Family-Centered Behavioral Healthcare

Queen of Peace Center realizes that substance use disorders are a disease that impacts the entire family unit and are multi-generational.

Queen of Peace Center provides a full continuum of individualized early intervention, treatment, and long-term recovery support services to empower women, children, adolescents, and families.

The women who knock on our doors are at least 18 years old and can be up to their 70s and have an active substance use disorder. Many are uninsured or underinsured; some are on Medicaid. Most have heard of us through word of mouth, hospitals, or are recommended to us through the court system. Sometimes, families are desperately trying to save their loved one’s life – we may be their last hope for treatment. Almost all the women we meet have experienced tragedy and terrible trauma – unspeakable sufferings and lifelong nightmares. The first thing we do is listen.

Queen of Peace Center’s CSTAR (Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation) program includes residential and outpatient treatment for women with substance use disorders and their children. We are certified by the Missouri Department of Mental Health and accredited by COA. CSTAR is Missouri’s answer to fighting the multiple forms of substance use disorders that affect residents across the state. Funded by Missouri’s Medicaid program and the Division of Behavioral Health, CSTAR offers a flexible combination of clinical and supportive services through tailored programs.

Started in 1991 at Queen of Peace Center, our CSTAR programs are designed specifically for women and children impacted by maternal substance use. Admission priority is given to women who are pregnant or postpartum, and women using IV drugs. Queen of Peace Center’s program is unique in its gender specificity. It is the largest Women and Children's CSTAR program in Missouri as well as the only free-standing Women and Children’s CSTAR in Missouri.

CSTAR is a nationally recognized program in the field of substance use treatment and provides the necessary social and medical support services, daycare, and transportation, which helps women access treatment.

CSTAR Outpatient Treatment

Since we continue to see ongoing, aggressive growth of the opioid crisis, the need for the CSTAR Outpatient Treatment continues to expand throughout the St. Louis region. Most of our CSTAR Outpatient Treatment clients will remain with us for at least 6 months, many stay for years. We grow to know them well.

Our staff members care for clients through our CSTAR Outpatient Treatment services, which are provided from 8:00am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday at Cathedral Tower. Services are also provided in client homes and in the community. Outpatient Treatment services include behavioral health, trauma and substance use disorder services; Individual, group, and family counseling, and peer support led by professionals.

To ensure effective outpatient care, we also provide childcare and transportation, two crucial barriers that restrict women from receiving the ongoing care they need.

Throughout CSTAR Outpatient Treatment, women become more independent and receive assistance with employment and housing. Many of our clients will reside in our long-term housing after leaving the residential program. Each woman can continue in the outpatient program for as long as they want or need and attend programs from five days a week to one time a month, depending on their particular needs. Most will seek outpatient services two to five days a week then step down gradually as they regain their sobriety. Services include group counseling, peer support, family therapy, and parent education. We also continue to help with medicine for mothers and their children.

Pregnant & Postpartum Women

In addition to CSTAR and Family Program Services, residents receive prenatal and postpartum support in order to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery. Professional and peer support staff provide educational, emotional and direct care during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum for high risk mothers. Staff teach new mothers about normal infant development, and self-care during this challenging time.

We aim to end maternal substance use, so babies are born healthy. Infants diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) are more likely to have a low birth weight and respiratory complications. They may also experience seizures, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. In the last decade, the incidence of infants diagnosed with NAS increased by 250%.

St. Philippine Maternity Home is a long-term residential program for pregnant and postpartum women and their children. It is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The maternity home offers beds for 12 women and up to 12 children at one time. Families living at St. Philippine Maternity Home can reside in the home for the length of the mother's pregnancy through six months postpartum, or longer if needed.

It is not enough to only provide treatment and care for a pregnant woman before and during the birth of her child. Women with substance use disorders also need postpartum support. These women experience the same challenges that other new parents face including hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, and stress that may make it difficult to maintain their recovery.

CSTAR Residential Treatment

CSTAR Residential Treatment services, one of our core programs, are provided at Cathedral Tower and are staffed 24 hours a day. Services include Individual, Group, and Family counseling led by professionals as well as peer support.

The duration of residential treatment is based on each individual women’s needs. We can care for 16 women and their children (up to the age of 12 years) at any given time. Throughout their days in residential treatment, each woman is involved in group and individual counseling, and community support.

Many women are new to substance use treatment, though some have returned to alcohol and drug use and need to re-engage in treatment. For most of the women we serve, QOPC is the start of her recovery journey free from substance use and healing for her family.

We begin treatment for each woman immediately. That might mean use of medications, a visit with doctors, therapists, community support specialists, and peer support specialists. Treatment is tailored to each woman and includes a warm bed, nourishing meals, and a hot shower for her and her children – luxuries many have not had in weeks, months, or even years.

Health Services

Health Evaluation and Care Coordination is accessible to all Queen of Peace Center clients, and provides integrated health services and disease management in order to promote healthy living and recovery support.

Psychiatric Services include behavioral health services and medication management to women in order to promote recovery from co-occurring disorders.

Medication For People With Substance Use Disorders expands health services by offering co-located physicians to administer and monitor suboxone, subutex, vivotrol, and naltrexone for women with opioid substance use disorders. These services curb withdrawal and cravings in order to ensure a safe transition into treatment and maintenance of recovery. Referrals to methadone treatment are provided to pregnant and postpartum women as needed. Queen of Peace Center is not a methadone clinic and cannot provide methadone.