Angela became a client at Family Connections in 2017 after being referred to the agency by New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency to address substance abuse and mental health concerns. Angela has four children who were all removed from her care due to her unstable mental health and ongoing substance abuse issues.
Angela became a part of three programs within Family Connections: Strong Mothers, Home Safe and ReConnections. The primary goals of Angela’s treatment within the three programs were to achieve abstinence, stabilize her mood and alleviate mental health symptoms, secure adequate housing and reunite with her children.
Angela was engaged and cooperative in all programs, attending Strong Mothers groups three times a week, Home Safe groups once per week and visiting her children weekly with ReConnections. She was clearly determined to be a better version of herself and get her children back.
Angela began to make incredible progress. She achieved total abstinence, engaged and cooperated with psychiatric treatment, learned skills to manage mood symptoms and secured adequate housing through the Home Safe program. All of her counselors were very proud.
Angela became hopeful and optimistic about a future for herself and her children for the first time. Through her hard work and determination, after two-and-one-half years of engaging in treatment services, Angela has been reunified with her children. She continues to receive support and therapeutic services from Family Connections, while gaining the tools she needs to eventually be totally self-sufficient.
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