There is no lack of demand for the services provided by the Family Renewal Program. It regularly stays at capacity, with a waiting list of women seeking admission. There were initially seven beds available for women and children, but this was recently expanded to twelve beds. Women can stay in the program as long as it is medically justifiable, which is usually at least 90 days and often longer. In 2025, the Family Renewal Program hosted 20 women and 24 children. Six of the women were pregnant, and the other twelve were mothers with young children. Two babies were born while their mothers were in treatment, which means these babies’ earliest experiences in this world were of being showered with love and attention by CADA staff and the women in the program.

 

Christa and Ashley spoke with emotion about the wonder of seeing the miracle of recovery play out time and time again, and being able to directly witness its effects on children who are so often the tragic innocent victims of addiction. They recalled one child who entered CADA’s doors in a carrier, screaming because she did not know the woman with her, who was her mother. When that child left CADA with her mother, she was running and talking – and laughing.

 

The children are the heart of the Family Renewal Program. Christa and Ashley are constantly amazed at how quickly the children adapt to the environment and how quickly they form relationships with the CADA staff. They are happy to be there and always quick to express gratitude for everything they receive. The program provides structure and routine that they thrive on. They can count on receiving three nutritious meals a day. When their time at CADA is complete, many of the children don’t want to leave.

 

This is because they have experienced within CADA’s walls what a normal life with a healthy, functioning family can look like. They’ve had the chance to create happy memories that they will cherish for a lifetime. During this holiday season, for example, the women and children were taken to see the Christmas lights at Lumiere in Stonewall, the likes of which many of the children had never seen before. They built gingerbread houses and drank hot cocoa. Thanks to generous donations from CADA’s Board of Directors, the children received all items on their Christmas wish lists. It is safe to say that this was the most special Christmas these children had yet experienced in their young lives.

 

When they leave, the children may not understand that such happiness and security is possible outside of CADA. But the purpose of the program is to give their mothers the tools to provide just that. It is not all cocoa and Christmas lights at CADA. Substance use disorder is a serious, debilitating disease, and the women work hard at their treatment programs to gain control over their illness. When they first enter the Family Renewal Program, many of the women may not have any idea how to properly care for their own child. Because of the learned habits of addiction and the way it selfishly narrows a user’s focus, some mothers initially lack any interest in their child. The maternal instinct can seem to be completely absent.

 

Much effort by the women and CADA staff goes into healing and rebuilding the bonds between mother and child. In addition to gaining the tools to overcome their substance use disorder, the women are also taught how to be parents. The Family Renewal Program provides the support and stability so important to allowing these women to rebuild their lives and grow as parents and as adults. Many of the women have earned their GEDs and secured jobs by the time they complete the program. They have built a strong foundation to create a stable, successful life for themselves and their children in the outside world.

 

To date the feedback from the clients and the response from the community has been uniformly positive. The women and children love CADA’s staff and the care they receive. Courts are making more referrals to the program, and the Department of Children & Family Services is increasingly willing to work with CADA because of the results they have seen with women who go through the program. Women have entered the program with temporary or trial custody of their children and earned full custody by the time they leave.

 

CADA’s Family Renewal Program fills a vital need in our community. And it will continue to succeed only with the support of our community. Many essential items for young children can be difficult or expensive to acquire. Diapers and wipes are especially hard to keep on hand. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting the Family Renewal Program, please call 318-222-8511 or email christa.walker-williams@cadanwla.org today. You can also donate to us at cadanwla.org/donate.