oregon
children grow up in healthy, drug-free families, said Sullivan.

The newly acquired funds will support programs aimed at reducing the
number of children placed into foster care due to parental substance
abuse in Jackson and Josephine counties, she said.

The funding will be used to help high-risk parents access immediate
substance abuse treatment while continuing to care for their children.

"When children must be removed from the home for safety reasons,
services will enable families to maintain sobriety and stability in
order to re-unite as soon as possible," Sullivan said.

Services will be provided through a collaboration with local
partners, including the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA),
the Department of Human Services (child welfare), Options for
Southern Oregon, the Center for Non-Profit Services, Jackson
County Community Drug Court and the Commissions on Children and
Families in Jackson and Josephine counties.

Other state recipients include Baker County, Klamath Tribes and
Multnomah County.