National Recovery Month Spotlight: How Sojourner House MOMS Supports Mothers and Children During Recovery

Fifteen years ago, Vanessa arrived at Sojourner House with her young son, determined to create a different future for her family. Today, she owns her own home, has built a career she enjoys, and has watched her son complete his education at Duquesne University.

Her journey began with treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) at Sojourner House and continued through Sojourner House MOMS, which provides housing and services for mothers and their children after residential treatment.

Pittsburgh-based Sojourner House provides intensive, gender-specific residential treatment that allows mothers experiencing SUD to pursue recovery while remaining with their children, helping preserve the parent-child bond as families begin rebuilding stability together.

A JAMA Pediatrics study estimated that one in four U.S. children, nearly 19 million, lived with at least one parent or primary caregiver with a substance use disorder in 2023. Research has found that mothers participating in programs that integrate substance use treatment with parenting programs and child-centered care are more likely to complete treatment, demonstrating the value of approaches that support both mothers and their children.

When families leave the residential program, Sojourner House MOMS (Motivation, Opportunity, Mentoring, and Spirituality) provides the next step: transitional and permanent supportive housing, along with case management, behavioral health referrals, parenting and peer support, job-readiness and education resources, and assistance with basic needs.

Together, the programs connect residential treatment with continued housing and support, providing mothers additional resources as they strengthen their recovery, family stability, and long-term goals.

In 2025 the AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation awarded Sojourner House MOMS a $100,000 grant for its Sustaining Supportive Housing and Recovery Services for Families project. The grant supports the organization’s existing work with mothers in recovery and their children.

The project aims to provide 64 families with long-term housing and wraparound services, including permanent supportive housing and case management lasting two years or longer. These services help address instability that can interfere with recovery and family well-being.

After completing treatment at Sojourner House, Vanessa continued her path through Sojourner House MOMS, where stable housing and ongoing support helped her build confidence as she worked toward her goals.  Along the way community and accountability became important to her recovery, lessons she has continued to carry with her.

Vanessa advises women beginning their own recovery not to be afraid to ask for help. Her experience with Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS helped her see what was possible for herself and her son.

Vanessa’s journey shows what is possible when mothers have the support and stability to pursue recovery while keeping their families together. During National Recovery Month, we recognize their commitment and the community partners working alongside them.