Andrea* is a single mother. For many years, she struggled with substance use while in an abusive relationship. Andrea’s boyfriend prevented her from getting a job or making friends. He often threatened her. One day a sheriff came to the apartment, responding to a neighbor’s report about a domestic disturbance. During the visit, the sheriff removed Andrea’s daughter from her custody and placed the girl into protective care.

Soon afterwards, Andrea left. But she had nowhere to go and couldn’t find a job. Distraught and still struggling with addiction, she lived in her car in a shopping center parking lot. She walked to the office of child protective services one morning, wanting to get her daughter back. The county then introduced Andrea to Marissa*, a parent partner with Stanford Sierra Youth & Families.

Marissa often met Andrea in the parking lot where Andrea’s car was stationed and where she was still living. The two developed a bond of trust over shared experience. Marissa had once lost custody of her children, too. She’d also dealt with addiction. More than anything, Andrea wanted her daughter back. Having been there before, Marissa knew an important first step was addressing her substance abuse. With Marissa’s support and advocacy, Andrea accepted a spot at an in-patient rehabilitation program.

After graduating from the program, Andrea moved into a transitional group home. Together, she and Marissa worked on a plan to reunify Andrea with her daughter. Marissa also helped Andrea secure mental health counseling and life skills training.

Today, Andrea is sober and has a full-time job. She enjoys weekly supervised visits with her daughter and has saved enough money for a deposit on an apartment of their own, when the time comes. Every day, parent partners like Marissa work with parents like Andrea, helping them find their way through difficult circumstances and build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Let’s transform the ways that we work together to preserve and support families and prevent child maltreatment. We partner with you in the mission to end child abuse and neglect in our communities.

To report child abuse in Sacramento County contact the 24/7 Child Abuse Hotline at (916) 875-5437.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.