MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Clarke, Wooten, Baker (8th), Banks, Blackmon, Bondurant, Brown, Broomfield, Buck (72nd), Burnett, Calhoun, Cockerham, Coleman (65th), Currie, Dickson, Ellis, Formby, Fredericks, Gibbs, Gunn, Hamilton (109th), Hamilton (6th), Harrison, Holland, Jones (111th), Lane, Malone, Martinson, McGee, Middleton, Moak, Read, Rogers (14th), Shows, Stevens, Stringer, Sullivan, Thomas, Upshaw, Ward, Watson
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING BORNFREE OF MISSISSIPPI, INC., ON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 15th ANNIVERSARY.
WHEREAS, BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide an umbrella of support services to pregnant and parenting addicted mothers and their young children, is celebrating its 15th anniversary in the year 2011; and
WHEREAS, formally created in 1994, BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., came to be from the work of a coalition of public and private agencies, nonprofit entities, corporate leaders and private citizens first brought together by Representative Alyce Clarke in 1991 to address her concerns for the right of babies to be born alcohol and drug free; and
WHEREAS, it is often fondly remembered that as the new organization came to fruition and Representative Clarke sought a good and catchy name for it, Sue King Tucker, then Committee Assistant to the Appropriations Committee of the Mississippi House of Representatives, suggested to Representative Clarke, "You've been running around here for the longest time saying every child should be born drug free: What about 'Born Free'?"; and
WHEREAS, because babies born to mothers addicted to alcohol and other drugs have a greater risk of being born too small, too soon and very sick, BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., working in close partnership with Catholic Charities, Inc., provides treatment services to clients at the BornFree Residential Treatment program and the Region I Mental Health facility at Sunflower Landing in Dublin, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, both residential programs, which receive funding through Catholic Charities from the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, offer each pregnant and parenting mom the opportunity to have her children up to age five accompany her as she seeks treatment for her addiction; and
WHEREAS, since the inception of BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., well over 110 drug free babies have been born free and given the gift of a healthier life through the treatment of their mothers for drug and alcohol addiction during pregnancy; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the help given to pregnant and parenting moms, BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., provides continuing professional education offerings and training opportunities for medical, social work and addiction specialists and resources and information to families seeking help for a loved one; and
WHEREAS, acting on behalf of those in our state whose cries for help might otherwise remain unheard, BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., has clearly demonstrated throughout its 15-year history that it truly believes that "Every baby has the right to be born free and live free in a family free of alcohol and drugs, and further, that babies have the right to a family able to provide safety, housing, education, quality of life and loving support to allow each child to reach his or her highest potential.":
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., on the celebration of its 15th anniversary and express to all those affiliated with BornFree sincerest gratitude for their services.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to BornFree of Mississippi, Inc., and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.