Hope Lives Here.
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Sanctuary for Change
Foundation, Inc.
If you are a parent in recovery facing custody court, family court, or fighting for your children in New York - you do not have to do this alone.
Recovery is your strength.
You Found Us For a Reason
Your past addiction is being used against you in family court. You are doing the work. You deserve guidance, legal support, and someone in your corner.
You're attending meetings, completing treatment, staying sober - but the court process feels impossible. We help you understand what the system expects and how to show your progress.
You or someone you love needs help finding detox, inpatient, outpatient, IOP, sober living, AA, NA, or therapy. We connect you to the right resources.
Shame and stigma keep too many parents silent. Sanctuary is a trauma-informed space where you are not judged for your past - only supported in your recovery.
Our Mission
"Addiction should not define a parent forever. Children benefit when parents are given access to treatment, legal guidance, community, accountability, and hope."
Sanctuary for Change Foundation bridges the gap between recovery services and family court. We serve all parents - mothers, fathers, and caregivers - connecting them with treatment resources, pro bono legal referrals, sober housing, peer support, and trauma-informed guidance.
Legal Referrals
Recovery Support
Peer Community
Court Education
Stigma Advocacy
What We Do
Sanctuary provides coordinated support that no single organization in New York currently offers - combining recovery navigation with family court guidance under one roof.
We connect eligible parents with volunteer attorneys for custody, visitation, Article 10, and family court matters.
Learn more →Plain-language guides explaining what New York family court expects from parents in recovery.
Learn more →We help you find detox, inpatient, IOP, outpatient, sober living, AA/NA, and court-approved programs in New York.
Learn more →Confidential, trauma-informed support spaces where parents connect with others who have navigated the same road.
Learn more →We help parents understand and build the documentation that supports a family court case.
Learn more →We advocate for a family court process that recognizes recovery as evidence of strength - not weakness.
Learn more →Go Deeper
Every page on this site was written by people in recovery, for parents navigating the hardest fight of their lives. Choose what you need most right now.
A parent's guide to family court - types of proceedings, your legal rights, drug testing, and how to present yourself.
Read the guide →What triggers an investigation, your constitutional rights, what not to say, and your immediate action plan.
Read the guide →The documented reality of racial disproportionality - and what Sanctuary does differently to fight it.
Read the guide →You are more than your worst moment. Practical tools for healing guilt, shame, and stigma in recovery.
Read the guide →Composite stories drawn from real patterns - parents who fought for their families and won.
Read the stories →How Sanctuary honors AA/NA Traditions while advocating publicly for recovery. Written by people in recovery.
Read our approach →SANCTUARY
FOR CHANGE FOUNDATION, INC.
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Our Story
Sanctuary for Change Foundation was created to support parents who are fighting for recovery while navigating the family court system.
"For many parents, addiction stigma does not end when sobriety begins. In family court, it can follow them into every filing, every hearing, every accusation, and every attempt to show that they are safe, capable, loving, and present."
We believe that parents who are doing the work deserve guidance, not abandonment. Legal support, not confusion. Community, not shame.
Read Our Full StoryCommon Questions
These are the questions we hear most. If you are asking any of these, Sanctuary may be able to help.
New York family courts focus on the best interests of the child - which includes recognizing genuine recovery. The most important steps are completing a court-approved treatment program, maintaining consistent sobriety, attending all court dates, and documenting your progress. Contact us to get started.
New York State has many publicly funded treatment options including OASAS-certified programs and Medicaid-covered services. The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is free and available 24/7. See our full resource directory.
Yes. Sanctuary is building a pro bono attorney referral network specifically for parents in recovery. Submit an intake form and we will try to connect you.
If ACS is involved in your case, it is critical to have legal representation. You have rights. Read our full ACS guide or reach out to us today.
Support the Mission
Family court can be terrifying for a parent in recovery. Your donation changes that.
Sanctuary for Change Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Federal tax-exempt status application pending.
Take the First Step
Reaching out is the hardest part. Fill out a brief intake form and a member of our team will follow up with resources, referrals, and support - at no cost to you.
Submit your intake form
We review your situation
We connect you to resources
You are no longer alone
Your information is confidential. Reaching out does not create a legal relationship. We are not a law firm.