 COMMON QUESTIONS
What is Blue monarch?
Blue Monarch is a non-profit organization designed to serve the oppressed and abused women of Middle Tennessee. We accept women, with their children, who are currently recovering from physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse, alcohol or drug addictions, poverty, and/or severe family issues. Blue Monarch offers each woman a one-year, residential program specifically designed to fit her individual needs and eliminate the abuse and oppression within her life. While we house and support each woman and her children for an entire year, the women work hard to further their education, break their addictions, become better mothers, obtain a job, and much more. Our mission is to give these women hope for themselves and their children, and equip them with the tools they need to become strong, confident, and self-sufficient.
How Long has Blue Monarch
Been In Operation?
We accepted our first resident in July of 2003. Since that time we have served eighteen women and twenty-eight children.
Where Do the Women Come From?
Many of our referrals come from members of the Justice System such as Public Defenders, Probation Officers and Attorneys. Oftentimes the Department of Children’s Services looks to us as an opportunity for a woman to recover with her children rather than having her children placed in Foster Care. And of course, we receive many referrals from concerned family members or friends as well as the women themselves. Our doors are open to women from all of Tennessee.
What are the Criteria for Acceptance into the Blue Monarch Program?
Blue Monarch is a unique self-help program and a great deal of emphasis is placed on learning to problem solve and taking the initiative to benefit from the various programs offered at Blue Monarch. An enormous amount of time and effort is put into helping each woman accomplish as much as possible in the twelve months she is residing at Blue Monarch. Therefore, we look for only the most determined women who are dedicated to making a serious life change for herself and her children. The Blue Monarch program is not easy. It is an extremely challenging and sometimes painful journey as old habits are broken, past issues are addressed and new ways of thinking are developed.
Is Blue Monarch a Drug Rehab?
Drug abuse is oftentimes considered a recreational activity. This may be true for some, but we are finding that the women who come to Blue Monarch with drug and alcohol addictions began using as a means to “numb” themselves from some pretty painful and hideous experiences both as children and as adults. Then, of course, the addiction created even more problems and the need to “escape” became even greater. Sadly, a large number of our residents are second-generation drug users, some having been taught to use drugs by their own parents. We provide assistance in seeking appropriate Drug & Alcohol treatment as well as weekly Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
How Many Can You House?
We can currently house as many as eleven women, depending on the number of children involved and our available funding. At this time we are not able to accept children over twelve years of age.
Is Blue Monarch a Shelter?
We require that a woman be removed from a high-risk situation for 30 days before coming to Blue Monarch and we refer those women to local shelters for immediate help. During that 30 day period, an Order of Protection may be put in place and the woman can demonstrate her determination to not return to the perpetrator. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a common denominator among all the women who come to Blue Monarch.
What Programs are Offered?
Comprehensive Case Management – individual assessment of needs and goals to be obtained during twelve month stay at Blue Monarch and regular monitoring of progress
Educational Programs – rotating various classes on a wide range of topics such as Nutrition and Parenting
Self-Help Groups
Narcotics Anonymous Group Meetings
Anger Management Education
Stress Management Education
Living Skills Training
Support in Career Advancement or Furthering Education
Assistance in seeking proper Drug and Alcohol Treatment
Assistance in Utilizing Available Resources
Assistance in seeking Legal Aid
Family Meetings
Has Blue Monarch Been Successful?
We naively thought we were simply giving women the tools to become self-sufficient. Through God’s grace it has become so much more than that. Families have been restored, broken relationships have been repaired, hideous memories have been replaced with happy ones and even lives have been saved. Praise God.
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