SHERIFF DART OPENS NEW JAIL SPACE for PREGNANT WOMEN
SHERIFF DART OPENS NEW JAIL SPACE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN – Pregnant women awaiting trial at the Cook County Jail will now be housed together in one area specifically designed to meet their pre-natal needs, part of a unique program unveiled Thursday by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. The program was developed after two years of planning and the tier is fully staffed not only by correctional officers, but also by medical and nursing staff, along with case managers, counselors, mental health professionals and substance abuse counselors. That combined effort is aimed at guiding the women through a healthy pregnancy, providing them with the tools they need to further enhance their parenting skills and the motivation to become successful members of their communities. “As we looked at the special needs of pregnant women in our custody, we started a dialogue about the steps we could take to ensure they deliver healthy babies and ways we can help them understand that the decisions they make are not only affecting themselves, but someone else, as well,” Dart said. “This program is really a step toward breaking the cycles we’re starting to see far too often with our female detainees.” The number of mothers behind bars is growing at a staggering rate — a recent study showed they represent the nation’s fastest-growing prison population. More than 150000 children have mothers who are now incarcerated. It also revealed the loss of a mother to incarceration leads to unique and significant long-term traumas to a child. The Cook County Jail …
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Filed under: drug abuse help centers for pregnant women
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Filed under: drug abuse help centers for pregnant women
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