When Gretchen was just a baby, her mother was killed by a drug dealer. Now 15, Gretchen doesn’t have much of a relationship with her father because he has continued to abuse drugs.

A victim of sexual abuse, Gretchen has also abused drugs and was even involved in prostitution. She never attended school regularly and ran away often from the various places she chose to call “home.” A hitched ride with a truck driver left her homeless on the streets of New York until she was arrested for petty crimes and returned to Kentucky.

After going through a substance abuse program, Gretchen came to KBHC’s Morehead Center, knowing it was her last chance. She said, “I want to get my life together,” and one of the first things she mentioned was going back to church. When living with her grandmother, Gretchen had attended church regularly.

Individual and group counseling helped Gretchen come to terms with what had been done to her and what she has done. Her grandmother came to family counseling sessions, and they were able to talk through past problems in the relationship. Gretchen worked hard at school and made up enough credits to be in the appropriate class for the new school year. Gretchen now lives with her grandmother and calls the Morehead Center staff regularly to check in. She says things are going well; she’s looking forward to a new life and no longer feels like running from her problems.