National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center : Direct Service Programs : Directory : Fresh Start

Strengthening Connections
September 10-12, 2012
This conference is designed to increase your knowledge of parent-child attachment in families affected by HIV, substance abuse, and trauma. More...

2012 Webinar Series
The Resource Center will host four webinar trainings in 2012 on stable housing, community partnerships, HIV medication adherence, and peer workers. More...

Addressing the Needs of Parentified Children of HIV Positive Parents
The first in a series of Research-to-Practice briefs, this document addresses best practices for working with HIV negative children who have taken on a more parental role in the family due to a parent's positive HIV status. [PDF]

Engaging and Retaining Pregnant and Parenting Substance Users in Programs
This Research-to-Practice Brief details recommendations designed to increase retention and engagement when working with pregnant and parenting substance users. [PDF]

Online Tutorial: Women and Children with HIV/AIDS
This tutorial is designed as an introduction to the complex issues associated with HIV/AIDS among women and children in the United States. The tutorial can be taken for 2 CE units. More...

Online Tutorial: Substance Use During Pregnancy
This tutorial provides an overview of the prevalence and nature of substance use among pregnant women in the United States. The tutorial can be taken for 1 CE unit. More...

Webcast: School Readiness in Infants and Toddlers Affected by Substance Abuse and/or HIV
In this webcast, representatives from three agencies share what they are doing to address school readiness for young children affected by perinatal substance abuse and/or HIV. More...

National Abandoned Infants
Assistance Resource Center
University of California, Berkeley
1950 Addison Street, Suite 104 # 7402
Berkeley, CA 94720-7402
Phone: (510) 643-8390
Fax: (510) 643-7019
E-mail: aia@berkeley.edu

FRESH Start
102 Suffolk St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
413-887-1761
Debra.Bercuvitz@state.ma.us

Project Director
Debra Bercuvitz

Project Advisor
Karin Downs
karin.downs@state.ma.us

Evaluator
Walter Leutz

Sponsoring Organization
Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Description:
FRESH (Family Recovery Engagement Support of Hampden County) Start in Western Massachusetts works with pregnant women and new parents affected by substance use disorders, and their children. Our home-based program helps clients to achieve and maintain recovery, and to improve their capacities to safely parent their children. Our peer mentors provide intensive case management, recovery coaching, systems’ advocacy and parenting support. Developmental assessments for infants are provided through a partnership with Early Intervention programs.

FRESH Start strongly emphasizes cross-systems collaboration: we sponsor joint and cross-training for substance use disorder treatment, child welfare, legal and early intervention providers; and we hold multi-provider case conferences. We also seek to build a longer term recovery community through the sponsorship of a client-initiated mother and children’s recovery group, and an open Narcotics Anonymous meeting with childcare for mothers.