HerWay Home Program:
Comprehensive Programming for
Women and Children in Victoria
Presented by: Jill Davoren
Betty Poag
 Queen
Alexandra Hospital
Foundation for Children
 Victoria
General Hospital- Perinatal
Program
 Blanshard
Community Birth Project
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 Review
of the literature
 Identify
best approach to ensure
broad, “low threshold” support for
women
 Comprehensive,
coordinated, crosssectoral and interdisciplinary
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Current Membership Includes:

Over 30 community and health service
agencies

Over 85 individuals

2 Ministries

Several community members
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H ousing First
E mpowering
R espect
W oman
A cceptance
Y our Choice
H ealth
O pportunity
M othering
E quality
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Theoretical Frameworks that guide our
service delivery model:

Woman-Centred & Child-Centred

Trauma Informed

Harm Reduction

Services “mapped” to stages of change
(Transtheoretical Model)

Staff will have training in Motivational
Interviewing to work more effectively with
clients.
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Services:

Housing

Primary Health Services/Perinatal Services

Infant/Child Services

Drug and Alcohol Counselling
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Services cont’d:

Woman Abuse Response Services

Parenting Support and Advocacy

Nutrition/Food security

Pragmatic Supports
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HerWay Home
Poverty
Policy on
Mothering,
ethics of
funding
Physical
environment,
housing
Experience
of Violence
Mother’s
use of
other drugs
Mother’s
nutrition
Mother’s
access to
prenatal
care
Context/Isolation
Stigma and Racial
Discrimination
Mother’s
Alcohol
Use
Resilience
Mother’s
overall
health
Genetics
Mother’s
stress level
Age
Experience of Loss
Poole, N. (2003). Mother and Child Reunion: Preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder by Promoting Women's Health. Vancouver, BC: BCCEWH
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HerWay Home GovernanceStructure
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Housing Program (phase 2)
- emergency
- supported
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"Drop-In Centre"
- programs
- services
HerWay Home
Stabilization Housing
-pregnancy
-early postpartum
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"All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity
and importance and should be undertaken
with painstaking excellence."
Martin Luther King Jr.
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Thank you for your time and attention!
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