When we talk about the overdose crisis, the numbers can feel overwhelming. But behind every statistic is a name, a family, and, too often, child left grieving. A recent Allegheny County report reveals a devastating truth: between 2016 and 2023, 3,512 children and young adults in Allegheny County lost a parent to overdose.
That’s more than 400 children each year.
Half were under the age of 13.
Fourteen percent were under five—our community’s youngest and most vulnerable.
These numbers don’t just represent loss. They represent futures that will forever be shaped by trauma.
The Overdose Ripple Effect
The Allegheny County data show that many parents who died of overdose had previously interacted with behavioral health, child welfare, or criminal justice systems. In the year before their death:
- 73% visited an emergency department
- 42% received mental health services
- Over 70% were prescribed medication for opioid use disorder
- Nearly 1 in 5 experienced homelessness
Meanwhile, most of their children had little or no contact with social services before or after the loss. Many families were invisible until tragedy struck.
All of this underscores what Sojourner House has known for more than 30 years: addiction doesn’t happen in isolation—and neither does healing.
Healing Families, Preventing Overdose
At Sojourner House, mothers in recovery live with their children in safe, stable, apartment-style housing while participating in intensive treatment and supportive services. This unique model keeps families together—helping mothers rebuild their lives while providing their children with the consistency and love they need to thrive.
Through individual and group therapy, trauma-informed parenting classes, case management, and access to medication-assisted treatment, Sojourner House helps families heal together—interrupting cycles of addiction, homelessness, and loss.
Beyond treatment, Sojourner House MOMS provides transitional and permanent supportive housing, ensuring mothers and children have a path to long-term stability after treatment. Families receive ongoing recovery support, life-skills training, and access to aftercare resources—because recovery doesn’t end after 30, 60, or 90 days. It’s a lifelong journey, and it takes community.
By addressing the root causes of substance use disorder and building family resilience, Sojourner House plays a direct role in preventing overdose deaths and reducing the number of children who experience the trauma of parental loss.
Every Family Deserves Stability and Hope
The data from Allegheny County make one thing clear: behind every number is a story that could have turned out differently with the right support at the right time.
At Sojourner House, those supports include:
- Safe housing where mothers and children can stay together.
- Evidence-based treatment for substance use and mental health disorders.
- Parenting education and early childhood enrichment to strengthen family bonds.
- Community outreach and harm-reduction education to connect families before crisis.
- Aftercare programs to sustain recovery and prevent relapses.
When families have these resources, recovery is not only possible, but also powerful.
Now More Than Ever, Your Support Matters
This Giving Tuesday, Sojourner House is participating in Give Big Pittsburgh, our region’s annual day of generosity. Your donation will help ensure that mothers and children impacted by addiction have access to treatment, housing, and hope.
Give during Give Big Pittsburgh on December 2 and stand with Sojourner House as we help families heal, recover, and thrive together.
Donate to Sojourner House on Give Big Pittsburgh
Every dollar strengthens a mother’s recovery.
Every gift protects a child’s future.
Every act of compassion helps rewrite the story—one family at a time.