When Amanda landed in the ICU due to complications from alcoholism, her 9-year-old son, Jack, faced the very real possibility of being removed from his home. Years of instability and emotional pain had taken a toll on both of them. Amanda was at risk of losing her parental rights and Jack, carrying the weight of post-traumatic stress, struggled with suicidal thoughts and emotional regulation.

“I can’t even imagine losing my child,” Amanda said. “We were at the point of hopelessness.”

Jack had little faith that anything would change, and he especially didn’t think his mom was going to change.

But Amanda was determined to do things differently. She entered an inpatient rehabilitation program, followed by intensive outpatient care. At the same time, Jack began receiving specialized support through the Intercept program. Developed by Youth Villages, Intercept is an evidenced-based, intensive, in-home parenting skills program. Family intervention specialists work with both the child and the caregivers to address issues impacting the stability of the family and provide 24-hour, on-call crisis support. Trauma-informed care is also provided.

Amanda and Jack were given the tools they desperately needed—coping strategies, therapy and consistent support from someone who wouldn’t give up on them.

“She has helped me with anger stuff,” Jack said, reflecting on his progress with his Intercept specialist, Jennifer. “Normally, I would just scream really loud,” 
 
Jack received an individualized education program (IEP) and therapeutic services to help him at school and learned how to advocate for himself.

Amanda began to rebuild trust with her son while maintaining her sobriety. Jennifer worked closely with both mother and son to build structure and focus on their healing.

Amanda surpassed 90 days sober, a huge milestone, and Jack was so proud of her.

The relationship between mother and son began to heal. With each small step, confidence grew. Amanda leaned into her recovery, and Jack began to see a different version of the woman who raised him – one who was present, determined and ready to fight for their future.

Today, Jack is thriving, and Amanda remains committed to her sobriety. Looking back, the family knows how close they came to falling apart and how far they’ve come together. Amanda reveals that her family flourished due to the support they received from Youth Villages.

“I don’t have a village; Youth Villages is my village… Jennifer was our village,” Amanda said. “To go through so much change with support was really crucial to me.”

Thanks to the Intercept program, Amanda and Jack didn’t just get help, they found hope.

“This was the service we never knew we needed,” Amanda said. “For the first time, we feel ready to take on the future.”

About Youth Villages – New England

In collaboration with state child welfare agencies and juvenile justice systems, our services in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island focus on strengthening families to prevent or limit the need for foster care (Intercept) and supporting youth who age out of foster care or lack a stable caregiver as they enter adulthood (LifeSet).

Donate now to help us expand our reach and build a stronger community.

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