Precious & Calvin: Empowering Families for a New Life

Precious and Calvin are both in their mid-twenties.  Both are deaf.  They became acquainted when they were students at the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, Illinois.  After graduation, Precious and Calvin lost touch.

Precious started college, but within the first few weeks became involved with illegal drugs and alcohol.  Before long, Precious dropped out of school and for the next six years lived on the streets of Chicago with her new “friends” looking for her next fix.  Precious then gave birth to a baby girl who she eventually abandoned.    

Then one day, fate reunited Precious and Calvin in a downtown Minneapolis department store.  Calvin and Precious easily rekindled their friendship, which quickly blossomed into a romantic relationship.  With Calvin’s love and support, Precious was able to stop using drugs and alcohol and turn her life around.   Nine months later, Precious gave birth to a healthy baby girl, which they named Lovita.  

Hennepin County Child Protection Services became involved due to Precious’ past history of drug and alcohol abuse, combined with previous child abandonment.  The county linked this young family with Volunteers of America of Minnesota’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Family Focused Therapeutic Services Program, which offers deaf parents who are at risk of neglecting or abusing their children services including case management, in-home parent support and education, parent skills development, advocacy and crisis intervention.

Almost immediately, Calvin and Precious sensed that their caseworker, Joyce, was someone they could trust.  Joyce is also deaf.  Fluent in American Sign Language and an experienced parent herself, Joyce developed a collaborative relationship with the two young parents, modeling and teaching and supporting them as they learned how to care for their infant daughter.

A few weeks after Lovita’s birth, Precious seemed depressed.  When asked what was wrong, she admitted she was tempted to go back to her old life of drugs because they made her “feel happy.”  Both Calvin and Joyce gave Precious a spirit-boosting pep talk and an ultimatum.  Precious had two choices.  She could return to her old life of drugs and alcohol and lose her daughter and Calvin – or, she could commit her life to being drug and alcohol free, stay with Calvin and devote her life to being a good mother to her infant daughter.  

A few days later, Joyce noticed that Precious seemed lost in her thoughts.  Joyce asked Precious what she was thinking about and Precious signed, “My future.”  When Joyce asked Precious what she had decided about her future, Precious signed, “Throw all drugs in the garbage and bury them.”  Next, she turned to Joyce, smiled broadly and her large brown eyes filled with tears.  Since that day, Precious has reported no cravings for drugs or alcohol and all her drug tests have been negative.  

With Joyce’s ongoing support and encouragement, Calvin and Precious have become a great parenting team.  Overcoming challenges can have great rewards – like becoming the kind of parent you want to be.

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