Amethyst Place is a safe haven where mothers recovering from substance use can rebuild their lives and families. Through a holistic model that includes supportive housing, therapeutic care, and empowerment programs, Amethyst Place helps families break free from cycles of poverty, trauma, and addiction. At its core, the program offers not only stability—but hope, healing, and long-term transformation.

A Place to Call Home

At the center of Amethyst Place is the Supportive Housing Program, which provides 37 fully furnished apartments in a vibrant, close-knit community. Families are given a stable home for as long as they need, along with access to basic essentials like food, clothing, and household items. In 2023, Amethyst Place supported 163 women and children in reclaiming their lives through the safety and security of stable housing.

Kansas City faces a severe housing shortage, with more than 64,000 units of affordable housing needed for low-income renters. Families with young children are particularly affected, making up over 10% of extremely low-income renters. Without stable housing, families often fall into cycles of poverty that are difficult to escape. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City estimates that the cost of direct services to an unhoused person is around $83,000 per year. By addressing housing needs proactively, Amethyst Place saves public resources and prevents long-term hardship for families.

Supporting Mothers in Recovery

Every mother at Amethyst Place is in early recovery from substance use and working hard to regain stability for herself and her children. Many face immense challenges—mental health struggles, separation from their children, and the lingering effects of trauma. The Therapeutic Support Program provides on-site counseling and recovery services, helping mothers develop healthy coping strategies, improve parenting skills, and build resilience.

The cost of untreated substance use to society is staggering. According to Georgetown University, substance use costs the U.S. more than $532 billion annually, including healthcare, lost productivity, and criminal justice expenses. Incarceration alone costs $39,600 per person, per year. In contrast, Amethyst Place offers a cost-effective, compassionate alternative. In 2023, 95% of participating women maintained their recovery, far surpassing the national average of 40–60%. That success translates to an estimated $1.7 million in savings based on reduced incarceration and treatment costs.

Keeping Families Together

For many of the women served, arriving at Amethyst Place also means beginning the process of reunifying with their children. Most children are in foster care when their mothers enter the program. Without intervention, prolonged foster placements often lead to negative life outcomes, including poor mental health, lower educational attainment, and housing instability. In fact, 60% of Amethyst Place mothers were themselves in foster care as children, showing how generational trauma repeats without support.

Through Amethyst Place, families are given the opportunity to heal and reunite. In 2023, 13 children were successfully reunified with their mothers—an achievement that not only restores families but results in major cost savings. The average cost of foster care is $32,711 per child, per year. These reunifications saved an estimated $425,243 in public funds. Overall, 96% of children in out-of-home placement were reunified or actively working toward reunification with regular visits—more than double the national average of 44% following parental recovery treatment.

Healing Childhood Trauma

The children at Amethyst Place have experienced tremendous adversity—separation from their parents, instability, and trauma. Research shows that these Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have lifelong consequences, affecting physical health, brain development, and emotional well-being. But ACEs are not destiny.

Amethyst Place helps children build resilience by creating Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) through stable housing, nurturing caregivers, supportive relationships, and opportunities for learning and play. On-site programs help children heal and grow while strengthening their bond with their mothers. At the same time, moms receive the emotional and practical support they need to stay on track—from parenting workshops and peer support to financial literacy and wellness coaching.

Breaking The Cycle, Building The Future

The Family Empowerment Program is designed to increase each family's long-term success by addressing the root causes of poverty. Through educational, vocational, financial, and wellness support, mothers build the skills and confidence they need to achieve self-sufficiency. Whether pursuing a college degree, entering the workforce, or learning to manage a household budget, every mother receives individualized support to reach her goals.

What benefits the mothers also benefits their children. When moms are empowered to succeed, children thrive—and families are able to break cycles of trauma and poverty that may have spanned generations.

More Than A Recovery Program

Amethyst Place is more than a recovery program—it's a transformational community. By investing in housing, mental health, recovery, and family reunification, the program produces measurable outcomes that change lives and save public resources. At a time when Kansas City faces critical challenges related to housing, substance use, and child welfare, Amethyst Place offers a proven, compassionate model for healing and hope.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.