Safehouse Denver Inc

SAFEHOUSE DENVER ASSISTS ADULTS, CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN RECLAIMING THEIR RIGHT TO A LIFE FREE FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE AGENCY PROVIDES A BROAD SPECTRUM OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT TRAUMA INFORMED SERVICES INCLUDING: EMERGENCY SHELTER, AN EXTENDED STAY FACILITY, SAFETY PLANNING, INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, PERSONAL ADVOCACY, SUPPORT GROUPS, PARENTING SESSIONS, LEGAL ADVOCACY AND A 24-HOUR CRISIS AND INFORMATION LINE. SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NON-RESIDENTIAL COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY CENTER ("THE CAC") AS WELL AS THROUGH THE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND EXTENDED STAY FACILITY. ALTHOUGH IT IS NO LONGER A SEPARATE PROGRAM, SAFEHOUSE IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE INTERVENTION IN, AND PREVENTION OF, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY EDUCATION/SPEAKERS BUREAU. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE AVAILABLE TO ANY GROUP REQUESTING A PRESENTATION ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING CORPORATE TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS TO TEENS ON DATING VIOLENCE AND

THE SHELTER SERVICES PROGRAM (THE "SHELTER PROGRAM") PROVIDES SAFE, TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER IN A SECURED 30-BED FACILITY FOR MEN, WOMEN, NONBINARY PERSONS AND CHILDREN VICTIMIZED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHELTER PROGRAM PROVIDES EMOTIONAL SUPPORT,COUNSELING, EDUCATION,INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND REFERRALS TO ASSIST ADULT CLIENTS IN DEVELOPING SAFETY PLANS AND SETTING GOALS WITHIN A TRAUMA INFORMED SHELTER ENVIRONMENT. WEEKLY SUPPORT GROUPS,INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY AND FAMILY MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS AT THE SHELTER. THE 24-HOUR, 7-DAY A WEEK CRISIS/INFORMATION LINE OFFERS CRISIS INTERVENTION, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL ASSISTANCE. ALMOST 9,600 CALLS WERE RECEIVED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2022 AND ALMOST 3,650 CALLERS WERE REFERRED TO OTHER RESOURCES BECAUSE SHELTER BEDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE DURING THE SAME PERIOD 4 MEN, 105 WOMEN, AND 86 CHILDREN RECEIVED SERVICES AT THE EMERGENCY SHELTER. A TOTAL OF 4,145 NIGHTS OF SHELTER WAS PROVIDED. THE SHELTER SERVICES PROGRAM COMBINES THE FAMILY PROGRAM AND EMERGENCY HOUSING INTO ONE. THE COSTS OF THE TWO PRIOR PROGRAMS REFERENCED IN THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE ARE NOW REFLECTED IN SHELTER SERVICES. DUE TO THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 LIMITATIONS, SAFEHOUSE SERVED FEWER SURVIVORS THAN IN RECENT YEARS. THE EMERGENCY SHELTER OPERATED AT HALF-CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING. APPROXIMATELY 1,900 TOTAL INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING AND/OR ADVOCACY INTERACTIONS OCCURRED BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND STAFF, WITH ABOUT 5 REFERRALS ON AVERAGE TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES. GROUP SUPPORT WAS RECONFIGURED IN A SAFE, SOCIALLY DISTANCED WAY WITH "GRAB AND GO" MATERIALS FOR RESIDENTS TO COMPLETE IN THEIR OWN SPACE WITH ADVOCATE SUPPORT.

THE COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM (THE "CAC PROGRAM") OFFERS NON- RESIDENTIAL SERVICES OUTSIDE OF A SHELTER ENVIRONMENT TO ADULTS AND YOUTH VICTIMIZED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SERVICES INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY- BASED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELING, INFORMATION/RESOURCE REFERRAL, PERSONAL ADVOCACY AND PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL SUPPORT GROUPS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2022, 328 ADULT SURVIVORS RECEIVED ADVOCACY-BASED INDIVIDUAL OR SUPPORT GROUP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELING. AN ADDITIONAL 357 ADULTS RECEIVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EDUCATION, CRISIS INTERVENTION, SAFETY PLANNING AND ADVOCACY-BASED COUNSELING BY TELEPHONE. THROUGH TEEN DATING VIOLENCE PREVENTION GROUPS 10 YOUTH WERE REACHED. A NEW SURVIVOR-LED SUPPORT GROUP MOVED TO VIRTUAL GROUP SESSIONS. THE TEAM FACILITATED 28 SURVIVOR-LED SUPPORT GROUPS SERVING 20 ADULTS WITH OVER 149 CLIENT CONTACTS. THE STAFF PROVIDED COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY VIA TELEPHONE AND VIRTUALLY VIA A SAFE ONLINE TELEHEALTH PLATFORM THAT IS ENCRYPTED AND HACKER PROOF, GIVING CLIENTS THE SAFETY AND CONFIDENTIALITY THEY NEED. TEEN GROUPS RESUMED VIA OUR VIRTUAL PLATFORM AFTER A HIATUS FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE YEAR.

THE EXTENDED STAY PROGRAM ("ESP") PROVIDES SAFE, INDEPENDENT HOUSING FOR SHELTER SERVICES RESIDENTS WHO ARE OUT OF ACUTE CRISIS BUT IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL TIME TO ACCESS LONG TERM HOUSING AND OTHER RESOURCES RELATED TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. AN ESP CASE MANAGER ASSISTS IN THIS PROCESS. ESP RESIDENTS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THE FULL RANGE OF SERVICES FROM THE CAC PROGRAM. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY INCREASED FROM JUST UNDER 110 DAYS TO 125 DAYS DUE TO FEWER HOUSING OPTIONS AVAILABLE AND LONGER WAIT TIMES FOR ACCESSING APPOINTMENTS FOR SERVICES AND DELAYS DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES.

THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAM AT THE EMERGENCY SHELTER INCLUDES PERSONAL ADVOCACY, EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE, AND SUPPORTIVE PLAY AND INTERVENTION GROUPS THAT ASSIST CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING SAFETY PLANS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.