Womens Shelter Of South Texas

Programs: Family violence program services are provided to adult and child victims of domestic violence within a twelve-county region of south texas including aransas, bee, brooks, duval, jim wells, kenedy, kleberg, live oak, mcmullen, nueces, refugio, and san patricio counties. In 2017, the women's shelter of south texas provided free, comprehensive, supportive services to 2164 clients. Of those served in 2017, 1996 were survivors of domestic violence, and 588 were survivors of sexual assault. Services were provided 24-hours per day, 365 days per year and included: safe shelter, case management, safety planning, individual and group counseling, crisis hotline, sexual assault services, youth-directed services, legal advocacy, and rural outreach services. Prevention and education services were also provided to address the often multi-generational cycle of violence with a goal of ending the violence before it ever begins. In 2017, the women's shelter of south texas marked 39 years of on-going service to the community. The organization is the only private, non-profit 501(c)(3) entity specifically designed to provide services to victims of domestic and sexual violence across a twelve-county south texas region, which includes aransas, bee, brooks, duval, jim wells, kenedy, kleberg, live oak, mcmullen, nueces, refugio, and san patricio counties. Services: the following core services provided through the agency's family violence program are essential to domestic violence victims and their families in order to facilitate the long-term changes necessary to achieve and maintain independent and violence-free lives. The agency's program is on-going, with shelter and crisis services available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Shelter/safe house: the shelter/safe house provides safe refuge for up to 65 victims fleeing abusive relationships. A toll-free, 24-hour crisis hotline is provided 365 days a year. Security and limited access to the shelter facility is supported through a monitoring system. Food, clothing, and personal items are provided for clients receiving residential services at the shelter facility, and transportation for medical emergencies and to access community resources is provided. Transportation to the shelter for victims fleeing abuse is provided for persons from all counties served. Additionally, the agency provides comprehensive supportive services to all identified adult and child victims who are residing in the community through services offered in the shelter facility, through four rural outreach offices, and through additional sites that are safe and convenient for clients across the agency's service area. The physical location of the shelter facility in nueces county is considered confidential due to the safety and security considerations of the clients served by the agency. Case management services: upon entry into the shelter, each client is provided safety planning, information, and assistance by a case manager who provides support and monitors progress towards goals throughout the stay at the shelter. Each client and family has an individualized service plan developed to address specific needs and identify options. Staff assists each client with resource referrals, employment assistance, life skills, housing, childcare, and food pantry. Advocacy and encouragement are provided in a safe, supportive environment that increases clients' sense of safety and decreases feelings of isolation. Counseling services: clients residing at the shelter and in the community are offered educational and supportive counseling services provided to individuals and in a group setting. Primary issues addressed through counseling include safety planning, building self-esteem, the dynamics of family violence and sexual assault, profiles of batterers, the cycle of violence, and healthy relationships. Counseling is available six days per week at times convenient to clients, including after-school and saturday appointments for children, with support groups for adults offered during weekdays, in the evenings, and on saturdays. Legal advocacy services: a legal needs assessment is conducted for all clients to determine any issues regarding the criminal or civil legal system that need to be addressed. Clients are provided information regarding the criminal justice system, information on their rights and options, assistance in filing for protective orders and obtaining legal aid, assistance in filing for crime victims' compensation benefits, and are accompanied to court and to the police department in their pursuit of these options. Youth services: support and comprehensive services to child victims including counseling, play therapy for young children, mentoring for school success, family interaction activities, age-appropriate social/recreational activities, and summer activities. Services are available to youth residing in the shelter and in the community. For children residing in the shelter, on-going services are encouraged after the family transitions to an alternate living environment. The program emphasizes continuity of health, safety, and education as families face the trauma of abuse and re-location issues. Counseling staff and experienced program staff provide services to children and parents to help ensure school attendance and success and provide referrals and transportation to address individual health and wellness needs. Rape crisis services: agency staff and trained volunteers respond to the regional rape trauma center 24-hours a day to provide support to rape victims and their families following a sexual assault. Information regarding agency services, crime victims' rights, and counseling is provided. Follow-up is conducted for all victims requesting agency support. Individual and group counseling is conducted to address the immediate and long-term effects of the assault on the victim and the family. Family members may also receive counseling services to address their individual issues and concerns. Rural outreach services: rural outreach services are provided in eleven rural counties and in rural nueces county including safety planning, counseling, information and referral, community education, emergency shelter transportation, and legal advocacy through outreach offices located in bee county (beeville), san patricio county (sinton), kleberg county (kingsville), and jim wells county (alice). Advocates travel to all counties in the service area to provide support to victims at locations convenient and safe for each individual and family. Transportation to the shelter/safe house for persons fleeing abuse is provided or arranged for victims from all twelve counties served. The agency coordinates with law enforcement from all areas to ensure safe passage to the shelter for victims. Prevention and education: prevention and education is a key component of the family violence program. The prevention and education director and three community educators provide professional and community training for audiences of all types and ages addressing the dynamics of family violence, sexual assault, and violence-prevention initiatives with a specific curriculum focused on youth. The program was developed to support initiatives of the office of the attorney general and research by the centers for disease control and prevention with the goal of addressing violence before it occurs rather than after violence has been perpetrated. The prevention and education program is a long-term and continuing process as the cultural norms that must be changed in order to achieve and sustain a violence-free community are only modified over time and with repeated exposure to prevention education and reinforcement from the community. The women's shelter of south texas recognizes the vital role of all citizens and organizations in addressing domestic and sexual violence in our communities, and in developing community-specific prevention strategies that work towards ending the violence before it ever begins. In 2006, the women's shelter of south texas initiated the formation of the coastal bend coordinated community response coalition on domestic violence and sexual assault. The coalition is comprised of area entities including law enforcement, educational institutions for children of all ages from preschool through college, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and individuals who have been personally affected by domestic and sexual violence. The coalition's mission is to effect social change through collaborative efforts to meet the needs of victims, to hold offenders accountable, and to educate the community on preventing domestic violence and sexual assault. An additional community coalition was formed in 2007 in the kingsville area and in 2010 in the beeville area to address issues of victim services and violence prevention in rural south texas counties served by the agency.

