HEALING FAMILIES AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY.
On May 6, 2017, the Carroll County Bar Association will be hosting the 1st Annual Kentucky Derby Fundraising Gala beginning at 4:30 PM at The Barn at Sierra Springs, 1075 Old Four Notch Road, Whitesburg, GA 30185.
The proceeds will go to a very special service that is forming in the Carroll County Juvenile Court; Healing Families Program.
Healing Families is an intervention program for substance-abusing parents involved in the child welfare system through a Family Treatment Court.
The consequences of parental substance abuse result in many children in foster care because of family disruption, parental neglect, physical abuse and child maltreatment.
Approximately 6 in 10 children in Carroll County dependency cases are children of substance abuse parents. I would venture to guess that this statistic is consistent with other counties in west Georgia like Douglas, Coweta, Troup, Heard, Meriwether, Haralson, and Paulding. I was shocked when I learned this information.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide substance abuse, mental health and family-based treatment for parents to ensure that the high rates of children involved in the child welfare system receive much better outcomes.
Healing Families blends the coercive ability of the court with treatment and other needed services to more effectively address substance abuse and addiction in families.
Other counties using a Healing Families Program have seen an average of 20 to 30 percent greater treatment completion rates and approximately 20 to 40 percent reunification rates higher than non-participants. In addition, children of the dependent parents spend less time in out-of-home placements than their counterparts.
Healing Families in Carroll County also affects neighboring communities. Oftentimes, families move from one county to an adjacent county for several reasons. The counties in west Georgia operate in a symbiotic way. For instance, the quality of life in Carroll County affects the quality of life in Coweta County. The reverse is true as well.
While I do not handle child welfare cases, I see the devastating effects of broken homes and how these children face the vicious cycle of having shattered homes of their own in the future. These future events deteriorate west Georgia, increase the poverty rate, increase the incarceration rate, reduce the tax base, and produce the kind of suffering that is difficult to describe.
Obviously, this concerns me as a citizen, father, and member of our community.
Healing Families has received so much attention that the Carroll County Bar Association decided to host a fundraiser on the day when the horses will sprint at Churchill Downs.
Some of the festivities will include a Derby themed buffet and hors d’oeuvres, auction of Derby horses for Win, Place and Show, a cash only Bar (drink tickets may be purchased prior to and at the event), Best Derby Hat Contest, live viewing of pre-derby races at Churchill Downs, and live viewing from Churchill Downs of the running of the 143rd Run for the Roses.
This will all take place at the beautiful Barn at Sierra Springs with live music throughout the day.
Healing Families is fortunate to have sponsors from all over the area providing financial donations for the event that can be tax deductible. More sponsors are needed to make this a huge success. Sponsorship levels range from $100 (single ticket) to $10,000 (Superfecta.)
Healing Families also has several tables available; $1000 for a table of 8, $500 for a table of 4.
I encourage every person and business in our area to become a sponsor, enjoy a beautiful May afternoon, and know that you have invested not only in the children of broken homes, but the community.
For more information about the event, please contact Cynthia Daley – cynthia@daleykoster.com, visit the website – www.carrollcountybarassociationkentuckyderbyfundraisinggala.com, or the Facebook page – Carroll County Bar Association’s Kentucky Derby Fundraising Gala. Please consider “liking” the Facebook page and sharing it on your timeline.
I look forward to seeing you there.