Chile’s Minister of Social Development and Family, María Jesús Wulf, visited the Mujeres Santa María de La Esperanza center in the O’Higgins region, learning about rehabilitation for mothers with drug and alcohol issues alongside their children. She praised the “Naciste Tú” program, which treats newborns exposed to substances during gestation.
María Jesús Wulf, Chile’s Minister of Social Development and Family, visited the Mujeres Santa María de La Esperanza treatment center in the O’Higgins region on Friday. She met with mothers undergoing rehabilitation for drug and alcohol use, and learned about therapies aimed at repairing family bonds, strengthening mother-child relationships, and supporting social and job reintegration.
Wulf praised the women’s experiences. “We got to know the reality of many women who have suffered, who have consumed substances, who have had difficult pregnancies and who are now recovering. As a country, we need to continue on the path of recovery, so that mothers can move forward with their children, without separation. This place offers hope,” she said.
A key focus was the “Naciste Tú” program, providing comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for newborns exposed to drugs and alcohol during gestation, while promoting perinatal development and mother-child bonding. “Mothers are with their children, caring for them in the early stages, learning to stimulate them and build a strong bond. They themselves are rehabilitating not just physically, but also spiritually and economically, with tools to access work,” the minister stated.
Ana Luisa Jouanne, director of the La Esperanza Corporation, emphasized the program’s unique model that also rehabilitates newborns. “Without this opportunity, many would grow up in vulnerable contexts or be institutionalized. We seek to replicate ‘Naciste Tú’ across Chile,” she said. Center user Norma Adema shared: “When I had my daughter, I knew I had to quit drugs and change my life to improve ours. Here they gave me the chance to rehabilitate, and my daughter too.”
Center data shows 99.9% of graduating children recover affected areas upon entry, and 70% of mothers complete the 12-month intensive residential phase.
