Our reason

Rural families and communities in central and northern New Hampshire have been severely impacted by our state’s substance use crisis yet have far less access to treatment than more heavily populated parts of our state. Untreated, perinatal substance use is associated with significant morbidity and mortality for these women and their infants, including infectious disease, prematurity, poor fetal growth, and neonatal withdrawal leading to prolonged hospitalization. FFNE will help reduce these devastating outcomes by offering a residential program for pregnant and parenting women based on American Society of Addiction Medicine’s 3.5 Level of Care. Using a modified therapeutic community model, support can last up to one year, focusing on the following approaches:

Trauma-Informed

FFNE understands and considers the pervasive nature of trauma and promotes an environment of healing and recovery rather than practices and services that may inadvertently re-traumatize.

Strength-based

FFNE emphasizes each woman’s self-determination and strengths, while viewing them as resourceful and resilient in the face of adversity.

Nonjudgmental

FFNE is committed to the acceptance of setbacks and providing extra support as needed.

THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES (TCs)

TCs have a recovery orientation, focusing on the whole person and overall lifestyle changes, not simply abstinence from drug use. This orientation acknowledges the chronic, relapsing nature of substance use disorders and holds the view that lapses are opportunities for learning.

TCs encourage participants to examine their personal behavior to help them become more pro-social and to engage in “right living” – considered to be based on honesty, taking responsibility, hard work, and willingness to learn. With an emphasis on social learning and mutual self-help, individual participants take on some of the responsibility for their peers’ recovery. This support for others is seen as an important part of changing oneself.

As program participants progress through the stages of recovery, they assume greater personal and social responsibilities in the community. The goal is for a TC participant to leave the program not only drug-free but also employed or in school or training.

National Institute for Drug Abuse. 2020, June 9. What is a Therapeutic Community’s Approach? Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/therapeutic-communities/what-therapeutic-communitys-approach

A PROVEN MODEL

Evidence-based successful treatment of women and children together has been shown to be highly effective. We believe that when women and their children can heal together, they will not just achieve sustained recovery, but they will also flourish. This will have far-reaching benefits for them and their communities for generations to come.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Inclusivity

FFNE fosters inclusivity when developing and enhancing programs for women in recovery to ensure best practices are delivered in a trauma-informed individualized way.

Respect and appreciation

Respect and appreciation for diversity, the foundation of cultural competence, are used to restore women’s self-respect and self-efficacy.

Transparency

Transparency is essential to build trust and to form the connections that support ongoing recovery. FFNE staff are open and honest with each other and residents, and are trained to embrace conflict resolution necessary to build collaboration.

Equity

Equity is key to acknowledging that disparities in healthcare are not experienced equally by women, and FFNE is committed to challenging discrimination based on race, ethnicity, immigration status, economic disadvantage, sexual orientation, or gender nonconformity.