Wonderland Child & Family Services Partners with Ballmer Group and the State of Washington to Fill Critical Service Gap for Vulnerable Children Across the Region

Ballmer Group supports Wonderland's Hope RISING Clinic in providing prenatal substance exposure services and sharing their model with partner agencies across the state.

BOTHELL, Wash., March 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wonderland Child & Family Services opened Hope RISING Clinic in 2019 to serve children and families impacted by prenatal substance exposure (PSE). Currently the only clinic providing comprehensive PSE services to children in the region, Hope RISING Clinic was just awarded a three-million-dollar grant over three years from Ballmer Group to support the expansion of services throughout the state by training partner agencies in providing specialized services to children prenatally exposed to drugs and/or alcohol.

"We are happy to support Wonderland's Hope RISING Clinic to build support across Washington for families experiencing prenatal substance exposure," said Andi Smith, Executive Director, Ballmer Group Washington and National Behavioral Health. "The Clinic understands that supporting families through substance use requires empathy, a relentless focus on human dignity, and the power of building a strong, supportive community. Hope RISING Clinic is a leader in this approach, and we are excited to help them expand their reach."

In 2023, the Washington State Legislature unanimously passed House Bill 1168, sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons, which called for the statewide replication of Hope RISING Clinic's model to ensure that unique PSE services are available for the estimated 165,000 children in Washington State impacted by PSE. The passing of HB1168 was the first step to ensuring that all of these children have the opportunity to thrive. Funding from Ballmer Group will allow Hope RISING Clinic to continue serving children directly while working with the Washington state Health Care Authority (HCA) to train partner agencies in providing PSE services.

"It is crucial that we share our unique PSE service model and support as many children and families as possible. The passage of HB1168 was the first step toward systems change. Funding from Ballmer Group enables Hope RISING Clinic to begin truly meeting the need in our state," says Mary Kirchoff, Executive Director and CEO of Wonderland. At least one in ten children are born exposed to substances in the United States, and the CDC shares that at least one in seven pregnant people report current drinking. "The need continues to grow--we see this through our growing waitlist," shares Alex Lundy, Wonderland's Senior Program Director. "Support from the state, and now Ballmer Group, will make a significant difference for families in our region."

Hope RISING Clinic

Hope RISING Clinic was founded by Wonderland Child & Family Services and is the only clinic in Washington State offering comprehensive prenatal substance exposure services for children. Located in Bothell, Washington, Hope RISING Clinic provides evaluation and trauma-informed, evidence-based therapies and supports for families since 2019. For more information, visit hoperisingclinic.org.

Claire Lee

Sr. Marketing Specialist

425-281-5653

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SOURCE Wonderland Child & Family Services