Miracles in Recovery
San Bernardino, CA (PRWEB) July 28, 2005
We are aware of the destructive toll drugs and alcohol abuse have taken in the lives of Americans. Lives from the aged to the unborn have been, and continue to be, harmed, hampered and destroyed.
But, that doesnÂ?t have to happen. There are individuals and organizations in every community ready and willing to do what they can to save lives and help people regain their self-worth and rehabilitate them to become productive members of society.
In San Bernardino and Riverside counties thereÂ?s MIR, Miracles In Recovery.
For four years Beverly and Cleo Smith have worked with clients to bring rewarding and fulfilling lives back to those who have been trapped by the circle of substance abuse- A circle that often seems unbreakable.
Â?We believe that every life is a miracle,Â? says Executive Director Beverly Smith. Â?Unfortunately, many lives have been taken, and are trapped under negative influences of drug and alcohol abuse.Â? These, and other addictions, she feels, are hiding the Â?miraclesÂ? in this world. Â? We at MIR are in operation to recover these miracles, to reclaim them for Christian values.Â?
Miracles In RecoveryÂ?s CEO, Cleo Smith also takes the positive approach. He says, Â?As long as the miracle of life is there, then, recovery can take place.Â?
MIR created three powerful and meaningful programs to turn lives around, to break that circle forever: Save the Babies Perinatal Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program, Residential Alcohol and Drug Treatment for Men and Women, Sober Living Homes and/or Transitional Living Homes.
Save the Babies Perinatal Program focuses on treating pregnant women who are still trapped in the world of substance abuse. These future mothers know that what goes into their bodies will affect the lives of their unborn children. They want to change, want to do whatÂ?s right for their children, but how? Possibly theyÂ?ve tried, and likely failed. Drugs and alcohol are powerful enemies, and the body has no doubt developed an unrelenting dependency. In the pregnant woman, drugs and alcohol can cause birth defects and brain damage.
But, the dependency can be stopped. The unborn baby can be freed. As Cleo Smith puts it, Â? We achieve substance abuse abstinence by going beyond the usual approaches. We treat the entire, person, mother, in four ways: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We provide a structured program that encourages women to take an active and productive role in their own recovery.Â?
To do this MIR, provides a supportive environment for mothers as well as children, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Structured programs and meetings show mothers that there are options, powerful and positive oneÂ?s to redirect their future, to turn their lives around for their own well-being and that of their unborn child.
There are individual and group therapy sessions that last until the women are ready to move on to the next stage of their personal recovery. And thereÂ?s more: MIR provides access to medical services as needed, conducts meetings utilizing the internationally successful Â?12-Step programÂ? of recovery, they also provide referrals for vocational training so mothers are ready to earn satisfying livelihoods when they are eventually back on their own. Additionally, MIR offers classes to the mothers to help develop parenting skills and relationship building because, Â? Being a mother takes work, dedication, skill and love,Â? says Cleo Smith.
Â?Our goal,Â? Beverly Smith states firmly, Â? is to return women to their communities with the resources they need to stay drug and alcohol free. Not just for themselves but for their families. Upon the completion of this program they receive a continuum of care and ongoing support in an aftercare program.Â? At MIR you donÂ?t just finish a program, walk out the door and youÂ?re on your own.
Miracles In Recovery has a second more involved program, the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program. Â?We bring together adult men and women who have demonstrated a strong desire and willingness to change their lifestyle,Â? says Cleo Smith. Â? To do this we provide not only drug and alcohol counseling, but hope to phase residents into an independent lifestyle of Sober Living that includes housing along with the support of the Drug and Alcohol treatment programs. Since 2000 we have, provided comfortable, safe homes for men and women to ensure they are starting over at a structured standard of living from what they may have been experiencing before.Â?
There is ongoing counseling and supportive services, of course, as well as the continuing 12-Step Program. But thatÂ?s not all. While in a six-/-nine-month program of gradual re-integration into the community, the men and women of MIR stay in any of three houses that are in safe and valuable areas in the community, surrounded by a positive environment so the people can discover a better quality of life that they may not have experienced in their pre-MIR past. The facilities have rooms for 12 men and 12 women in the Transitional Living Program. There are 18 Sober living beds and 18 Treatment beds.
Says Beverly Smith,Â?Our goal is to return these men and women to the community with the necessary support structure, to ensure a lifetime of recovery they will need in order to hold a job and care for their families, independently, on their own with their new found strength and abilities.Â?
The Smiths started their recovery effort simply out of a desire to help people live better lives; behind each of them are years of training and experience.
Beverly Smith has a BachelorÂ?s Degree in Social Science and with a MasterÂ?s in Counseling from the University of Alabama. On the road and on the street, her experience with people in crisis has been broad and varied. In her career with the Los Angeles Probation Department, Beverly worked with a narcotics caseload, Proposition 36 Program, and also supervised Adult and Juvenile caseloads. In that capacity she managed thousands of Adults and Juveniles who have been convicted of life-hampering felonies. She also supervised a proposition 36 caseload.
Before creating MIR, Cleo Smith worked for 32 years at General Motors. He worked his way up from the warehouse to the Employee Assistant Program (EAP). Management picked him to serve in the EAP because he exemplifies recovery in action. He has also taken panels to numerous hospitals and jails and prisons throughout the state. Cleo initiated a Neighborhood Watch effort that he later led as President in Gardena, CA. He is well known in the Los Angeles area as an individual who consistently gives back to the community, with a wonderful talent of starting Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. With MIR, Cleo focuses on community, communication and coordinating the organizationÂ?s projects with providers and others throughout the state of California.
Miracles In Recovery is at 1064 North D Street in San Bernardino, and may be reached at (909) 381-3974.
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