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Exciting News… Announcing the Texas Change in Mind Learning Collaborative

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In April, Santa Maria was selected as one of 10 sites to participate in the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities’ Texas Change in Mind Learning Collaborative. With generous funding from the Episcopal Health Foundation and the Powell Foundation, the collaboration will begin this spring and run through June 2023.

The selection announcement included the overarching goal that “the group will infuse, accelerate and align brain science research throughout the human-serving sector in an effort to create lasting systems change and influence policy that will ultimately improve the lives of children and families in Texas”.

The Texas sites selected include: the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, the Austin Public Education Foundation, Bastrop County Cares, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, the Children’s Museum Houston, Family Service Center of Galveston County, Fort Bend County, New Hope Housing, Santa Maria Hostel and the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies. Each was included through demonstration of their ability to translate brain science concepts into programs, practice, and policy change.
Santa Maria was selected for its work in the Caring for Two program, which provides evidence-based support, education and tools to help families improve their ability to care for, nourish and interact with their young children, supporting positive brain development. Over the last several years, SMH has expanded services for the entire family unit, strengthened children’s services offerings and increased capacity to serve at-risk families in community-based settings and deepened our specialization in serving pregnant women and those with young children who are affected by substance use and trauma.

“We would like to develop initiatives for sharing our learning with the larger community, including parents, as well as educating our partners in targeted systems such as child welfare, criminal justice, healthcare and housing”.  

~Nadine Scamp, CEO Santa Maria Hostel

June is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Awareness Month

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NAS refers to the symptoms a newborn baby experiences from in utero exposure to substances or medication, typically an opioid.

Every 25 minutes a baby is born with NAS. Texas’ NAS Medicaid birth rates have increased every year since 2013.

With increased attention on the opioid epidemic, it is important to remember most pregnant women do not intend to become dependent on substances. It is our fight to end this stigma.
Subsequently, opioid use among pregnant women has also increased during the opioid epidemic. There has been a dramatic increase in maternal opioid use and NAS —Pregnant women using opioids should not discontinue use because of the risk of maternal relapse, overdose, withdrawals, and fetal demise. In 1998, the National Institutes of Health consensus panel recommended methadone for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in pregnant women dependent on opioids. It is still considered the gold standard of care. Tapering (reducing the dosage) of MAT during pregnancy is not recommended.
In recognition of June as NAS Awareness Month, the team at SMH hopes to accelerate efforts to:
  • increase awareness about NAS to pregnant women concerning the dangers of using opioids during pregnancy
  • increase education and reduce stigma in seeking help for pregnant women using opioids that they should not discontinue opioid use due to the risk of maternal relapse, overdose, withdrawals and fetal demise
  • provide community resources available to pregnant women in Texas

The awareness initiative is promoted by Texas Health and Human Services with the aim to spotlight the rising number of babies born in Texas with NAS and the substantially increased risk of maternal mortality due to opioid overdose just after birth.

 

Each year SMH supports many expectant mothers through residential treatment and community-based intervention and care for affected individuals. Through our programming, we support the health of the mother and the ability for healthy babies to be born and thrive.

If you are interested in more information, please consider registering for the NAS public symposium, here.

Help us welcome our new Chief Development and Communications Officer, Cary White

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Cary White, our new Chief Development and Communications Officer is a native of Florida but no stranger to the needs of underserved communities and families struggling to make ends meet in Texas, that is why for the past 25 years she has dedicated her life to enhancing life transforming services through programming, fundraising and local likeminded partnerships.

For the past 5 years, Cary spearheaded the development department at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Houston that served over 13,000 low-income families in the Denver Harbor and Airline area in Houston.
Before coming on board with Santa Maria, Cary worked at one of Houston’s most premier Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (FQHC) founded to fulfill the need for high quality affordable health care to medically underserved communities. In this role, Cary was responsible for securing multi-year funding sources that would expand and support over 13,000 families a year. All awhile building impactful collaborations with corporate partners, local foundations and successfully cultivating long lasting ambassadors to support and serve its’ mission.
Cary has two daughters that also work in local nonprofit agencies and when asked, she will tell the apple doesn’t fall far from tree, it’s in our families’ DNA “I love to see people reach new levels that were once, just a dream, it inspires me and gives me great joy to be able to serve in this capacity.”
Cary graduated from the University of Miami and has a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in marketing.