sexual assault program services are available to female and male victims of sexual assault and their families within a twelve-county region of south texas including aransas, bee, brooks, duval, jim wells, kenedy, kleberg, live oak, mcmullen, nueces, refugio, and san patricio counties. In 2017, the women's shelter of south texas provided free, comprehensive, supportive services to 2164 clients. Of those served in 2017, 1996 were survivors of domestic violence, and 588 were survivors of sexual assault. Services were provided 24-hours per day, 365 days per year and included: safe shelter, case management, safety planning, individual and group counseling, crisis hotline, sexual assault services, youth-directed services, legal advocacy, and rural outreach services. Prevention and education services were also provided to address the often multi-generational cycle of violence with a goal of ending the violence before it ever begins. The sexual assault program provides free, comprehensive, supportive intervention services to victims while pivoting towards the engagement of each community served through intensive prevention and education strategies to stop the violence before it even occurs. Women's shelter of south texas services address incidents of sexual violence, sexual violence that occurs as part of domestic violence, and offender accountability. The rape crisis services coordinator and trained volunteers respond to the regional rape trauma center and emergency rooms across the twelve-county service area 24-hours a day, 365-days per year to provide support to rape victims and their families following a sexual assault. Information regarding agency services, crime victims' rights, and counseling is provided. Follow-up is conducted for all victims requesting agency support. Individual and group counseling is conducted to address the immediate and long-term effects of the assault on the victim and the family. Family members, including children, may also receive counseling services to address their individual issues and concerns. Victims are able to access: "a toll-free 24-hour crisis hotline; "65-bed shelter/safe house operated 365-days a year providing basic needs (food, clothing, counseling, support services, shelter); "youth services: counseling, mentoring for school success, activity groups, safety planning, and summer activities designed to support and educate primary and secondary child victims; "counseling services: individual and group counseling for adults and children, play therapy for children ages five to twelve; "legal advocacy: assistance with protective order applications, accompaniment to police/sheriff departments and court proceedings, and assistance filing crime victim compensation claims; and "case management: advocacy to obtain community resources such as affordable housing, childcare, employment, medical care for the adult and child, and education. Victims presenting in rural areas served by the agency are able to meet with a victim advocate located in outreach offices in bee, jim wells, kleberg, and san patricio counties. Clients from these areas are able to access the shelter in nueces county and have transportation provided by the victim advocate or law enforcement if needed. Clients may receive counseling for themselves and their children, legal advocacy, safety planning, and case management including referrals to community-specific resources. Prevention and education is a key component of the sexual assault program. The prevention and education director and three community educators provide professional and community training for audiences of all types and ages addressing the dynamics of family violence, sexual assault, and violence- prevention initiatives with a specific curriculum focused on youth. The program was developed to support initiatives of the office of the attorney general and research by the centers for disease control and prevention with the goal of addressing violence before it occurs rather than after violence has been perpetrated. The prevention and education program is a long-term and continuing process as the cultural norms that must be changed in order to achieve and sustain a violence-free community are only modified over time and with repeated exposure to prevention education and reinforcement from the community. The women's shelter of south texas recognizes the vital role of all citizens and organizations in addressing domestic and sexual violence in our communities, and in developing community-specific prevention strategies that work towards ending the violence before it ever begins. In 2006, the women's shelter of south texas initiated the formation of the coastal bend coordinated community response coalition on domestic violence and sexual assault. The coalition is comprised of area entities including law enforcement, educational institutions for children of all ages from preschool through college, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and individuals who have been personally affected by domestic and sexual violence. The coalition's mission is to effect social change through collaborative efforts to meet the needs of victims, to hold offenders accountable, and to educate the community on preventing domestic violence and sexual assault. An additional community coalition was formed in 2007 in the kingsville area and in 2010 in the beeville area to address issues of victim services and violence prevention in rural south texas counties served by the agency.

the batterers' intervention and prevention program is the only program in a twelve-county region of south texas designed with the goal of educating offenders regarding the negative effects of their behaviors on their partners, children, and community, and to hold them accountable, both legally and financially, for violent behavior. The program is accredited by the state of texas criminal justice assistance division and focuses on participants learning to use alternative approached and non0violent behavior when interacting with intimate partners, children, extended family members, and the community-at-large. In 2017, 352 offenders participated in the program.