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Summit House of the Piedmont, which opened in January 2008, is the newest of the Summit Houses in North Carolina.

The state-of-the-art facility is on Fairview Avenue in Greensboro. Others serve High Point, Charlotte and the Triangle.

This 20-year program was created to address the ever-increasing crisis of women going to prison for nonviolent crimes and leaving their children behind.

The mission of Summit House is to break the multi-generational cycle of poverty, crime and substance abuse by intervening and strengthening the lives of mothers who have committed nonviolent crimes.

“Summit House transforms the lives of our mothers and children by showing them that the circumstances which brought them here can be overcome and that they can continue to move forward,” said Rick Redmon, who is responsible for all development efforts at the local Summit House. He works closely with O’Shelia Williams, site director, who is responsible for all the daily aspects of the residential program.

Williams said she loves watching mothers “grow strong and secure in their abilities as a parent and to watch their children flourish.” Williams said many women experience the vicious cycle of substance abuse and criminal behavior that leads to prison.

“Time in prison will not necessarily improve their behavior, as is evidenced by the prison recidivism rate,” she said. “Equally disturbing is the future of the children of incarcerated parents.”

For those in the foster care system, statistics can be bleak.

Williams said 12 to 18 months after leaving foster care, 12 to 27 percent of children had been in jail; 33 percent were on public assistance; 37 percent had not finished high school; and half were unemployed.

A study by the National Association of School Psychologists reveals that children of incarcerated mothers are six times more likely to become involved in the juvenile/criminal justice system themselves.

Williams said the root causes of the multigenerational cycle are not addressed.

“These women often have delayed emotional growth and have not learned the social and life skills necessary to adapt and function in everyday life,” Williams said.

Summit House emphasizes a lifestyle that includes drug abstinence, employable skills, positive attitudes and the elimination of anti-social behavior.

Summit House also facilitates and maximizes bonding between moms and children.

Upon entering the program, each mother and each child receives routine medical and dental assessments and any required follow-up treatment.

The mothers receive substance-abuse treatment, mental-health treatment, in-depth parenting training and life-skill classes.

The residents have many responsibilities living at Summit House. They have access to computers and a playground and playroom for children.

The women of Summit House also have the opportunity for additional education, such as GED diploma and college and job training. Supplemental resources include HIV training and classes on domestic violence, self-esteem and computer literacy.

The services the children receive at Summit House are intended to help prevent them from repeating the cycle of crime and substance abuse that has been the pattern of their mothers, Williams said.

“Summit House prepares women to re-enter the community, equipped with the foundation that they need to be successful parents and citizens,” Williams said. “Only by learning and incorporating these skills into their daily lives will they be able to break the cycle and raise their children differently and hopefully better than they were raised.”

Summit House has provided more than 200 women and children with the skills and support for new, productive lives.

The Summit House in Greensboro has nine mothers and nine children. The house can hold 12 mothers and 24 children.

Once a mother has completed the goals outlined in her individualized treatment plan and met additional Summit House requirements such as acquiring a GED (if applicable), obtaining a job, saving a minimum of $1,500 and securing housing, she is ready to graduate from the program.

Family residential treatment services for mothers and their children are limited in Guilford County, Williams said. She said women usually learn about Summit House through the court system, and the primary source of referrals to the program has been probation officers, judges, attorneys or substance abuse programs. Referrals may be made from anyone in the community or from the potential resident herself.

The basic requirements to participate in the Summit House program are: The woman must be at least 18; have been convicted of a nonviolent offense and on probation for that offense; and have at least one child 7 or younger in her custody and/or be pregnant and planning to retain custody of that child.

If these basic requirements are met, an appointment is scheduled to complete the intake assessment.

Contact Peggy Longmire at rlongmire@triad.rr.com or 288-9040.