SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Health officials have said addiction is the No. 1 public health problem in the country. But one area facility is working on curbing the cycle of addiction by helping the family of those battling the disease.

The Sunlight of the Spirit Center has been in Scott Township for four years, and was founded by women who were looking for peace, Channel 4 Action News reported.

Diane Hurd founded SOS with her own money. She said her husband died of his alcohol addiction and her son became a drug addict. It was when she traveled with him to the Hazelden Center in Minnesota that she came up with the idea for SOS.

"I saw what a real family program could do, not for my son, but for me," said Hurd.

Hurd said SOS is based on many of the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon, which is for the families of addicts. But she said her group does more.

Hurd said when family members start to talk negatively about the addict in their life, the counselors steer them away from that focus. She said those coping with addiction in their family need to have relentless self-focus.

The group meets with a professional therapist at the center once a week. Hurd said those in the group are usually referred by churches, psychologists or treatment facilities like Gateway Rehabilitation.

The center offers yoga classes, child care and counseling, group therapy and also grief counseling -- all with certified professionals.