What We Do
Every service Sanctuary provides is completely free. Every interaction is confidential. And every person on our team believes that your recovery and your family are worth fighting for.
Every family that Sanctuary serves began with someone who believed recovery deserves support.
At the heart of Sanctuary's work are peer advocates: people with lived experience in recovery who walk beside you through every step of the process. They are not caseworkers. They are not therapists. They are people who have been where you are — and who came out the other side.
A peer advocate's presence beside you in a courtroom changes everything. You are no longer an isolated individual facing a system — you are a person with community, with support, with someone in your corner.
Legal representation transforms outcomes in family court. Sanctuary connects parents with pro bono attorneys who understand the intersection of recovery, family law, and systemic bias.
Sanctuary does not provide legal advice and is not a law firm. We connect you with licensed attorneys who do.
Parents with attorneys are significantly more likely to achieve reunification. Cases resolve faster. Service plans are fairer. Your recovery gets presented as the strength it is.
Whether you are seeking treatment for the first time or maintaining long-term recovery, Sanctuary helps you navigate the full landscape of care available to you in New York.
Sanctuary supports all recovery pathways equally. We do not require 12-step participation. Whatever path works for you, we will help you navigate it.
Knowledge is a form of power — and Sanctuary believes that power belongs to parents, not only to the professionals who serve them.
Parents who understand the system are better equipped to navigate it. We translate legal complexity into plain language so you can walk into every hearing prepared.
Recovery does not happen in a vacuum. It happens in the context of housing, employment, childcare, and daily survival. Sanctuary helps stabilize the practical foundations that make recovery sustainable.
The court wants to see stable housing, employment, and daily functioning. We help you build and document the stability that demonstrates your readiness to parent.
Who We Serve
If you are a parent in recovery — or a parent affected by the child welfare system — you belong here. There is no eligibility quiz. There is no judgment.
Parents in recovery from substance use disorder at any stage
Parents of color facing systemic racial bias in child welfare
Domestic violence survivors with concurrent CPS involvement
Parents with co-occurring mental health conditions
Parents living in poverty who cannot afford legal representation
LGBTQ+ parents facing discrimination or bias
Immigrant parents navigating language barriers and immigration-related fears
Parents at any point in the process — from investigation to reunification
Yes. Every service Sanctuary provides is completely free of charge. You will never receive a bill.
No. We meet you where you are. Whether you are in active use, in early recovery, or years into sobriety — you are welcome. Sanctuary does not require sobriety as a condition of support.
Yes. We do not share your story, your records, or your participation with anyone — including ACS, courts, or family members — without your explicit written consent.
You do not need to be in court to benefit from Sanctuary's services. Prevention is part of our mission. If you are concerned about potential CPS involvement, we can help you understand your rights, document your recovery, and prepare.
Contact Sanctuary by email or phone — however feels safest to you. A brief, confidential intake conversation will help us understand your needs and connect you to the right support.
Reaching out is the hardest part. We are here — and everything that follows is free, confidential, and without judgment.
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