We are proud to announce our recent three – year accreditation by CARF International

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Our original award of CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) recognition was March 3, 2018. Our recent renewal survey awarded us three additional years of recognition. This distinguished award was earned by Santa Maria after a process of intense inspection which recognized the focus of our leadership to continually improving services, gathering pertinent feedback from participants and to meeting internationally recognized standards in care.

The accreditation process began with a thorough self-evaluation that applied the relevant CARF standards against the organization’s practices. Next, we requested a CARF survey followed by an on-site survey. We were visited by Industry peers who followed a consultative approach during the on-site survey. In addition to interviews of staff, persons served and their families, the surveyors observed organizational practices, reviewed appropriate documentation, answered questions and suggested ways to improve operational and service deliveries.
Following completion of the survey, CARF renders an accreditation decision and delivers a report that identifies the service provider’s strengths and areas for improvement and its level of demonstrated conformance to the standards. The Santa Maria leadership then completes a Quality Improvement Plan and submits it for review.
We would like to recognize and congratulate our leadership team for their achievement.
Mary Buchner,
Chief Clinical Officer
De’Audra Whiting,
Senior Director of Quality Improvement
Valencia Jack,
Executive Assistant

Led by Mary Buchner, Chief Clinical Officer and De’Audra Whiting, Senior Director of Quality Improvement and expertly coordinated by Valencia Jack, Executive Assistant.

Texas Bar Foundation Extends Award

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Santa Maria (SMH) was recently the beneficiary of an award from the Texas Bar Foundation for our Court Liaisons Services program, led by Tommy Austin. This program is the only one of its kind in the state and strives to advocate for timely access to care, treatment and services for women involved in criminal justice or Child Protective Services systems in Greater Houston.

As a professional responsible for coordinating logistics for people involved in legal cases,Tommy Austin has been serving the residents of Santa Maria for over 15 years. He works as a go-between for various agencies and individuals helping the legal process run smoothly. The goal of his services is to assist in family reunification. His overall objective is to increase communication and sharing of information between the resident, SMH and the court or Department of Family Services.

In an average year, 5,400 women are served in the program annually. That number has been reduced due to COVID-19, but it is expected that the number will increase once the courts are running normally again. Says Holly, a former resident and beneficiary of Tommy’s expertise, “There was never a time that he did not have time for me. He understood that everything was on the line and helped me keep hope.”

“We are honored to have been chosen by the Texas Bar Foundation for this grant award to support our Court Liaison program. Through this program, Santa Maria advocates for timely access to care, treatment and services for women involved in the criminal justice, or child welfare systems in Greater Houston. Support from the Texas Bar Foundation is so important as the women have no other means to access these services and is especially important now given the impacts of COVID during the last year.” says Nadine Scamp, CEO of SMH.

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $22 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation.

We are grateful to the Texas Bar Foundation for their recognition and support of this vital service.

Spring 2021 Newsletter

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TRUSTING SANTA MARIA CHANGES A FAMILY

On the edges of her life, Courtney had always used drugs recreationally. It wasn’t until her infant son Jacob died in his sleep, co-sleeping with his father that her use spiraled out of control. She could not stand the feelings of anger and despair caused by her grief. She felt she needed to numb her racing mind. And so, she did for two and a half years. She no longer cared for her daughter, Kylie in the loving way she had before. She compromised her own safety, and that of her daughter, as her dependence progressed. Courtney lost her moral compass, her determination and her soul.

It took an arrest for public intoxication and possession in 2014 that landed her in the Harris County jail to get her attention. It was there, as she detoxed without medical assistance from “whatever she could shoot into her veins” that she discovered she was pregnant. It was through that arrest, involvement with CPS and the introduction of a restorative option of treatment, that she came to Santa Maria. She arrived at her new residence depressed, angry with God and in denial about her real situation. She mistrusted the staff and could not believe they were on her side. She was often non-compliant with assignments, policies and procedures and prescribed routines. Early on, she was not making progress.

Eventually, new thinking started to surface. There was her family to consider. There was another baby on the way. Following the path of recovery, this baby could be born healthy and thrive. Also, with a clear head, she began to see how her decisions had affected Kylie’s life. Although Kylie was in the safe care of her grandparents, this vulnerable child, who had suffered so much from her mother’s absence, began to have serious emotional issues. It was in the loving and compassionate support that the SMH staff showed her daughter that Courtney finally realized she was in a place of help and hope not just for herself, but also for her children. She opened her mind and her heart and began to fully participate in everything that was offered. She continued with outpatient treatment for three months.

