This month is the second anniversary of a care home in Saskatoon that is the first of its kind in Canada.
Sanctum Care Group’s Sanctum 1.5 is a home for women who are pregnant and HIV positive or at risk of becoming HIV positive.
Interim Executive Director, Jamesy Patrick, says the program includes wrap-around services to support the mothers without judgement so they can succeed in parenting and keep their babies with them, rather than ending up in foster care.
42 moms have been cared for in the past 2 years with 43 babies born and no transmission of HIV from mother to child.
Patrick says Sanctum 1.5 has exceeded all expectations.
32 moms have transitioned out of the program, and only 1 child is in foster care.
The program includes keeping in contact with the mothers and supporting them for a year after transitioning out of the home.
Patrick explains that this support means fewer children in care and that includes the 26 additional children that had been in foster care or in a family placement, that were returned to their moms.

Sanctum Care Group also runs an HIV transitional care home.
The big fundraiser to keep these 2 homes running can’t be held this year because of COVID-19.
Sanctum Survivor would send local leaders out into the streets for a 36 hour challenge, to give a view what homelessness, poverty and chronic illness can look like with a gala to follow.
Instead, for the next month, Patrick says, they are asking former Survivor participants to reach out to the public for donations.
The goal is to raise $100-thousand to run the 2 homes.
Anyone who wants to donate, can go here.