Nevaeh Living - Project Title: Sanctuary & Stability — Long-Term Safe Home for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Survivors of Sexual Exploitation, Trafficking, and Abuse Applicant: Nevaeh ("Nevaeh Living"), Rio Rancho, New Mexico Purpose: Nevaeh will found and operate a new long-term, trauma-informed residential safe home in New Mexico exclusively serving adult women (age 18 and older) who are victims of sexual exploitation, trafficking, and/or abuse and who are pregnant at admission. Residents remain through pregnancy, birth, and their infant's first year — a stay of approximately 18 to 21 months. New Mexico currently has no maternity-focused, long-term safe home for this population. Activities: The project will complete program infrastructure and policies; prepare and equip a confidential residence; recruit and train a stable residential staff team; open the home within the first 12 months of the award; and operate it as a structured, therapeutic living environment. Residents receive long-term housing — not emergency shelter — along with comprehensive, voluntary, multidisciplinary services addressing physical health, psychological and emotional well-being, social support, and educational and vocational development, delivered in-house and through formal partners including a licensed behavioral health agency (trauma-specialized therapy, case management, and an intensive outpatient program), perinatal and wellness providers, and employment and education partners. A hybrid virtual service model extends trauma-specialized support to survivors in rural, frontier, and Tribal communities. Expected deliverables and outcomes: An operational long-term safe home serving up to five mothers and their infants at a time; 8–10 mothers and their infants housed in the first full year of operation; at least 70% of participants maintaining stable housing for 12 or more months or exiting to stable housing; measurable gains in recovery, well-being, and economic self-sufficiency; reduced return to unsafe environments; and documented staffing stability and continuity of care. Intended beneficiaries: Pregnant and postpartum adult women survivors of sexual exploitation, trafficking, and abuse in New Mexico and their infants, including survivors in rural, frontier, and Tribal communities. Estimated number to be served: approximately 10–15 mothers and infants in residence across the project period, plus 15–20 additional survivors reached annually through virtual services.
