ADDICTION IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE –

July 2, 2021 – That is when she entered the Bedford County Family Treatment Docket.

“I call it my Saturday night epiphany,” Sweigar said. “This has got to change, because I’m literally going nowhere.” 

The program is one of four across the state specifically for parents dealing with addiction.

“It’s a more stringent, more hardcore type program that people seem to find success in when they haven’t found success in other places,” Family Services Manager Tomi Turner said.

Turner describes it as a five-phase program that takes about 12 to 18 months. Patients undergo dozens of drug tests, court appearances and AA meetings.

“Anyone who’s in this program has to be open to the Department of Social Services and their children either have to be placed out of their home or at risk of being placed out of their home,” Turner said.

Sweigart spent about a year in the program. She learned new coping mechanisms instead of turning to the bottle.

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