CUTV News Radio spotlights Reverend Rebekah Fetzer of Susannah’s House

Knoxville, TN – According to the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, rising prescription painkiller abuse and heroin dependence have led to an alarming growth in the number of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) since 2000. NAS refers to what happens to newborn babies that have been exposed to addictive opiates while in their mother's womb.

Over the past decade, Tennessee has seen a ten-fold rise in the incidence of babies born with NAS. In response to this crisis, Reverend Rebekah Fetzer established Susannah's House to serve these mothers and their infant children.

“Babies are born dependent on these harmful drugs and experience the same withdrawal symptoms adults do,” says Fetzer. “It's a horrible situation and a huge problem, particularly here in East Tennessee and the Appalachian area. It's becoming a bigger problem in the rest of the country now too.”

Susannah's House is an Intensive Outpatient Recovery Program for mothers in recovery. Its mission is to be a source of help and hope for women and their children to break the cycle and rebuild their families.

“When babies are born dependent like this, very often they are removed from the parent's custody,” says Fetzer. “Our desire is to keep these mothers and their children together.”

Reverend Fetzer says a successful outcome is that they have safe transportation and housing, that they've worked through the steps and can support their children.

“These women are my heroes. The ones who make it have worked incredibly hard with so many hours of classes and therapy. And they really want to do it for their kids.”

For more information on Susannah’s House, visit www.susannahshouse.org.