Today, on reflection, she feels like the unity with the other residents, the parenting classes, the 12 -step groups and the tenacity of her treatment team are the major contributors to her successful discharge. With the unbelievable care she received during her difficult pregnancy and the early birth of her baby girl, Courtney began to structure her life around her own health and her children’s development. With the extended time available through the safe housing program, she was able to become a better parent and integrate her recovery skills into their lives.

Even now, she still structures her day with the simple discipline she learned while she lived at Bonita House. She still wakes up every day and vows that just for today, she will not use drugs. She calls her sponsor, she attends women’s support meetings, prepares meals, runs the carpool for school and helps with her children’s activities. “Some might say I live a boring life, Courtney says, but I know that I am focused on the good things, the things that matter.” Courtney celebrated 5 years in recovery this past November.

Kylie, now 18 and a senior at Humble High, shares her family’s story with her friends. She has just been awarded a $60,000 scholarship to attend Howard Payne University and plans to study business and psychology. She feels that the individual counseling and family therapy she received made her worry less about her mom and understand her better. “These things have made me stronger. I share my experiences with no shame. I am proud of my mom.” Courtney adds, “Santa Maria literally changed our lives. It saved us – our whole family.”

SHE IS THE FACE OF RECOVHERY.

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Our Sweet Easter Blessings -from members in the local community!

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This year, there are glimmers of hope as the number of vaccinated people increase.  However, at Santa Maria we are still adhering to strict COVID-19 protocols, so our celebration had to be planned around those safety measures.   We were able to celebrate Easter on both campuses, involving our moms and kids in the holiday.

We are so grateful to our partners in the local community for showering us with so much love.  Without your support these celebrations would not be possible.

 

Easter with TEAM Maldonado and Low Masters Car Club

Easter is a major family holiday celebration, especially for children. Kids are excited to meet the Easter Bunny,  go on an egg hunt with their friends and eat a few jellybeans.  This year all of these traditions were made possible thanks to a generous group of volunteers: TEAM Maldonado and Low Masters Car Club.  The joy that this Easter Bunny brought was almost unreal… kids and adults waved and said hello with such an excitement!

Snow cones and popcorn treats kicked off the celebration, as our families enjoyed the beautiful spring weather, while social distancing.  Soon, an antique car parade arrived on the scene, with the Easter Bunny in the final truck.

Soon after, our volunteers had an enormous barbecue pit going to feed our families delicious burgers and hot dogs, grilled in their special smoker.  An amazing egg hunt followed dinner with over 1,000 eggs and other toys spread on the lawn.  The hunt was the biggest part of the afternoon entertainment and as the families headed back inside, each mom and child were given a special goodie bag.

We are so grateful to Omar and Anna Maldonado from TEAM Maldonado, Low Masters Car Club and everyone else who made this possible. Thank you for bringing so much joy to our campus and sharing your cheerful spirit with our residents. It was a colorful and joyful celebration enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Thank you for your support to Santa Maria, thank you for your friendship, thank you for your love.

Cindys Toy Box

Here is Cindy Schoeller with Cindys Toy Box who brought 85 Easter baskets filled with Discovery Toys, candy and eggs for our children. Each basket was made with age-appropriate toys for learning and development. This is Cindy’s second year to bless our kids! Thanks to the loving spirit of Cindy and her customers whose donations and time make this happen! Baskets were distributed over the weekend to some lucky lads.

 

Archway Academy

Mom ,Lisa Lyerly and daughter, Presley dropped off lots of items for our moms at Jacquelyn House to assemble Easter baskets for their children. Dozens of stuffed eggs, buckets, Easter grass and small toys made great choices for the project! Our thanks to the families at Archway Academy who pitched together to bring us these festive items. Lisa and Presley have been visiting Bonita House since before Presley was born! They make each holiday special with their thoughtful gifts.

 

Christ Church Sugarland

Our friends from Christ United Methodist Church delivered Easter baskets for our kids at Bonita House and craft kits for spring! Pictured are Sandra Vautrain, women’s group coordinator and JoAnn Marshall, case manager at Santa Maria receiving this beautiful bounty of donations.

 

Easter Basket Assembly with our residents at Jacquelyn!

Our residents at Jacquelyn campus put together Easter baskets for their children… each basket was thoughtfully assembled by the moms along with a handwritten, personalized message to each one of their children. These mothers had a joyful and fun afternoon thinking of their children who are at home while they work hard in their recovery treatment!

