They Call Me Momma:
Relatives Raising Children

Part 3 - Contributors To Parental Neglect

Aired September 10, 2001

The Women's Re-entry Resource Network reports that nearly 80% of female inmates have children under the age of 18. Since 1980, the female incarceration rate has almost tripled. In Ohio alone, the Bureau of Research and Statistics estimates there are almost 2,500 women incarcerated in the state's three female correctional facilities. These figures only begin to represent the growing number of parents unable to raise their own children. In the next installment of our series, "They Call Me Momma: Relatives Raising Children," we take a closer look at the factors contributing to growing parental neglect. And as 90.3 WCPN®'s Renita Jablonski reports, drug abuse is at the top of the list.

Renita Jablonski–Cleveland resident Deborah Ray is able to enjoy a weekend afternoon with her family - but that wasn't the case four years ago.

Deborah Ray–In 97 of May my mom died and she had custody of my six nieces and nephews. When she died we went there to the house, it was supposed to be me and my sister taking care of my sister's kids. Four days after that my sister died and then I took custody of her six kids. About a year later I got involved in drugs, the county stepped in, and removed all six of them plus my child.

RJ–It's the type of story that Stephanie Fallcreek, Executive Director at Fairhill Center has heard time and time again.

Stephanie Fallcreek–It may be that someone comes to this role through a tragedy. In fact, it's usually a tragedy of some kind. It may be a long standing chronic issue like substance abuse where it finally gets to the point that the children are going to be taken away from their birth parent or their custodial parent.

RJ–A report issued through Bellefaire Jewish Children's Bureau and the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services shows nationally, 81% of birth mothers whose children are in kinship care experienced drug abuse. Closer to home, the figures are much the same. Francis Mills is a director with the Cuyahoga County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board. She says in 2000, the agency provided services for nearly 3,900 women - 73% of which were mothers.

Francis Mills–Our collaboration with Department of Children and Family Services began almost four years ago as the department was seeing increases in the number of children that were either temporarily or permanently removed from the home due to the parent or relative's substance abuse.

RJ–Mills says with the growing number of these situations, getting the proper treatment to people like Deborah Ray is becoming challenging - even more so when you consider recent budget constraints.

FM–We're seeing a decrease in funding due to the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, their cuts, but also the census has played a significant role in determining what per capita funding will be for not only 2002 but 2003, throughout 2005 and we expect additional cuts over the next year.

RJ–When Deborah Ray's child, as well as her six nieces and nephews, were taken from her by the county, Ray went into treatment at Recovery Resources of Cleveland.

DR–It just really had me going. So much money being spent on drugs, not on the house like it was supposed to be and they were like, being neglected.

RJ–Ray is 43 years old. She started experimenting with drugs when she was 16. Her drug of choice was cocaine. The description matches that of a majority of women seeking help through the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board. Latest statistics show not only are most mothers, 64% are African American and half are between the ages of 36 and 55. But Stephanie Fallcreek says it's important to look at the whole picture.

SF–It is really important not to ghettoize this issue. Drugs is no respector of income.

RJ–Ray says when you consider parents who are unable to care for their children, not only is it important to take into account issues like incarceration, drug abuse, and HIV/AIDS, but also what led to those things in the first place.

DR–A lot of stress, a lot of people's being depressed, poverty itself, welfare, not being able to find the right job, not enough education.

RJ–Things Ray says she experienced firsthand.

DR–And it was like drugs were saying, "Well you know, I'm your friend, I love you, I care about you," and that's where I went.

RJ–Ray has lived both sides of the kinship care dilemma - that of a parent that could not raise her own child because of an addiction, and soon she may be a kinship caregiver all over again.

DR–It's like I once was blind but now I can see and I see a lot of mistakes where I didn't do so, we work on that.

RJ–And Ray says just as using cocaine was a choice she made on her own, so was the decision to give herself a second chance at being a mother.

DR–It's taking that first step and you got to get out of denial first.

RJ–In Cleveland, Renita Jablonski, 90.3 WCPN® News.