SAN ANTONIO – A mother struggling with drug addiction is no longer waiting to get the help she needs.
She and her daughter traveled thousands of miles from home and will spend months away from their family as the mother tries to overcome her addiction.
Rayna Hardy traveled from Montana to find Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas on the South Side.
“Especially on hard days, when you feel like you’re going to quit or like, you’re ready to quit. But then you look over, you see your daughter smile, and you just can’t,” Hardy said.
Adult & Teen Challenge is a faith-based addiction recovery home that has served men, women and teenagers for decades.
For the first time, it has five spaces for women and their children.
“I think if there was more available, more women would seek help, and that’s part of the problem is the shame and the guilt in covering it up and then not getting the care you need,” said Adult & Teen Challenge Women’s Campus Director Amy Schmidtzinsky.
People receive counseling, financial literacy, and job support. There is also a childcare center.
“The beautiful thing about the Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas is that 78% maintain recovery two years post-graduation. And that’s an incredible number that you just don’t see very often. Usually, you’re looking at 15%, 20% two years post,” Schmidtzinsky said.
Hardy wants other mothers to know that you have to take care of yourself to better care for your child.
“I would say don’t wait. There is help. There are options,” Hardy said.
If you know someone who needs support on the road to recovery, you can call 210- 319-1325 or visit their website here.