Amethyst Place, Inc.

This program provides moms with extensive support to pursue their educational and vocational goals. Our moms have limited work histories due to the challenges of single parenting, limited education, unreliable transportation, and justice system involvement. More than half of our residents enter our program without a high school diploma. Very few enter the program with a computer and the skills necessary to use one. Our Family Empowerment Program’s unique focus on advancing post-secondary education provides single mothers the rare opportunity to pursue their education while supporting their families thanks to our income-based housing. Investing in education allows mothers to pull their families out of poverty, which will profoundly impact future generations. Research has demonstrated that single mothers with a bachelor’s degree earn 62% more than those with a high school diploma (https://iwpr.org/publications/investing-single-mothers-higher-ed/). Educational support is provided through volunteer-led tutoring for moms and children, GED preparation and testing, and a college assistance fund to help with school expenses. In addition, our 100 Jobs for 100 Moms program offers supported employment at one of 18 local employers that participate. Moms receive on-the-job mentorship, access to a career path, and financial incentives to celebrate job performance and participation in peer group meetings. Through the EnCompass mentoring program, moms develop positive social networks with two mentors, meeting twice a month for a meal and activity, and oftentimes receive additional support outside of scheduled sessions. Other elements of the Family Empowerment Program include community-based case management and the child mentoring program.

Families have access to on-site therapeutic services provided by our Clinical team, which has expanded significantly in the past year to include a Director of Clinical Operations, Family Care Manager, Family Support Therapist, Child Therapist, Recovery Support Specialist, and often an MSW and/or BSW intern. More than 90% of current residents have a dual diagnosis: substance use disorder with co-occurring depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD. Prior to residency at Amethyst Place, our families face many barriers to addressing mental health issues including lack of transportation and child care, lack of phone and internet access, and frequent changes in therapists due to high mobility. Additionally, children often arrive with a host of emotional issues that are a result of separation from their parents and experiencing the chaos of parental substance use, making the need for family therapy essential to improving family functioning and relationships. Each family develops an individualized treatment plan in concert with the Clinical team and treatment team meetings are held at intake, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and every 6 months after. Amethyst Place uses a variety of evidence-based therapies and practices to help families better manage their mental health and heal from past trauma. Therapies are provided in individual, family, and group modalities. Specific evidence-based practices include motivational interviewing, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management, relapse prevention, intensive case management, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, sand tray therapy, and play therapy.