Recovery Day at The Capitol

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Led by Amelia Murphy, our Senior Director of Recovery Support Services, many of our peer recovery support specialists are learning and practicing advocacy skills through preparation and participation at the 2021 Recovery Day at the Capitol. With the advice and counsel of Jen Powis, from Bolder Advocacy, these dedicated and passionate Santa Maria professionals are learning to ask governmental representatives to help them by supporting legislative bills that promote and fund prevention, treatment and recovery for the citizens of Texas.

Recovery Day at the Capital is scheduled for Wednesday, March 31.  The virtual session will begin by featuring an overview of current bills in committee and headed towards consideration in this session. Later in the day, virtual office visits with State Senators and House Representatives are scheduled. Registration is open to all who have interest through the Recovery Peoples’ website Recovery Day at the Capitol 2021 – RecoveryPeople.

Recovery People is an organization which supports peer-led recovery by connecting people, communities and resources, building the capacity of recovery workforce and support services and shaping recovery policy and program development.  The group is a peer-led and peer-driven organization which believes in grassroots engagement.

Bolder Advocacy is a program at Alliance for Justice.  Our coach and counsel, Jen Powis, offices in Houston and specializes in working with non-profit leaders to acquire skills within the rules that govern non-profit advocacy for effective options that are open to them. She works with mission-driven organizations who seek sound public policy and support for the issues they represent.

 

 

 

 

We are proud of our recovery support specialists and their dedication to their peers. They are the face of RecovHERy.

Recognizing our partner: HOUSTON 20

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Her father had always been frightening. He loomed large over her, in rages that would often end in severe and painful “punishment”. Trying to protect her two younger sisters, she would stand in his path and take the blows herself. When her mother tried to step in, he would turn his anger towards her and her mother would often be badly beaten.
But life took an even darker turn when her father drove her to a small house with a fence around the yard. There, she was “sold” and taken in the trees surrounding the property by a stranger. This began a pattern of being given to men she did not know. They did unspeakable things to her. She was five.
For Maria (not her real name) the years before she came to Santa Maria were filled with violence and continued abuse. Rarely did she feel safe and there was always someone who profited off her pain. Finally at the age of 24, Maria found a place where she could begin to heal.
Maria now finds the support she needs in a network of agencies that understands human trafficking on a deep level. She has received treatment for substance use, counseling, job training and life skills. As she gains her independence and stability, these non-profit agencies assist her with the healing and the skill development she needs to become independent. She has identified two crucial components to her journey in recovery- finding a place that she felt safe and accepted and working an understanding trauma counselor.
“Only in my trauma counseling sessions, did I finally open up to the abuses, the violence and the humiliation that I had suffered. I found a safe way to finally speak about the pain and the hopelessness that was my life,” she says.
Although trauma counseling is vital to recovery for those that have experienced trafficking, it is costly and requires extended sessions.  At the beginning of the year, SMH was seeking funding to add to our roster of available counselors.  We did not want to be unprepared for the many clients who required these life-changing services. We wanted to add a part- time counselor to our staff.
Self-described, Houston 20 is a” growing group of influential and committed Houstonians who are forming a movement to advocate for the end of sex trafficking and sex trade in our city by supporting the non -profit organizations providing direct services to victims and survivors.” Their influential circle advocates for policy, funding and attention to the scourge of human trafficking.
In addition, they have created a non-profit team, Houston Area Against Trafficking (HAAT), comprised of direct service providers who share best practices and needs in a spirit of cooperation. Houston 20 fills the gaps and increases the capacity of these agencies to everything from bottled water and grocery gift cards after a disaster, to direct support for programming and large items needed to continue services, safely and with dignity. The collaboration is enhanced by leadership and focus from Houston 20 co-founders Jennifer Hohman and Amy Pierce.
We are grateful to Houston 20 for their funding, but just as important, we appreciate their kindness and concern expressed through notes, check-in’s and kind words to our staff.  They are living their mission and making a real-world huge difference.

#FightForUs is a Social Community Movement to raise our voices and combat sex trafficking.

BECOME AWARE. GET ENGAGED. FIGHT.

2605 Parker Road
Houston, TX 77093
tel 713.691.0900
fx 713.691.0910
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OUR MISSION

The mission of Santa Maria Hostel is to empower women and their families to lead healthy, successful, productive and self-fulfilling lives.

Santa Maria Hostel