Marcus and the Crisis Nursery

When Marcus was born, he tested positive for crack cocaine. He was his mother's third child born addicted to crack, and he was removed at birth from his mother. His premature birth and withdrawal from cocaine kept him in the hospital for four weeks.

Mother never came back to visit nor expressed a desire for reunification. The mother's family couldn't be used for a viable placement, as they were all involved with drugs and felony arrests. The father had recently been arrested for attempted murder and was in jail.

Then Marcus came to the Crisis Nursery. Although his body had withdrawn from the cocaine, he still had the inutero effects of the drugs. Marcus cried every time if he was put down to sleep, and therefore needed constant affection and holding. The Crisis Nursery worked perfectly for Marcus because we have a part-time nurse available, 24-hour wake supervision, and since we work with the foster grandparent program, volunteers came in daily to hold, rock and feed the baby, giving him the individual attention he requires while waiting for a pre-adoptive home. He was able to receive medical care (needed after being born crack-addicted) and the daily holding he required. Since we have extra staff and volunteers at the nursery, we were also able to isolate him one-on-one, as interactions at the nursery could occasionally be over-stimulating for him.

Marcus was adopted one year later and now has a happy healthy home. Over 800 children per year have stories like Marcus and are cared for by Children's Home Society of Florida's Crisis Nursery.