Arnall Community Fund gift
supports at-risk mothers and their children

Photo by Pexels-Pixabay

Becoming a parent can be an overwhelming time. Add substance abuse to the mix and the prospect may seem impossible.

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma are implementing a program aimed at helping pregnant women and mothers in this risky and challenging situation, supported by a $1.5 million gift to the OU Foundation from the Arnall Community Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

The award-winning Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP), which will launch in Oklahoma this summer, was developed at the University of Washington School of Medicine and assists pregnant mothers and those with children under two years old who are struggling with addiction.

Studies show that PCAP participants have fewer drug- or alcohol-affected children in the future, advance their education and obtain employment, and decrease reliance on welfare assistance.

“Our hope is to mirror the success in the state of Washington and expand the program throughout Oklahoma and beyond,” said Sue Ann Arnall, president of the Arnall Family Foundation and a committee member of the Arnall Community Fund at OCCF. “Robust evaluation results will hopefully show we can help families thrive while saving critical state funds, which aligns closely with our mission to make transformational changes in the welfare of children.”

PCAP helps mothers with substance-abuse disorders to achieve and maintain recovery and build healthy family lives. Case managers meet with clients at least twice monthly in their homes and communities for three years, providing support and coaching, serving as realistic role models and connecting them with needed community services.

“There is a lot of excitement about bringing this program to Oklahoma,” said Susan Stoner, director of the Washington State PCAP and a research associate professor with the Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute in UW’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

“The need is so great. It is hard enough to become a mother and achieve recovery, particularly now in a pandemic.”

Researchers will enroll participants during the first two years of the five-year program, allowing enough time for the participants to receive three years of PCAP intervention, explained Erin Maher, associate professor of sociology and associate research director for the OU Data Institute for Societal Challenges. Maher is leading the PCAP project in Oklahoma and serving as co-principal investigator alongside Stoner.

“This population of women has complex needs that don’t resolve quickly,” she said. “From housing instability to domestic violence and mental health problems, there are many disruptive pathways to achieving economic and healthy stability. Based on the success in Washington, the three-year duration of services provides a unique, powerful and effective way to serve women with problematic substance use.”

Additional support for Oklahoma program comes from the Casey Family Programs, the Oklahoma Human Services and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.