APA Success Stories

Stories of Success...

Nellie and Alicia Reunited...
Alicia, the Filipino mother of two-year-old Nellie, was referred by APA's home visitation program for case management services. Alicia abandoned Nellie to her maternal grandparents for one year. The grandparents struggled with Nellie's myasthenia gravies, a condition causing her eyelid to droop, and they hadn't given Nellie the full dosage of her medication because it severely upset her stomach. Alicia returned to find that Child Protective Services had removed Nellie and her parents blamed her for this "mess". Observation of Alicia raised questions about her ability to care for Nellie because she failed to engage with Nellie. During visitation hour, she frequently observed Nellie play from a distance to the point of service providers questioning if Alicia was mentally ill and/or developmentally delayed.

Although Alicia is not articulate, the case manager learned that she wanted to regain custody of Nellie. The case manager knew that the tension between Alicia and her family needed to be resolved, that Alicia needed to get re-acquainted with Nellie and that Alicia needed to learn some parenting skills. During weekly visits, the case manager modeled adult-child play and positively reinforced Alicia's efforts. Alicia was referred to Filipino parent support group and education classes in collaboration with APA's home visitation program. The home visitor successfully resolved the conflict between Alicia and her parents and Nellie eventually was returned to Alicia.

Appropriate Medical Care is Critical...
Refusing to be examined during pre-natal visits, Mary, a pregnant monolingual Chinese woman, was carrying a pair of scissors in her purse with the intention of delivering the baby herself. After numerous visits and family counseling sessions, APA made sure the client came in for weekly pre-natal checks. During her seventh month of pregnancy, the APA Social Worker convinced her husband to commit her for psychiatric assessment and evaluation. One month later the woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy and the baby went home with the father. The mother remained at San Francisco General Hospital psychiatric ward and was put on medication; Her symptoms improved markedly and she was able to join her husband and baby at home.

Getting a Life Back...
One day, Mrs. Ming came to the APA Family Support Center with bruises on her face. Her husband had abused her and their two-year-old son the night before. Mr. and Mrs. Ming were married for two years and the domestic violence was never reported because she was too scared. When she tried to make a 911 call, he pulled the telephone cord out of the wall and threatened to beat her again if she called the police. She sobbed in our office as she described her husband's treatment towards her and her son. The APA social worker immediately sent her to the emergency room for treatment and a home visitor went with her.

Returning home, she discovered her husband had left and taken their child. APA contacted the District Attorney's office, filed a report with Child Protective Service and worked diligently until the child was located. They are now living in a women's shelter until things settle down. Mrs. Ming is in the middle of divorce and child custody proceedings. Our home visitor is assisting with her multiple needs, including translation services during legal procedures, child care referrals, and of course, emotional support and guidance.

A Devastating Medical Condition...
Siu, a thirty-year-old monolingual Chinese woman, gave birth to a baby girl with "Compomelic Dysplasia" Syndrome which causes dwarfism with short, curved and deformed legs, small chest and lungs, and a large head with flat facial features. Siu and her husband William were devastated because the condition is a chromosome disorder with mental retardation and very early death. Despite extensive counseling sessions, William and his mother blamed Sui. William also handled pain by rejecting the baby, refusing to hold her or come near her. The parents were given counseling and support to help them understand and accept the baby's condition and to overcome their fears and superstitions. William eventually bonded with the baby and acknowledged that she was "cute". The parents brought her home for the few weeks that remained of her life.

A Story of Strength, Courage and Determination...
Janet and her two children live in a one bedroom apartment and share a public kitchen and bathroom with the building's other residents. Janet's day starts early as she prepares her children for school and then escorts them. She works two part-time jobs as a maintenance/cleaning person in order to financially support herself and her two children.

Janet has come a long way since her first visit to APA in 1996. Her husband's extramarital affairs led to a divorce that was complicated by her residence status in the United States, her financial difficulties and her unfamiliarity with the San Francisco United School District. During these difficult times, Janet was assigned a home visitor from APA who provided her with community resources like legal services for her divorce, information on parenting education and services that helped her fill out paperwork and apply for welfare. Janet said that the most important service that APA provided was the emotional support for which she will always be grateful.

She began to volunteer at APA doing janitorial work which later helped her gain employment as a maintenance worker in a local factory. APA encourages and motivates clients to develop their own internal strengths and to attain their goals. Janet has reached her goal to be independent and to raise her two children. Asked what her next goal is, she replied, "I want to see my children grow up as kind and successful adults."

Shaken Baby Syndrome...
Ann, a twenty-seven-year old Filipino mother, gave birth to a premature baby boy. The baby was born in an ambulance on the way to San Francisco General Hospital. APA opened a case on this family because the baby was born premature at thirty-one weeks, the family had heavy child care duties and limited financial support. Ann worked as a housekeeper in a hotel, but the father was unemployed and cared for his three children, ages one, two, and the newborn infant. The APA home visitor found the father unreceptive and the family soon ended their cooperation with APA.

Then the baby was admitted to the hospital and Shaken Baby Syndrome was suspected. Appearing to have been badly shaken, the baby had seizures, blindness in one eye, and marks resembling cigarette burns. A report was filed and after investigation all the children were placed in foster care. It was At this point that Ann called her APA home visitor, crying and asking for help. The home visitor encouraged the family to cooperate with Child Protective Service and to visit the baby everyday. The family's attitude began to change and they agreed to call whenever they felt emotional stress and needed support. The parents opened up and made tremendous progress in their lives, reunifying their family.

The Kindness of Strangers....
Mrs. Liu is a Cantonese speaking mother of four. Two of her children's teachers observed that Mrs. Liu had bruises on her face on several different occasions. She admitted that her husband had beat her on several occasions and they referred her to APA. The APA case manager took her to the hospital for medical treatment.

There have been several police reports, but Mrs. Liu had never filed any charges against her husband. She has suffered a long history of physical, emotional and mental abuse. An arranged marriage, the husband had several affairs and left Mrs. Liu after eight years to live with another woman yet refuses to divorce her. She says that he visits their home to see his mother but has limited contact with the children. This situation is extremely difficult for Mrs. Liu because the mother-in-law blames her for all of her son's problems and illegal gambling habits. Finally, she had agreed to go to the Asian Women's Shelter.

The Network case manager and Mrs. Liu have developed a strong, trusting relationship. She feels tremendously isolated here because her family is in China. However, she has developed a deep, familial bond with the staff at APA who continue to offer a strong support system for her and her children. The case manager had worked intensively providing translation, emotional support and advocacy in Mrs. Liu's legal, housing and medical issues. She has coordinated additional services with the counselor at the child care facility to provide counseling services for the four-year-old daughter.

A Home of Her Own...
Jessica , a single Samoan mother of three children, lives in the Potrero Hill Housing Projects, but the father of the children gives them little financial and emotional support. Jessica is unemployed and has limited financial assets and support. During her pregnancy, she used substances and had a lapse in prenatal care due to stress. The Network case manager built a rapport with Jessica who shared that she was undergoing enormous stress. She lives with her father who tries to be supportive by sharing his home and assisting with child care, but they have many disagreements. Her precarious relationship with her father threatens her housing and support system. The APA case manager works with Jessica to provide ongoing supportive counseling and to develop more appropriate parenting skills. The APA case manager works with the Samoan Community Development Center in helping Jessica find a place of her own.

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