Options for Recovery and SPARK Training
Options for Recovery (OFR) is a program within the Human Services Department of Santa Cruz County. The OFR program provides specialized recruitment, training and respite care for foster parents and federally eligible relative caregivers. The target population is children from birth to 60 months that have been prenatally exposed to alcohol and/or other drugs or who test HIV positive.
The goals of OFR include:
- Early intervention to prevent the devastating effects of maternal substance abuse on infants.
- Improvement in the health and welfare of infants and children of substance-abusing women.
- An increase in the availability of treatment for pregnant and parenting women to improve recovery outcomes.
- Provision of comprehensive services for substance-abusing women, their children and families.
- An increase in the ability of biological and foster mothers to effectively nurture the children.
- More awareness and knowledge among professionals and the larger community about alcohol and drug addiction and the recovery process.
- And, whenever possible, reunification of the substance-exposed and/or HIV positive child with the biological parents.
One of the key components of OFR is close collaboration with local alcohol and drug programs to assist with family reunification and to provide education to foster parents, biological parents and the community at large.
SPARK (Successfully Parenting At-Risk Kids)
For those families considering fostering and adopting younger children, Cabrillo College offers SPARK training. In seven three-hour sessions, SPARK training provides information about the effects on children of prenatal substance exposure and parental substance abuse. Effective parenting techniques for children affected by substance abuse are discussed. These classes are free of charge.