About this Event
Pregnant and parenting people affected by substance use often face stigma and systemic barriers that can impact access to care, family stability and long-term health outcomes. This panel discussion will explore how responses from healthcare and child welfare systems shape those outcomes and how compassionate approaches can better support whole family wellness.
Featuring a Senior Family Services Specialist with Clark County Family Services, a retired registered nurse with over 33 years of experience in maternal-child health, and two individuals in long term recovery with lived experience navigating welfare systems, this conversation will offer both systems and personal perspectives.
Designed for professionals in healthcare, behavioral health, child welfare, and family court systems, this event will explore:
- How stigma impacts trust, engagement, and care
- The role of policy and system responses in family outcomes
- Opportunities to shift from punitive responses to supportive approaches
- Practical ways systems can collaborate to improve outcomes for parents and children
By centering lived experience alongside professional insight, this discussion aims to increase understanding, reduce stigma, and highlight pathways to more effective, family-centered care.
Meet the Panelists
Cassanda J., Senior Family Services Specialist with Clark County Family Services
Cassandra is a child welfare professional dedicated to supporting families navigating substance use, mental health, and trauma. With a strong foundation in trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice, she brings both frontline experience and leadership in guiding staff and collaborating across systems. Her work is driven by a commitment to reducing stigma and improving outcomes for families while ensuring child safety.
Christine F., Retired RN with 33 years of experience
Christine is a retired registered nurse with more than three decades of experience in maternal-child health, spanning labor and delivery, postpartum care, and case management. In addition to her clinical expertise, she brings the perspective of a parent whose children are in recovery. Her story reflects the power of compassion, resilience, and the belief that healing is possible.
Steph L., Parent in Recovery
Stephanie is a parent in recovery whose journey reflects resilience, accountability, and hope. After experiencing homelessness, substance use, and CPS involvement, she made the decision to pursue recovery and ultimately reunified with her daughter. Today, she works in substance use treatment, using her lived experience to support and inspire others on their path to healing.
Victor T., Parent in Recovery
Victor's story is one of early substance use that grew into a decades-long struggle, impacting his housing, family, and stability. After experiencing homelessness, incarceration, and child welfare involvement, pivotal moments led him to pursue treatment and recovery. Today, with nine months of sobriety, he shares his journey to highlight resilience, accountability, and the possibility of change.
Want to learn more about our panelists? Full bios available .
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Foundation for Recovery Southern Nevada Recovery Community Center, 4800 Alpine Pl., Las Vegas, United States
USD 0.00
