Treatment decades ago, she said, simply focused on fixing the addiction and failed to connect people in recovery with services to rebuild their lives.

"They go through treatment, they'd get sent out and then relapse because there was nothing out there for them," Mitchell said.

Treatment and aftercare has to focus on a vast array of services for those in recovery — from education to day care to safe housing, she said.

"You really need to have a whole constellation of services that surrounds these people."

Beyond rebuilding the life of the addict, however, is reshaping the life of the children thrust into circumstances beyond their control, Heaton said.

"Even if parents don't change, there is help for the children," she said. "There are some parents who will never get clean, but there are children who will never get dirty."

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E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com