AT CENTER, METH MOMS CAN KEEP KIDS WITH THEM DURING REHAB

For years, officials charged with helping the state's drug addicts have
said methamphetamine-using moms are Utah's biggest drug problem.

Next week, Salt Lake County will have new help in tackling the problem -- a
center, the first of its kind in Utah, dedicated to treating meth-addicted
women who have children or are pregnant.

Valley Mental Health, Salt Lake County Substance Abuse and the state
Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health on Tuesday unveiled the
Cottonwood Family Treatment Center, which will allow up to 12 meth patients
to bring their children to live with them while enrolled in a 90-day
in-patient drug treatment program.

"One of the hardest things for me was to go through treatment without my
kids," said Jodi Gelino, a recovering methamphetamine addict.

Gelino's 2-year-old daughter was taken into state custody while she
completed a drug-treatment program. Gelino's 14-year-old son was in the
custody of her ex-husband.

Once she completed her in-patient program, Gelino, who also was pregnant,
was given her daughter back, adding pressure to stay clean.

"When you're done with a treatment program and get your children back, you
have all this new stress," Gelino said, who has been off meth for more than
10 months after an initial relapse.

The center, near 700 East in Midvale, is designed to help women with their
addiction as well as helping them become better mothers.

"The treatment isn't just about the mom's recovery," said Susan Mitchell,
coordinator of women's treatment services for Valley Mental Health.

"They'll work on their recovery as well as the recovery of the family."

The treatment facility is a home that Valley Mental Health converted into a
traditional drug-treatment center decades ago. The home was emptied last
year when Valley consolidated several drug-treatment centers.

The center will house eight women, who can bring as many as four children
apiece. Each family will have its own bedroom. There also will be space for
four pregnant women.

When the women complete the program, they will move into an intensive
outpatient program.

Officials have long reported a connection between methamphetamine and women
with dependent children.

According to Valley Mental Health, 68 percent of the women in treatment for
meth are mothers.

Over the past three years, the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program has
reported that Salt Lake City has one of the nation's highest rates of
methamphetamine abuse by women.

In 2001, 29 percent of the women questioned for the study while being
booked into the Salt Lake County Jail reported they had used
methamphetamine in the past year -- seventh highest out of the 22 cities
surveyed.

Pat Fleming, the director of Salt Lake County Substance Abuse, said a
similar center in Provo is set to open in several weeks.