This study investigated the relationship between risk and protective factors among families with young children who have been exposed to violence and Safe Start treatment outcomes as measured by the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form. Three groups of clients receiving different interventions were studied over the course of two years to investigate changes in parental stress and parent-child interaction. The results suggest that the groups differed in number of needs and protective factors and that these differences were strong predictors of variation in Parenting Stress Index-Short Form scores. Based on this finding, we conclude that families with higher levels of stress require immediate attention and support in linking with services that promote resiliency by reducing parental stress.