Ark in the Media
Letter to the Editor from Jeremy Boberg
The Utah State Legislature is currently considering House Bill 216, which deals with children born with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal drug dependency. Simply stated, the bill says that women with addiction issues should be required to receive treatment after giving birth or they will not be allowed to be reunited with their newborn.
As a substance abuse professional, I think the bill’s basic premise is sound, but the proposed legislation has major flaws.
First, it discriminates against women, since men are not similarly punished for behavior that results in the poor health of infants.
Second, the bill excludes prescription drugs that are lawfully prescribed, even though they may be abused — a significant factor, considering that Utah leads the nation for prescription abuse.
Third, the bill refers to dependency for drugs that produce a withdrawal syndrome. The problem is that stimulants like cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana don’t result in a significant withdrawal syndrome.
I encourage lawmakers to consider factors like these and to consult with addiction counselors on how the bill can be made more equitable and helpful to mothers and fathers in terms of dealing with addiction.
Click here to read this article in the Salt Lake Tribune.
KSL News, December 22, 2009
Ark Brightens Chritsmas Season for Salt Lake Family
SALT LAKE CITY — Santa made an early delivery Tuesday to the Botello family in Salt Lake City. The Jolly Old Elf came in the form of Gloria Boberg and her staff at The Ark of Little Cottonwood. “It’s a way of giving back,” Boberg said.
Ark is an addiction and mental health treatment center in Salt Lake. Gloria makes sure every year, around September, the organization starts gathering things for underprivileged children.
“When I was young, fourth grade, we were poor,” Gloria said. “I grew up in this neighborhood. We had nothing, I mean absolutely nothing. There was a can of milk in the fridge.”
That year, Gloria thought she would get nothing for Christmas, but a family did a Sub for Santa for her family and she got gifts. Now every year for at least a decade, she’s returned the favor.
“It’s what we are supposed to do; and I promised myself way back then that’s what I would do. We’ve done as many as 400 kids in a year,” Gloria said.
This year, the Botello-Gonzales kids are among the ones receiving the gifts. Christmas is an especially hard time of year, because they don’t have their dad. He was murdered three years ago, and Margarita Gonzales is raising the three kids alone, without a job.
Margarita says Christmas would have been very different without the donations of Ark. A translator told us Margarita was feeling very overwhelmed because she didn’t think she would receive all these gifts for her children.
Thanks to Ark, and Gloria, this is the most presents they’ve ever had to put under the tree.
Ark delivered presents to three other houses in need on Monday as well. This year, the organization made sure 152 children received a Christmas, who otherwise wouldn’t have.
KSL News Radio, November 20, 2009
Fred Ball – “Speaking on Business”
Addictions can be an overwhelming and incredibly difficult to overcome. Often the addict needs an intervention to help him or her onto the road to recovery. That’s why facilities such as The Ark of Little Cottonwood are so important.
The Ark of Little Cottonwood is a dual diagnosis, long-term residential treatment facility. Owner Gloria Boberg tells me the average stay is 30-90 days. Patients are treated for mental health and various addictions. The mental health aspect is essential because if a patient doesn’t deal with the underlying causes of the addiction, he/she will have an even more difficult time conquering.
Gloria says the facility has two locations, one in St. George and another in Sandy. The 10,000 square foot Sandy center, complete with peace gardens where patients can study or relax, can treat up to 24 patients. It also boasts a vegetable garden where all produce grown is donated to the Utah Food Bank, and tennis and basketball courts.
What the Ark of Little Cottonwood is most known for, Gloria says, is its lifetime care. There’s no limit on how long patients can come back after their initial treatment is complete. Prior to running the Ark, Gloria, a licensed substance abuse counselor, was a co-director for the Utah Alcoholism Foundation. She worked for a facility in Provo for several years before deciding to start her own center. The Ark of Little Cottonwood initially launched 12 years ago, but it took two years to get licensed, so the facility celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2009.
The Ark of Little Cottonwood is most known for its up-to-date treatments, talented addiction specialists and a high success rate. Gloria loves how dynamic the mental health field is and that it’s constantly changing as new research is unveiled.