Services

The Elizabeth House is a residential maternity and parenting program that supports women who are single and pregnant or have recently given birth. We provide a safe and secure environment for mothers to become emotionally healthy and self-sufficient at no cost. The majority of participants stay at The Elizabeth House for six to 12 months, but some stay longer to work on their goals. During this time, participants pay off debt, build savings, learn new skills, and work towards independence.

Participants build life skills that will help them to secure employment and housing, manage money and make good decisions. During each woman’s stay, she also learns effective parenting skills. Some women choose to explore modern adoption and may choose to make an adoption plan.

The Elizabeth House is not an emergency shelter. We are a program for women who wish to make changes in their lives. Each woman has her own bedroom and may share a bathroom with one other mom. The kitchen and living areas are shared with other moms and their children. Most are first-time moms, but some have another young toddler.

Our goal is to equip moms to rebuild and restore their lives through Biblical principles, education, job placement and emotional support. Women of all faiths or no faith are welcome in our program.

We’re here to help each mom gain the skills and resources she needs to thrive when she graduates from our program. After successful graduation, participants can continue to access The Elizabeth House for resources and support.

Our Principles

The Elizabeth House is a safe place for expectant moms who are ready to change the directions of their lives. We provide a supportive, structured, goal-oriented environment committed to the growth of moms and their babies, free of charge.

At The Elizabeth House, you can accomplish your dreams for the future and so much more.Our program is designed to help all residents:

Develop life and financial management skills
Obtain education or training to obtain a job that provides a living wage
Connect with support networks and community services to expand each woman’s resource base
Gain new insights into parenting through education and support
Have an opportunity for spiritual and emotional growth
Grow the resources to obtain safe, affordable housing and childcare
Develop healthy relationship knowledge and skills

Meet the Core Team

The Elizabeth House is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The core team working with every resident to help them make progress toward their goals includes our Program Director, Care Partner, and Parenting Coach.

The Elizabeth House, founded in 2003, is a program of Care Net Pregnancy Center of Dane County, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving South Central Wisconsin.

The Elizabeth House is a member a member of the National Maternity Housing Coalition.

Admission Criteria

18+ years of age.
Committed to the process of change so you and your baby can thrive..
No active AODA issues or have been clean for at least six months with continued counseling. Random drug tests are done.
No significant criminal history. Background checks are done during application process.
We are not staffed to work with persons with significant mental health diagnoses or active AODA concerns.

Expectations

In order for a young woman to reside at The Elizabeth House she must agree to meet our core program requirements which include:

Attend nightly family meals Monday - Thursday nights unless this conflicts with work or school
Attend mandatory Monday night group
Complete daily and weekly chores to keep the household running smoothly
Meet with case manager weekly
Attend mandatory classes (Parenting, Childbirth Education, healthy relationships, nutrition and finance, other)
Pursue a high school diploma or GED unless completed
Pay off debt and save a percentage of money earned.
Work or volunteer or attend school a minimum of 20 hours per week

What You'll Gain

While in our program you’ll have an opportunity to learn new skills and achieve goals you’ve been dreaming about, including:

Getting your high school diploma or career training, certifications or education

Pay off the debt that's been weighing you down, and save for your future. Learn how to manage your money, instead of money (or lack of) managing you.

Grow in life skills like time management, conflict resolution, and negotiation

Get help with overcoming difficult childhood experiences

Increase your household management skills including cooking, cleaning and organizing so you can create a healthy home for your child

Learn how to identify and choose healthy relationships for you and your baby

Increase your household management skills including cooking, cleaning and organizing so you can create a healthy home for your child

Gain parenting skills to help you become the best mom you can be

Be surrounded by supportive staff and other women who share similar circumstances who will encourage and root for your success

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