HOPE HOUSE INC

ESTABLISHED IN 1983, HOPE HOUSE, INC. PROVIDES SAFETY, SUPPORT, AND HOPE FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR DEPENDENTS IN THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI METROPOLITAN AREA. OVER TIME, HOPE HOUSE SERVICES HAVE EXPANDED ALONG WITH ITS PHYSICAL FACILITIES AS SURVIVORS IDENTIFIED AND DEMONSTRATED THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE, WRAP-AROUND CARE. IN FY2024, HOPE HOUSE SERVICES INCLUDED A 24 HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE; EMERGENCY SHELTER (OFFERED ONSITE AND THROUGH AN OFFSITE HOTEL PLACEMENT PROGRAM); ACCELERATED, TRANSITIONAL, AND PERMANENT HOUSING SERVICES; STRENGTHS-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SELF-SUFFICIENCY, HOUSING, HEALTH, AND FAMILY; INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, AND CHILDREN'S THERAPY AND SUPPORT GROUPS; ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE POSITIVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PARENT/CHILD INTERACTION; A CLIENT ASSISTANCE FUND TO PROVIDE DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ON BEHALF OF SURVIVORS; AN ONSITE MEDICAL/DENTAL ROOM REGULARLY STAFFED BY VOLUNTEER DENTISTS AND HYGIENISTS; CIVIL LEGAL REPRESENTATION; INFORMATION, SUPPORT, AND SAFETY PLANNING IN AREA COURTS AND LOCAL HOSPITALS; AND SUPERVISED VISITATION AND MONITORED EXCHANGES OF CUSTODY. IN FY2024, HOPE HOUSE'S EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM PROVIDED SAFE SHELTER TO 184 ADULTS AND 213 DEPENDENTS. SURVIVORS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS BENEFITED FROM A TOTAL OF 11,772 BEDNIGHTS OF SAFETY. IN ADDITION, AGENCY STAFF ANSWERED 5,453 HOTLINE CALLS. HOPE HOUSE'S TRANSITIONAL AND PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS PROVIDED RENT/UTILITY SUBSIDIES AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO 34 WOMEN, ONE (1) MAN, AND 92 CHILDREN/DEPENDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, HOPE HOUSE'S CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (ONSITE AND OUTREACH) PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES REFERRALS TO 319 WOMEN AND 13 MEN. THE AGENCY'S CLINICAL SERVICES PROGRAM PROVIDED THERAPY SERVICES TO 563 WOMEN, 18 MEN, 134 CHILDREN, AND FIVE (5) CLIENTS WHO DID NOT DISCLOSE THEIR GENDER IDENTITY. CHILD AND FAMILY ADVOCACY SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 150 CHILDREN AND 136 NON-OFFENDING PARENTS. HOPE HOUSE'S CIVIL LEGAL PROGRAM OPENED 508 CASES, AND 5,853 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOCKET ENTRIES WERE HEARD IN THE MUNICIPAL COURTS IN WHICH HOPE HOUSE COURT ADVOCATES ARE PRESENT. HOPE HOUSE COURT ADVOCATES ALSO PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO SURVIVORS SEEKING FULL ORDERS OF PROTECTION IN 991 DOCKET ENTRIES WITH FEMALE PETITIONERS, 187 DOCKET ENTRIES WITH MALE PETITIONERS, AND 882 DOCKET ENTRIES WITH PETITIONERS WHERE GENDER WAS NOT COLLECTED. FURTHERMORE, 230 WOMEN, 15 MEN, AND ONE (1) SURVIVOR WHO DID NOT DISCLOSE THEIR GENDER WERE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE WITH COMPLETING PETITIONS FOR EX-PARTE ORDERS OF PROTECTION. HOPE HOUSE'S FAMILY COURT ADVOCACY PROGRAM SERVED 87 WOMEN, FIVE (5) MAN, AND THREE (3) SURVIVORS WHO DID NOT DISCLOSE THEIR GENDER IDENTITY. THROUGH HOPE HOUSE'S PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, HOPE HOUSE STAFF REVISITED 151 FEMALE SURVIVORS, 7 MALE SURVIVORS, AND FOUR (4) SURVIVORS WHO DID NOT DISCLOSE THEIR GENDER IDENTITY IN THEIR HOMES AND RESPONDED TO 171 POLICE CALL-OUTS TO THE SCENE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS. AS PART OF ITS LETHALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, POLICE OFFICERS SCREENED 1,242 SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE FOR LETHALITY; 87% SCREENED AS BEING HIGH RISK. THROUGH THE AGENCY'S GUARDIAN PROGRAM A TOTAL OF 104 FAMILIES WITH 149 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN SUPERVISED VISITATION AND/OR MONITORED EXCHANGE OF CUSTODY SERVICES. HOPE HOUSE RESPONDED TO HOSPITAL CALL-OUTS WITH 44 WOMEN THROUGH THE AGENCY'S BRIDGESPAN PROGRAM. HOPE HOUSE'S HAWTHORNE ADVOCACY PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO 127 WOMEN AND THREE (3) MEN. HOPE HOUSE STAFF SCREENED 687 SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE FOR LETHALITY; 62% SCREENED AS HIGH RISK. THE AGENCY'S CLIENT ASSISTANCE FUND PROVIDED 260 WOMEN AND SEVEN (7) MEN WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO HOUSING AND/OR SELF-SUFFICIENCY. HOPE HOUSE PERSONNEL HELD 86 TRAINING EVENTS DURING FY2024 AND REACHED 605 PARTICIPANTS. PERSONNEL ALSO PROVIDED 85 EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO MORE THAN 4,000 INDIVIDUALS. ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN (147) INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS AND 28 VOLUNTEER GROUPS CONTRIBUTED 4,585 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE AGENCY. THROUGHOUT FY2024, HOPE HOUSE ENHANCED ITS TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS THROUGH THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS: TRANSITIONING TO ONEDRIVE AND SHAREPOINT: HOPE HOUSE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED TO ONEDRIVE AND SHAREPOINT, CENTRALIZING DATA STORAGE AND ENHANCING COLLABORATION ACROSS TEAMS. THIS SHIFT IMPROVES DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT, ACCESSIBILITY, AND SECURITY, ENABLING EASIER FILE SHARING AND REAL-TIME UPDATES. UPGRADING OF DESKTOP COMPUTERS TO LAPTOPS AND DOCKING STATIONS: WITH THE SUPPORT OF A TECHNOLOGY GRANT, THE AGENCY REPLACED OUTDATED DESKTOPS WITH 30 LAPTOPS AND DOCKING STATIONS. THIS UPGRADE PROVIDES STAFF WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY, IMPROVING EFFICIENCY, PARTICULARLY FOR REMOTE WORK AND TASKS ON THE GO, WHILE BOOSTING OVERALL WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY. MAINTENANCE AND OPTIMIZATION OF CLIENT DATABASE: THE AGENCY COMPLETED CRITICAL MAINTENANCE ON THE CLIENT DATABASE TO ENHANCE ITS FUNCTIONALITY AND RELIABILITY. THESE UPDATES OPTIMIZE PERFORMANCE, ENSURING MORE ACCURATE DATA MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY FOR CLIENTS. INSTALLING OF SECURITY CAMERA VIEWING STATIONS: VIEWING STATIONS WERE INSTALLED FOR THE SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEM IN THE INDEPENDENCE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP BUILDING, STRENGTHENING SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITIES. THIS UPGRADE IMPROVES SECURITY MONITORING, ENABLING STAFF TO ACCESS REAL-TIME FOOTAGE AND RESPOND PROMPTLY TO INCIDENTS. ACTIVATING THE PAGING FUNCTION ON PHONE SYSTEM: THE AGENCY PROGRAMMED THE CURRENT PHONE SYSTEM TO INCLUDE A PAGING FUNCTION ACCESSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. THIS FEATURE STREAMLINES COMMUNICATION, PARTICULARLY IN URGENT SITUATIONS, BY ALLOWING STAFF TO QUICKLY BROADCAST MESSAGES TO THE WHOLE AGENCY. PROVIDING LAPTOPS FOR SHELTER CLIENTS: THE AGENCY SECURED LAPTOPS AVAILABLE FOR CHECK-OUT BY SHELTER CLIENTS AS NEEDED. THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES CLIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR JOB SEARCHING, EDUCATION, AND OTHER IMPORTANT TASKS, EMPOWERING THEM BY GRANTING ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND PROGRESS.