Casa Teresa

Emergency Maternity Shelter

Launched 11 years ago, Casa Teresa's Emergency Maternity Shelter (EMS) provides the most vulnerable homeless pregnant women with shelter, food, case management, counseling, vocational/educational assistance, life skills/parenting classes, health care, and other supportive services. Our program helps women who struggle with chronic homelessness, substance abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, and other issues to help transition them off the streets and into a structured shelter program. While other shelters in Orange County require an established period of sobriety for applicants, the EMS accepts residents as early as the first day in their battle against substance use, enabling the women at highest risk for harm to themselves and their infants to find shelter and support. Furthermore, we are the only place in Orange County with beds specifically reserved for pregnant women caring for their existing children. Once admitted to EMS, residents can stay for up to three 30-day phases, plus two months once her baby is born. Progressing from early crisis to growing empowerment, these three phases work together to stabilize the family situation as quickly as possible while supporting the longer-term health and wellness of the mother and child.  

Parenting Program

Pregnant women who are committed to parenting their children can enroll in our Parenting Program, which prepares residents to become self-sufficient and loving parents by offering support and resources that will guide them toward independence. Residents build parenting skills while also learning healthy habits, addressing personal trauma, and removing barriers to success, all in the hopes that the new mother can move forward in every area of her life. Residents attend an array of staff- and volunteer-run classes, including life skills, an office certificate program, financial management, parenting, integrity courses, and nutrition. Any legal issues and safety needs resulting from situations of domestic violence or other difficult circumstances are reviewed and mothers are referred to relevant resources. If they have not achieved their high school diploma, residents can prepare for and pass their High School Equivalency Exam through our partnership with American Career College. Our Program Director works with each resident through intensive case management to overcome the traumatic pasts creating barriers to moving forward. They learn to identify unhealthy relationships and patterns of behaviors that can be changed. In conjunction, Case Managers help them plan for their futures, coordinating services, programs, and activities and providing accountability.  

Transformation Program

Residents who have completed the Parenting Program and wish to continue their development at Casa Teresa can apply for residency in the Transformation Program. The two-phase Transformation Program represents a significant increase in autonomy and responsibility. To be accepted into Transformation, residents must be progressing toward their individual financial, educational, career and personal goals established with their Case Managers and must participate in a panel interview with staff. While in Transformation I, residents must attend school or work full-time, diligently clearing up past legal issues, and completing plans to resolve financial debt. Residents must secure reliable daycare for their infants and toddlers. Though residents still attend some classes at Casa Teresa, the emphasis is on using the skills learned in the Parenting Program to establish a life outside of our walls, while still benefiting from the safety and continuity of our “Home with a Heart.” Case Managers work with moms to develop an exit strategy that includes finding permanent housing, securing a job that will provide a living wage, and creating a support system of stable individuals who care about their well-being. After their time in Transformation 1, residents can apply to live in Transformation II - individual loft-style apartments that provide an independent living situation and prepare them for the responsibilities they will face after completion of our program. Residents continue to work closely with Case Managers to find permanent housing and develop a successful exit strategy.