What health decisions would be best for my baby? How can I help my baby’s learning and development? What should a safe home look like? Sarah pondered these questions as she and her husband welcomed a new baby girl into their family. They both were balancing active recoveries from substance abuse disorders. Now, with the birth of her daughter, Sarah felt unsure of what her next steps should be as a new parent. That is when she decided to enroll in Outreach’s SafeCare Augmented program, a research-based parenting program.

Soon, the stresses of a new baby, poor relationships, and active recovery were so overwhelming that Sarah relapsed. After recovering from her overdose, she was determined more than ever to be the best mother she could be. She made the difficult decision to leave her infant daughter in the care of her father and entered inpatient treatment where she focused on her wellbeing. During that time, her Outreach family development specialist stayed by Sarah’s side, providing constant support for Sarah and her family.

Upon discharge from rehab, Sarah completed the SafeCare program. Outreach’s program provided Sarah with motivational interviewing, domestic violence training, and coaching in three crucial areas: parent-child interaction, child health, and home safety. She also enrolled in Outreach’s Parent as Teachers program to continue her education on parent-child interaction, overall family wellbeing, child development, and school readiness.

Sarah is thankful Outreach has taught her how to build effective coping mechanisms and the resilience to face stressful situations. With support from the Foundation. Outreach partners with vulnerable individuals and families in need of a hand up toward family stability and economic self-sufficiency each day.

Additional stories of their impact are available at outreachworks.org.