September is National Recovery Month, an observance of the importance of accessible mental health services to those in need of substance use treatment. The 2021 national theme for recovery month is “recovery is for everyone: every person, every family, every community.” 

We started the Families in Recovery program to provide families touched by addiction with resources, support, and education. For parents and caregivers in recovery, this program empowers families to recognize strengths, exploring healthy parenting strategies while balancing the priority of recovery, developing healthy coping skills, and ways to support children through the process.

“At the heart of all we do at PFSA is ensuring the protection of children. That mission is at the core of our new Families in Recovery curriculum,” said CEO Angela M. Liddle. “Moms and dads in recovery who participate in this program will learn strategies to better cope with raising and disciplining their children and understanding how to nurture their own wellness and the health of their kids.”

The Families in Recovery program offers trauma-informed and person-centered experiential education that manifests in inpatient and outpatient treatment, parenting collaborative and groups, and family support programs, with over 50 pages of content to apply in a group setting or on an individual basis.

The program is informed by The Strengthening Families Protective Factors, which focuses on five key protective factors: parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete support in times of need, and social and emotional competence of children. Topics covered include identifying parent and family needs, understanding how principles of recovery can apply to parenting, identifying healthy coping skills, creating plans for individual self-care, and understanding the impact of family history on parenting.

Families in Recovery has worked in several counties across Pennsylvania and has even been implemented in other states over the last couple of years. This program was first made possible by the support of our committed staff and a grant from the PA Department of Human Services. If your family or a family you know is in need of support, visit our Families in Recovery page for more information.