Help Equals Hope

Part II of our spotlight on Karen Harrington, author of Janeology

“There’s a collective denial even when mothers come right and say, “I really shouldn’t be with my kids,” says Nancy Scheper-Hughes, medical anthropologist.

“Prior to a homicide, lots of lay people know these men and women are having difficulty parenting,” says Jill Korbin, child abuse expert.

If these two quotes startle you, you’re not alone.
If they make you weep, you’re not alone.
And if they compel you to action, you join an army of others who are also startled and weeping. But there is hope. A good deal of it, in fact.

One of the most unexpected pathways on my journey with my novel Janeology has been to get involved – if only by gaining an awareness of the issues and deciding what I could do. Now, it seems, being a novelist may be sidelined in favor of being an advocate. I think that’s kind of wonderful. Everyone’s original bliss should somehow lead them to helping others.

So let me tell you about three programs I’m learning about that support not only mothers in distress, but families.

Crisis Nursery Centers

First, crisis nurseries are emerging throughout the U.S. While these nurseries aren’t designed to meet the needs of ‘one’ population, they are available to ANYONE who is at risk of abusing or neglecting their children. And also for anyone who is facing a crisis. The definition of crisis is made by the family, not the crisis center. And they are free of charge. These could aid the mom whose boyfriend just came in and stabbed her while her children watched. She’s in the hospital and has nobody to watch the kids. Or, maybe a woman’s husband just passed away and she has no childcare/help. To utilize these centers, families don’t necessarily need to be in a situation where they will harm their children, but can still get help if the family is facing a huge time of stress and help is needed. The thing about crisis nurseries is there are multiple models offering varying levels of care.

What’s important to note is this: crisis nurseries are not everywhere and they are not federally funding. They were, a little, at one time, but not anymore. They typically run purely off community donations, which is why there are so many models – and sadly, why they open and close down just as quickly. So again, awareness is key right now. You might be able to be involved with one in your community, even in some small way.

Here’s a link to a list of all known centers nationwide. It is not comprehensive as this site is being updated all the time.

The Mothers Act

Next, there is a bill before the U.S. Senate right now, to be voted on this April, that could provide some of the funding for more crisis nurseries – and support new mothers in need.

It’s called the Mom’s Opportunity To Access Help, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression (MOTHERS) Act
Introduced by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Richard Durbin (D-IL)

The MOTHERS Act will “ensure that new moms and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms, and provided with essential services. In addition, it will increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression.”

In fairness to the opposition of this act, several grassroots groups believe the Act is being pushed by drug companies that want to increase revenues via the increased distribution of anti-depressant drugs for new mothers. Having read the text of the Act available on-line, I have seen no mandate about drug prescriptions within it.

The MyStuff Bags Foundation

And last, I’d like to share something I’m personally involved with – The MyStuff Bags Foundation.

A few years ago, I wrote and published a children’s book called There’s a Dog in the Doorway for the MyStuff Bag Foundation. The mission of this foundation is to put a bag in the hands of each of the nearly 300,000 children who need one each year. (That’s more than 30 children per hour.) I heard about this program on the radio one day when I was at lunch. The organizers asked listeners to send 100 or more new items a child would need or want. So I thought, I can write a book. And I did. The story is about my own dog, Abby, who always sleeps in our doorway at night. It’s a very protective gesture on her part. So the children’s story features a dog that helps and protects a child. You can find out more about this project on my website www.karenharringtonbooks.com and at the MyStuff Foundation website: http://www.mystuffbags.org/