Despite crisis, newborn and mom find safety
Despite crisis, newborn and mom find safety
A compassionate doctor led Josie and her newborn daughter to FamilyAid following an emergency C-section and the unexpected loss of her home.
Josie initially thought her landlord was joking when he informed her, upon realizing that she was pregnant, that she would have to move out of her furnished basement apartment. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want a baby in the building as it was that the building was no place for a baby. The landlord explained that the building had lead and asbestos in it and could not pay for the remediation needed to make it safe for a child.
With her delivery date more than four months away, Josie expected to have ample time to locate a new place to live – perhaps even a few months after her baby arrived. She harshly discovered, however, that her assumption was wrong. Two months before her due date, Josie was rushed to Boston Medical Center for an emergency C-section. With her new daughter, Emelie, being cared for in the neonatal unit, Josie returned home, only to find that the locks on her apartment had been changed and all of her belongings had been piled on the porch.
Understandably distraught and feeling helpless, Josie returned to the hospital and shared the awful news with her doctor. Thankfully, the doctor connected her to the unit’s social work team who connected her with on-call FamilyAid staff through a special emergency program established between FamilyAid and the hospital. FamilyAid quickly provided Josie with a hotel stay until housing specialists could facilitate a longer-term housing solution and supports for Josie while Emelie was in the hospital.
Josie’s FamilyAid case manager, supported by the agency’s early childhood navigator, helped her access post-NICU care, and assisted with transportation costs to and from the hospital until Emelie was ready to be discharged.
“Becoming a parent for the first time is stressful for almost everyone, so adding neonatal care and homelessness to the mix can be overwhelming,” said FamilyAid president Larry Seamans. “Our navigators and case managers have the knowledge and experience to help parents like Josie and newborns like Emelie experience long-term success. “
As Emelie grew stronger and healthier, Josie began to see a glimmer of hope for their future. Thanks to the help of FamilyAid, they now live in transitional housing. Josie has found a work-from-home job as a patient advocate, and she’s currently saving up to move into her own apartment.
Despite the unexpected and unimaginable challenges, they faced, Josie and Emelie are now on the path to a better and brighter future, thanks to the compassionate and expert support they received.
