Blog
Pregnancy, Abuse and Depression
Rachel was pregnant with her first daughter. She was out of work, living in a remote area, and traveling over an hour for her prenatal care and other appointments. Enduring domestic abuse at the hands of her boyfriend, Rachel felt scared, depressed and disconnected. She needed help. That’s when she found LFCS.
Rachel began meeting with an LFCS social worker regularly. She was taught to make her needs a priority and to set realistic goals. Rachel’s first major goals: find a job and a place to live in town. While she focused on looking for work, LFCS helped her with infant care items and connected her to other community resources. Rachel soon had access to a wealth of resources including housing coaching, resources for a car seat and crib, GED practice tests, bus vouchers, and clothing vouchers.
Once Rachel found part-time work, LFCS reached out to a local community agency that offered assistance to domestic violence victims. With their assistance, Rachel received assistance with a deposit and rent on an apartment for six months. She was finally able to move in to her own home close to work.
Rachel’s daughter was born in November, happy and healthy.
Since then, the LFCS Maternal Mental Health program provides additional support to address Rachel’s her post-partum needs. She attends bi-weekly support group meeting with other young mothers at LFCS. Together they share parenting concerns and ask questions that they all learn from.
Rachel is currently looking for safe and reliable child care so she can return to work. She is saving money to buy a car which will increase her independence and allow her to get back and forth to work. Rachel’s current focus is to obtain her GED while she provides a safe and stable home for her daughter. She is succeeding, thanks to you!