For many mothers in Maine, the decision to get help for a substance use disorder comes down to one difficult question: What happens to my children while I’m in treatment?
That question stops far too many women before they ever pick up the phone. The fear of being separated from a child, even temporarily, can feel bigger than the addiction itself.
However, getting well and staying close to your children are not mutually exclusive. At Crossroads, there is a path forward that lets you do both. Keep reading to learn more about residential addiction treatment options built around mothers and children.
Why the Fear of Leaving Children Keeps Mothers From Treatment
Guilt, shame, and worry are constant companions for a mother struggling with addiction. On top of that, the practical questions pile up quickly. Who will watch the baby? Will I lose custody if I admit I need help? What if my child forgets me while I’m gone? These are some of the most common reasons women delay care, sometimes for years.
The tragedy is that waiting rarely makes things better. Substance use disorders tend to progress, and the longer treatment is postponed, the harder recovery can become for the whole family. A program built around keeping mothers and children together removes the single biggest barrier standing in the way of that first step.
A Program Designed for Mothers and Their Children
Crossroads offers a Children and Mothers Residential Program (CAMP) specifically for pregnant and postpartum mothers who want to recover without leaving their families behind. Located in Windham, Maine, this residential program was created around a simple but powerful idea: a mother shouldn’t have to choose between her recovery and her role as a parent.
Instead of sending children to stay elsewhere, CAMP welcomes them into the recovery journey. Mothers live on-site with their children and have access to childcare while they attend counseling, support groups, parenting classes, and other daily activities. It’s a home-like environment where healing happens for the whole family, not just the individual.
Is CAMP Right for Me?
The mother and child program is open to a wide range of women, including:
- Women at any stage of pregnancy
- Mothers with children under the age of five
- Women who are working on family reunification
Whether you’re expecting your first child, caring for a toddler, or trying to rebuild your family after time apart, there is a place for you. And because a licensed, on-site daycare serves children ages six weeks and older, even mothers with very young infants can enter treatment knowing their child is safe and cared for just steps away.
What Does Daily Life Look Like in Recovery?
One of the things that makes CAMP different is how much of life is addressed under one roof. Mothers take part in weekly individual counseling sessions, during which clinicians develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to each woman’s specific needs and goals.
Daily women-only therapy groups, such as Healthy Relationships, Moms in Recovery, and Living Sober, give clients the chance to connect with other women facing similar struggles. There are also daily Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings on-site.
The clinical approach is both gender-responsive and trauma-informed, meaning treatment is designed specifically around the experiences and challenges women face in recovery. Crossroads draws on evidence-based curricula such as Seeking Safety, A Woman’s Way Through the Twelve Steps, Motivational Interviewing, and Relapse Prevention Therapy, proven tools that help women understand their addiction and build the skills to sustain long-term sobriety.
Learning to Parent With Confidence
When a substance use disorder has consumed a mother’s attention, parenting can feel overwhelming once she’s ready to reengage. CAMP addresses this directly through parenting and children’s services designed to rebuild confidence and connection.
Mothers take educational classes covering the needs of newborns, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as developmental milestones and strategies for nurturing and communicating with children. The goal is to strengthen the mother-child bond that addiction may have strained. At the same time, children are monitored for any medical or developmental concerns, and mothers are connected with the right specialists if their child needs extra support.
Practical Support That Makes Recovery Possible
Recovery is hard to focus on when a dozen other worries are competing for your attention. That’s why the program includes case management and assistance services that handle many of the practical pieces of life.
Case managers can help connect women with OB/GYN care, primary care, or other specialists to protect their health during and after pregnancy, and they can arrange medical care for infants and young children as well. They also help women secure safe housing upon completing treatment and locate community resources for ongoing support. With those foundations in place, mothers can enter and leave treatment feeling more confident and less alone.
For women whose substance use is intertwined with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health conditions, Crossroads also provides dual diagnosis treatment that addresses both challenges at once, because lasting recovery depends on treating the whole person. When appropriate, medication-assisted treatment can be part of the plan as well.
What About Paying for Treatment?
Cost is another worry that shouldn’t stand between you and getting well. Crossroads is CARF-accredited and works with most major insurance plans. If you’re unsure what your coverage includes, you can verify your insurance benefits confidentially, and the admissions team can walk you through payment options so there are no surprises.
You Don’t Have to Choose Between Recovery and Your Children
If you’re a mother in Maine who has been putting off treatment because you can’t imagine being apart from your child, this is the reassurance you’ve been waiting for. You can get the care you deserve and keep your family together while you heal.
Recovery is possible, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. To learn more about the Children and Mothers Residential Program or to ask questions, contact Crossroads today or call 877-978-1667. The first step is a phone call, and your children can stay right by your side for the rest of the journey.
