Agencies focus on creating a welcoming environment.(From the Field)(Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment)(Editorial)

Editor's note: This column is the first in a series about changes being undertaken by agencies affiliated with the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx), a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).

Sara, the 25-year old mother of 3-year old Jennie, is expecting her second baby. She is also addicted to methamphetamine. Sara feels terrible about her addiction, the toll it takes on Jennie and the harm she fears she is doing to her unborn child. She wants to be a good mom to Jennie and to have a healthy baby--so after trying repeatedly to quit on her own, she decided to seek professional help.

When Sara arrived at the agency to …