We started 2021 with an amazing surprise. The women of Divinity House sat in the kitchen discussing house business when Ms. Lily came downstairs with tears in her eyes. We all turned to give her our undivided attention, this was not usual behavior for Ms. Stephanie. "The family court of Seattle dismissed my case and Nae can finally come home.” We all cheered in support of the end of this grueling journey. After many visits, long counseling sessions, and self-evaluation work, Ms. Stephanie has found stable housing at Divinity House and gainful employment. She works diligently on being a healthy available parent as well as finding permanent housing for her family.
August 2020 Ms. Stephanie faced the hardship of a system in place that does not truly support the reunification of families when a parent has displayed behaviors associated with trauma such as homelessness and substance abuse. Each agency in place offering services that assist in sobriety and housing, but never really working on the bottom line as a means to sustaining a healthy lifestyle. It has been proven that mothers thrive when they are afforded the opportunity to reunite with their children after making a solid decision to change their lives, however, the programs don’t always have the capacity to support the reunification process, especially if the child is in a different state.