Orange Coast Magazine
By Sarah McClure
When the Mariposa Women’s Center opened 28 years ago, it was a walk-in clinic for women with alcohol and drug addictions. But a name change last year, to Mariposa Women and Family Center, heralds a new, expanded mission: to be a comprehensive center offering specialized services for low-income women and families.
The clinic, based in Orange, operates six programs for mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and educational services, serving an average of 500 families every month.
The name Mariposa – Spanish for “butterfly” – signifies the emergence of a recovering individual and a positive experience that’s likened to a butterfly breaking out of a dark cocoon into a bright, new future.
“We wanted to clarify our vision, look at what we wanted to do in the future, and update our philosophy to make it more clear as to who we are servicing,” says Executive Director Diane Wright.
The programs offered are family counseling, women’s substance abuse outpatient treatment, substance abuse prevention, CalWorks Behavior Health, SuperNOFA St. Vincent’s Haven and occupational therapy. The goal is to create a nurturing, nonjudgmental atmosphere that helps clients make positive changes.
“We want to help people attain healthier, happier lives,” Wright says, “and to cope with pain, life difficulties and learn new [life] strategies.”