By Courtney Henderson-Adams
Brigid’s Path is a grounded-in-faith organization in Dayton, Ohio, whose mission is to “ improve the health of newborn babies and mothers impacted by addiction. We offer grace for the past, support for the present, and hope for the future.”
After fostering several infants born exposed to addictive substances, Dayton mom and business owner Jill Kingston believed there had to be a better way of caring for children and families in the crisis of addiction. That belief led her to found Brigid’s Path, the first newborn recovery center in Ohio and only the second of this type of facility in the United States.
The organization’s primary work to care for infants born exposed to an addictive substance like prescription medication, opioids or other drugs. They employ the latest therapeutic techniques – both medicinal and nonpharmacological – to help babies be as comfortable as possible while they experience withdrawal.
Skilled medical staff and volunteers shower Brigid’s Path babies with love and attention 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They respond immediately to a baby’s every need, providing comfort and support at a crucial time of development.
Brigid’s Path also works with community partners to provide resources for families to achieve the stability that will help them care for their children for both the near- and long-term. Mothers are encouraged to room with, care for, and bond with their babies as much as possible.
Brigid’s Path Executive Director Jill Kingston (JK) recently shared with Sacred Sector Director Chelsea Langston Bombino (CLB) how the organization continues to flourish in the Dayton community.
CLB: Brigid’s Path addresses a pressing health concern for families in your community. Jill, tell me more about what that program looks like.
JK: We have been open for nearly two years. We have cared for 51 babies and their families, as well as extended families. When we say families, we often are talking about mothers and babies. We have some fathers that are doing amazing as well. They get extra support and confidence from having their babies cared for here, rather than in a hospital setting. With some families, mothers are on prescribed medicine, and babies are going through withdrawal and are only here for 10 days. Then we have some mothers who have no other safe place to stay and their babies stay here up to 90 days. We help them navigate all the support and services they need, and we continue to do that even after their baby goes home. We stay engaged with the family for as long as they want us to stay engaged. We have quite a few of the early mothers we still see often. We become family.
CLB: You told me that Brigid’s Path was accepted into a Catalyst program with Stand Together. Can you elaborate more on that?
JK: We were one of the 14 groups accepted into a Catalyst program with Stand Together and will be participating in the leadership training and development program. This gives us a lot of strategic training in order to continue building our organization, as well as networking opportunities to meet with and learn from organizations and individuals who can support us. We spent three days together in D.C. in September. In November, we will reconvene and finalize the cohort in February.
We have been seeing a lot of great results with our families. We have had a lot of mothers and babies go through this journey with us. We really want to encourage everyone and keep them in our prayers.
CLB: We at CPJ absolutely will. Speaking of prayers, one of your mothers was invited to the National Day of Prayer earlier this year, correct?
JK: Yes, President Trump invited her to speak and she got to be there with her baby. She has had transformational experiences in her recovery. She came in lost and without support, but completed our program strong and empowered. Her baby will be two next spring, but we are still so engaged and connected with her.
CLB: One of Brigid Path’s goals is not only helping families navigate access to community services and assistance, but also to engage infants’ families in a non-judgmental setting where they can begin the journey of bonding with their child. How do you achieve this goal?
JK: One of the things we are very conscientious with here is we don't want to press a specific denomination or faith tradition. We don't endorse a specific author or denomination or book. We try to meet women where they are at. Some of our mothers are angry at God. They are wondering why God would let them do this. This comes into conversation a lot because of the faith of our staff, nurses, and [other factors].
We often say we are grounded in faith. Our name comes from two faith elements: St. Brigid, the patron saint of newborns, and Psalm 25 (“Show me your ways, Lord, and teach me your paths”). We seek God’s will in every aspect of our work and have seen God move in big and small ways for our organization and its families.
Most importantly, we believe every person has value and deserves love, grace and forgiveness. That is huge for our families. Many of our moms don’t understand their own worth and value as children of God – and we do our best to change that.
CLB: Your organization makes referrals through your Family Advocacy Program. Can you tell me more about that?
JK: We do referrals in our Family Advocacy Program for mental health, housing, medical, social services, public benefits, and basic needs. It is case management, but we are not billing in any way. We walk [alongside] them, and help with setting priorities. It can be overwhelming to make good decisions when you have housing issues, food security issues, and medical challenges.
CLB: It sounds like Brigid’s Path really helps fill in a gap in terms of support. How do you set these families on a sustainable path for success?
JK: It is about empowering people for the long-haul. [We show] families how to fill out the form, for example, and help them learn what needs to be done for various tasks. Helping them get computer access, walking through the steps. They learn it was not as hard as they thought it was. The experience of doing it with them is really empowering.
Tax season is a good example. We had some moms who needed help filing taxes. We had members of our finance committee come in and help them walk through a program. Things most people don't even think about because you likely had someone model that responsible behavior for you. Not all of our families have that background.
We also try to model certain behaviors. There was a mom who was uncomfortable singing to her baby, but then she saw a nurse singing to her baby. Seeing this behavior modeled helped her realize she could do it, too. We want to be there for the moms who choose life despite challenging circumstances.
CLB: I can see how everyone at Brigid’s Path tackles the felt needs for these families. How can members of the sacred sector be praying for the flourishing of your work?
JK: [Pray] for the staff. Our work can be stressful and we don’t always get the results we want. That’s discouraging. [Pray for] keeping everyone healthy, and for staff to have the right work/life balance. Pray for wisdom with choices. We do, as all nonprofits do, operate on limited financial and human resources.
CLB: Your organization is running 24/7, so I understand how this is stressful. How can we pray for your medical facilities?
JK: Please pray for the physicians and providers we work with here, and for those at our local hospitals. We’re providing a new way of caring for babies and their families, and some people are resistant to that. It’s a mindset shift.
CLB: Have you had any feedback from doctors or hospitals?
JK: Yes, we get a lot of positive feedback, and we have people across the United States coming to see what we are doing.
CLB: That is amazing that people from across the country are coming to see your organization fulfill its mission. Do you think Brigid’s Path will expand outside of Dayton?
JK: Who knows? Maybe. We try to stay focused on doing the work that God needs us to be doing, and he keeps showing us the path forward with each next step.
Courtney Henderson-Adams recently graduated from Pace University with a bachelors in communications and religious studies and is a former intern with the Center for Public Justice.
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
1. Know a seminarian or a faith-based organization? Connect them with Sacred Sector’s Fellowship and Community, designed to equip individuals and organizations to live out their faith-shaped callings. Email virginia.creasy@cpjustice.org for more information.
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