Mission Statement:
The Center for the Advancement of Mothers and Children (CAMAC) is a multidisciplinary clinic within MetroHealth’s Center for Community Health that provides cost effective quality care to families experiencing chemical dependency or other high risk factors. CAMAC integrates interdisciplinary services for at risk families through pediatric health care, chemical dependency/mental health assessments, family counseling and developmental services.

History:
The impetus to establish CAMAC was recognition of Cleveland’s prenatal crack/cocaine problem. This was substantiated through urban hospital statistics, rising number of foster care placements, and the fact that Cleveland became a national leader in rates of women and adolescents arrested for cocaine related crime. All of these factors led to the development of comprehensive national research programs that are affiliated with the CAMAC clinic.

The Clinic:
The clinic is part of a community based county health care network that is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University. Clinic services are provided at two community clinics located on the east and west sides of the city.

CAMAC’s strengths are facilitated by numerous factors. Relationships with prenatal and postpartum personnel provide CAMAC with an early identification and referral source of high-risk families. Entry of these family statistics into a database establishes a tracking system to ensure comprehensive care.

Through key community contracts and affiliations, CAMAC links families to resources, and assesses community trends, problems, needed services and areas for future research. Relationships with Early Head Start, Department of Children and Family Services, County Board of Mental Retardation and Development, Community Chemical Dependency programs, and Women’s Re-Entry programs continue to strengthen CAMAC within the community.