Rape and Abuse Crisis Center of Fargo-Moorhead

Agency Overview: Rape and Abuse Crisis Center of Fargo-Moorhead (RACC) is the only designated provider of crisis services for victims of dating/domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, stalking, harassment, human sex/labor trafficking, sexual exploitation, and elder abuse in the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo metropolitan area. The agency provides comprehensive, trauma-informed support for victims of these crimes throughout Cass and Traill counties in North Dakota and Clay and Wilkin counties in Minnesota. RACC's mission is "to offer 24/7 crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, and education to all persons affected by sexual and domestic violence and provide prevention programs to create a society free of personal abuse." Since its establishment in 1977, RACC has served over 100,000 individuals seek justice, reclaim their self-esteem, and establish healthy independence through its 24/7 crisis hotline, walk-in and scheduled appointments, and presence at community outreach sites. In 2023, the agency addressed the needs of of 3,210 children and adults with the support of 36 full-time employees, 20 on-call and part-time staff, and 109 volunteers. Services to victims are provided on a non-discriminatory basis and at no cost to them.Service Evaluation: In 2023, 180 clients completed quarterly surveys to evaluate their RACC service experience. The majority reported that RACC staff understood their issues and concerns (97.6%), communicated clearly (98.1%), and provided them with education about community resources (89.1%) and personal safety (94.4%). Additionally, most clients reported that they received the services they wanted and needed at RACC (95.4%), found the services helpful (97.8%), and would recommend the agency to a friend or relative in need (99%).Crisis Intervention/Advocacy: RACC's crisis hotline is available 24/7 for individuals impacted by abuse to speak immediately with a member of the agency's crisis intervention team. Victim services are provided by phone, on-scene at local emergency rooms, and in-person at RACC's program center and various outreach sites (e.g., jails, homeless shelters, schools, juvenile detention centers, and human service centers). In 2023, RACC engaged 2,393 abuse victims through 41,344 service activities that fostered their personal safety, self-sufficiency, and well-being. Activities included emotional support (90%), information and referrals (81.1%), safety planning (62.3%), emergency financial assistance (22.4%), civil and criminal justice support (3.5%), and medical advocacy and accompaniment (1%).Counseling: RACC's counseling team utilizes evidence-based therapies to help youth and adults process the short- and long-term impacts of abuse. These include play therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress for youth and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and Person-Centered Therapy for adults. In 2023, the team provided 4,114 hours of therapeutic services to 640 individuals at RACC's program center and community outreach sites (e.g., public high schools, Minnesota State University-Moorhead, Three Rivers Crisis Center, REACH). Of those served, 95.6% engaged in individual therapy and 13.1% in group therapy. Prevention Education: RACC's prevention education team delivers education and training to students, professionals, and community members in a variety of settings. These include K-12 public schools, colleges, jails, juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, victims service agencies, medical facilities, human service agencies, and community tabling events. Topics include the signs, dynamics, and impact of abuse; prevention, intervention, and reporting strategies; healthy relationship building; and information about victim rights and services. In 2023, the team facilitated 1,045 presentations to 19,725 attendees. Among them were 228 Red Flag Green Flag (RFGF) presentations to second and third graders at 37 elementary schools. RFGF, an evidence-based program developed by RACC in 1980, has been globally recognized, utilized in all 50 states, and credited as an effective tool to help children, families, and schools identify, prevent, and report sexual abuse.Supervised Parenting Time/Safe Exchange: RACC's Rainbow Bridge program provides a safe space for families with a history of abuse or conflict to engage in supervised parent-child visits and safe custody exchanges. To ensure safety, custodial and non-custodial parents enter and exit the site at separate times through separate doors. Children are supervised and all parent-child time is observed by a staff member. Rainbow Bridge accepts referrals from child protective services, the court system, and victim service agencies. Services are offered on a sliding fee scale and free for victims referred by a member of RACC's advocacy or counseling team. In 2023, Rainbow Bridge engaged 89 families (154 children, 163 adults) in 761 supervised visits and 223 safe exchanges.Domestic Violence Offender Education: RACC's NoViolence team provides educational and skill-building for people that have used violence in relationships. AMEND is a men's group based on the 26-week Creating a Process of Change for Men Who Batter curriculum. EVOLVE is a women's group that uses the 16-week Turning Points curriculum. In 2023, NoViolence facilitators led 6 weekly groups (4 AMEND, 2 EVOLVE) in virtual and in-person formats. Coordinated Community Response (CCR): RACC is heavily involved in advancing its mission by being active in a variety of committees and networks that coordinate violence prevention and intervention efforts. Staff participated in and/or facilitated a variety of CCR teams including the Cass County Domestic Violence Task Force, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Taskforce, Elder Abuse Forensic Network, ND Human Trafficking Taskforce, Red River Sexual Assault Response Team, and Safe Harbor Clay County Response Team.