Cottonwood is one of two places in the Salt Lake area where drug-addicted moms in treatment can live with their young children.

"It's harder to be in treatment with a child," Mitchell said. "We would like to see Mom be a parent and be in recovery at the same time. It's difficult."

Hughes said she is learning how to set boundaries and be a consistent parent. She is aware now that children are fragile and easily hurt. She sees the home as a place any mother, drug user or not, could benefit from.

"It sucks to have to get so low before you get this privilege. My 2-year-old needs me . . . ," she said. "This place has moved me through a part of my life I'd never been able to get through without it."

Despite being happy now, she fears that she'll want to go back to meth and drinking. "I'm worried that I will be afraid to keep going. I'm afraid I will get bored with what I'm doing and who I am."

Those fears keep her from setting her future goals too high.

"I just want to be a happy, strong woman," she said. "I'm not going to set any higher expectations than that."

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