Since 1969, Walden House has provided behavioral health and human services in the San Francisco Bay Area, while specializing in substance abuse treatment. Throughout the years, patterns of addiction have become increasingly complex. The needs of addicted individuals are extremely diverse, shaped by their socioeconomic, vocational, physical, emotional and cultural experiences. Walden House is committed to seeking innovative strategies to keep pace with the changing face of addiction.
Located in El Monte, California Walden House has a program specifically designed to meet the needs of women and children called FOTEP. FOTEP is the Female Offender Treatment and Employment Program and was designed for women who wish to participate in substance abuse treatment while they simultaneously reunite with their children and families, improve their parenting skills, learn self sufficiency and expand their vocational possibilities. The FOTEP program takes the Holistic approach and helps women in every area of their lives and strives to reconnect and help families heal.
The CLARE Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing compassionate treatment and recovery services for alcoholism and substance abuse to individuals, families, and the community. Eleven residential, outpatient and community-based programs offer culturally sensitive English and Spanish recovery services to a diverse population of men, women, children, the homeless, those facing criminal prosecution for drug and alcohol offenses and the general adult population. At CLARE, recovery involves individual effort, the support of others, and a clean, secure and sober environment.
SHIELDS for Families, Inc. is a comprehensive, community-based agency, incorporated as a private, non-profit agency in 1991. The SHIELDS’ Heros/Sheros program provides prevention and early intervention services at two sites for children, ages 6 to 18, whose parents are enrolled in a SHIELDS substance abuse treatment program. The project funded by Specialty Family Foundation expanded the SHIELDS for Families’ Heros and Sheros Program at the Genesis site to add two additional Youth Specialists to provide services to 30 youth, ages 6-18, whose mothers are enrolled in substance abuse services. During the school year, youth are picked up after school by our transportation department, and engaged in services Monday through Friday, from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. When children are on Holiday and during the summer, the program operates from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the same hours their mothers are in treatment. The majority of our youth participate in program activities for 12-18 months, however, several youth have remained in the program for as many as five years. Currently, SHIELDS is the only program in the country that enrolls all children in services with their mother or father, enabling families to remain intact and reducing out-of-home placement rates, particularly for children of color.