Hope Through Strength is a four-year research project (2020 – 2024) in partnership with Sanctum Care Group (SCG). The aim of the project is to understand the impact of Sanctum 1.5, a program that provides wrap-around care for pregnant women living with or at risk of HIV or hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Sanctum 1.5 operates a 10-bed residence for women (up to three months prenatal) and their babies (for three months postnatal) in Saskatoon and provides follow-up for a year after the in-house program is completed.
Sanctum 1.5 focuses on three phases: stabilization, recovery and successful transition to community.
Their model of care aims to support the women’s self-identified needs and goals through access to safe and appropriate healthcare, cultural supports, community and government agencies. SCG uses a harm reduction, person-centred, wholistic and collaborative model of care.
The aim of the research is to gather evidence around the impacts and outcomes of Sanctum 1.5 for women and their babies, staff and community partners.
We are interested in the following outcomes:
- prenatal and postnatal care.
- involvement with Child and Protective Services.
- harm reduction.
- housing.
The project is framed through an etuaptmumk (Two-eyed Seeing) lens, which brings together Western and Indigenous perspectives and approaches. We also aim to create an Ethical Space in which principles of relationality, respect and reciprocity are enacted.
Hope Through Strength is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
For more information, contact:
Lynette Epp – lynette.epp@usask.ca