Empowering Mothers, Rebuilding Families

Sheffield Place is a trauma-informed treatment and housing program in Kansas City dedicated to transforming the lives of homeless mothers and their children. The agency’s mission is simple but powerful: to empower homeless mothers and their children to heal from trauma and become self-sufficient. Through intensive services and long-term support, Sheffield Place helps families stabilize, recover, and build healthier futures together.

Who Sheffield Place Serves

Sheffield Place works with some of the most vulnerable families in the Kansas City area—mothers experiencing homelessness along with their children, many of whom have suffered severe trauma. In 2023, 100% of families lived below the poverty line, and nearly all had experienced multiple overlapping challenges:

•    93% of mothers struggled with addiction

•    92% had a mental health diagnosis

•    57% experienced domestic violence

•    38% had not completed high school

•    28% had felony convictions

•    24% had grown up in foster care

Racially, families served were 50% white, 30% Black, 11% Hispanic/Latina, and 9% mixed/other. Many of these mothers also face social stigma due to poverty, criminal backgrounds, addiction, and mental health conditions. The program is designed to meet them where they are—without judgment—and to support them in reclaiming their lives.

Integrated Services For Recovery & Self-Sufficiency

At the core of Sheffield Place’s model is the understanding that trauma is the root cause of many challenges, including addiction, family violence, and homelessness. Services are holistic, addressing both immediate and long-term needs through a wide range of supports:

•    Individual and group therapy

•    Substance use disorder counseling

•    Case management and employment support

•    Recovery groups and relapse prevention

•    Parenting support and life skills training

•    Safe, supportive transitional and permanent housing

Each family’s treatment plan is tailored to their needs and may also include family therapy, recreational activities, and help accessing education, healthcare, and legal resources.

Residential & Aftercare Programs

Residential Services

Families enter Sheffield Place through its residential treatment program. They live in a safe, structured environment where they begin working on recovery, parenting, job readiness, and emotional healing. In 2023, 24 units were available, consistently filled at a 95% occupancy rate. Families pay 30% of their adjusted net income toward rent; those without income contribute through additional chores.

Outcomes for residential families include:

•    Achieving sobriety and improved family health

•    Securing permanent housing

•    Increasing income and employment

Aftercare Support

Once families transition to permanent housing—either at Sheffield Place or elsewhere—they continue to receive services through a no-cost aftercare program for as long as needed. Goals include:

•    Maintaining sobriety and stable housing

•    Sustaining or increasing income

•    Ensuring school attendance and family involvement in the community

To reduce barriers to participation, random drug testing is no longer required for outpatient clients not residing in Sheffield Place housing. This harm reduction approach supports ongoing engagement in recovery.

The Need is Urgent—And Growing

The demand for services has surged. In 2023 alone, Sheffield Place received 924 calls from mothers seeking help—nearly double the number received just a decade earlier. The complexity of client needs has also intensified. Between January and April 2024, cocaine and methamphetamine use among clients rose by 37% and 16%, respectively.

In response, Sheffield Place expanded its clinical team with the addition of a full-time Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Counselor-Case Manager in February 2024, supported by COMBAT funding. This role is critical in providing focused treatment, recovery support, and relapse prevention.

The Impact Of Trauma

Most mothers at Sheffield Place have endured six to eight Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)—including abuse, neglect, parental substance use, and homelessness. High ACE scores significantly increase the risk for substance use, chronic illness, mental health issues, and early death. Trauma is not only an individual burden—it affects generations.

Children served by Sheffield Place also carry trauma, often witnessing or experiencing violence, instability, and emotional neglect. Through integrated family therapy and parenting support, the program breaks the cycle and promotes healing across generations.

Why Women Need Specialized Treatment

Women—especially those experiencing homelessness—face unique barriers to seeking treatment, including fear of losing custody, stigma, and a lack of childcare or transportation. Many begin using substances in the context of family or intimate relationships, and many suffer from co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.

Sheffield Place follows SAMHSA’s recommended best practices for treating women with substance use disorders, including:

•    Trauma-informed care with a focus on safety and trust

•    Addressing co-occurring disorders

•    Relational approaches that consider parenting and family roles

•    Services that respect cultural and gender-specific experiences

•    Long-term support and engagement, even during relapse

Addressing Risk Factors With Comprehensive Services

The families Sheffield Place serves face an array of risk factors. Here’s how the agency addresses them:

The Bigger Picture

Substance use disorder continues to be a national crisis. In 2023, the U.S. saw over 107,000 overdose deaths, with 69% linked to fentanyl. Missouri alone reported more than 2,100 overdose deaths in 2022, with Jackson County having the highest rate in the state.

Women remain underrepresented in addiction treatment, and mothers often face the greatest barriers. Sheffield Place works to remove those barriers by offering a welcoming, stigma-free space where healing is possible.

A Path Forward

Sheffield Place is more than a shelter or treatment facility. It’s a community where women are empowered to rebuild their lives and raise their children in safety and dignity. Every mother is met with compassion. Every child is given a chance to thrive.

By addressing the root causes of trauma, addiction, and poverty, Sheffield Place helps families achieve lasting stability and contribute meaningfully to the community.

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.