Nueva Esperanza is a residential bilingual program tailored for Hispanic women with alcohol and drug problems and their children. The stately Victorian on California Street is a haven for six mothers and 10 children with treatment taking from four to six months.

In addition to offering a full spectrum of recovery services, Nueva Esperanza helps moms be moms again. Children are in a stable, nurturing environment with their mothers. Services designed to integrate recovery and parenting are central to treatment at Nueva Esperanza. Children receive medical, emotional, cognitive and developmental assessments and services. Often the children of substance abusing mothers have suffered neglect at a crucial time in their development and need a great deal of love and support.

Admission to the Nueva Esperanza program requires that the woman have an addictive disorder requiring residential treatment and be at least 18 years old. Applicants must also be pregnant or have custody of a child 5 years old or younger. Older siblings ages 5 through 11 are also welcome. Mothers must be Cal-Works eligible.

Applicants must also be psychologically and medically stable enough for treatment and be motivated and willing to follow program principles, guidelines, and structure.

All the staff at Nueva Esperanza are bilingual and have a wide spectrum of education, experience and skills. The same constellation of services summarized in the Clay Street profile is available at Nueva Esperanza. The only difference is that on California Street there is a major emphasis on parenting and the needs of children.