Homeless Prenatal Program

The Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is an award-winning San Francisco Family Resource Center. For 25 years, HPP has provided low-income and homeless families the ability to end childhood poverty. Built on a foundation of supportive, nonjudgmental case management, we empower families, particularly mothers motivated by pregnancy and parenthood, to recognize their strengths and trust in their own capacity to transform their lives.

As the first agency in San Francisco to hire former clients as program and case managers, the agency’s growth and evolution have been guided by those we serve. Because case managers share some of the same life experiences as the women they help, they are able to create a relationship of trust and credibility with clients. They partner with clients to design a plan for health and self-sufficiency; they serve as role models for clients who want to turn their lives around, and they have been instrumental in expanding our services when they see the need in their clients. Today, more than half of HPP’s program staff are former clients, or from the community we serve.

Over the past 25 years, HPP evolved from focusing solely on prenatal care for mothers into a Family Resource Center with a broader, more holistic mission – breaking the cycle of childhood poverty. More than 4,000 families access HPP’s services each year, with nearly 200 families coming to HPP for the first time every month. Today, HPP offers services focused on housing, prenatal and parenting support, child development, family finances and stability, access to technology, domestic violence and substance abuse, family unification, and emergency support of basic needs.

The Homeless Prenatal Program serves San Francisco families who are homeless, formerly homeless, or at risk of homelessness.  The families we serve are greatly impacted by trauma and community violence, substance abuse, immigration and refugee status, poverty, and involvement with the child welfare and/or jail systems.

We provide a range of psychosocial services to at-risk families to increase the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy and to facilitate long term stability.  Services include case management, housing services, peer counseling, prenatal services, educational classes, and domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health related intervention services.  While some services are voluntary, some clients are mandated to services by child welfare. 

The Intern team is comprised of several students, both MFTI and MSW.  The social work interns provide a combination of clinical case management and therapy to a caseload of our clients.  The interns interface with our case managers, peer counselors, therapists and all other HPP staff.  Additionally, the Interns have the opportunity to co facilitate groups as available.  The Interns participate in community-building events such as Project Homeless Connect and HPP resource fairs.

The field instructors are experienced Licensed MFT's, LCSW's and one Licensed PsyD who have several years experience supervising MSW interns and ASW Staff Case Managers.  The LMFT's and PsyD comprise HPP's Mental Health Specialist team, providing clinical supervision, consultation and direct services to HPP clients.  One LCSW is a program manager for our Wellness center and has several years supervising staff and MSW interns. Lilli Milton, LCSW is the Director of Programs and oversees the supervision program to assure that MSW training goals are infused into practice and supervision.

For agencies where an MSW is "required" to sign off on supervision, Lilli Milton will co sign supervision documents. When placement is established, the field instructor is then determined and additional information regarding their supervisory experience etc, can be submitted.

This placement qualifies for the Community Mental Health Stipend and may also qualify for the either the CAL-CWLT stipend or the Integrated Behavioral Health Stipend. This placement may also qualify for the Title IV E stipend.

Our case management teams provide intensive case management for a range of target populations, including: High risk pregnant mothers, parents involved in child welfare system and homeless families participating in permanent supportive housing services.  

HPP also provides comprehensive crisis intervention during our drop in hours and students will have the opportunity to participate in an intake shift and build on their counselling and emergency case management skills.  Additionally, there are a wide range of parenting groups offered and students may elect to join the facilitation of an existing group if the need presents.

HPP is a dynamic and vibrant place to experience social work in a community based setting with a diverse and passionate staff.

Training consists of individual and group supervision, along with access to agency wide professional development training.  Furthermore, interns are provided with a framework for the service specialties that are offered at HPP and are trained in conducting bio psychosocial assessments.  This is a fabulous place for students who are interested in complex systems impacting families and who are interested in developing a wide range of social work skills.

Spanish fluency is highly desirable.

Interns are selected based on interviews and availability of field supervisors

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