Harbor House of Central Florida Inc

home prevention - The most critical end of the spectrum is homicide prevention. This component involves crisis intervention services that protect victims at that most dangerous time when they make the courageous decision to leave their abuser. These programs include a 24-hour emergency hotline, EARLY VICTIM ENGAGEMENT ("EVE") partnership with law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, injunctions for protection, and the emergency shelter. The major programs that accomplish this are: Early Victim Engagement (EVE) - This innovative program brings together advocates, law enforcement, and child protective services to prevent homicides and serious injury for hundreds of survivors in highly dangerous situations each year. As a supplement to traditional services, EVE partners identify high lethality cases and refer them to the Organization for emergency intervention. Legal Advocacy - Providing assistance and support to survivors with injunctions for protection attorneys, translation services, court accompaniment, and crisis intervention. Crisis Hotline - Operated 24 hours per day, advocates respond to a call on average every 15 minutes, 365 days a year. Providing crisis counseling, referrals, after-hours injunctions, and support, this lifeline is a critical component to crisis intervention. Emergency Shelter - With 120 beds and its 24-hour hotline, the program employs state certified staff and offers onsite counseling, case management, and crisis intervention. Child Care - The Organization offers licensed childcare five days a week at no cost to survivors residing in the shelter. With a capacity of serving 60 children, plus afterschool programming, this state of the art, trauma-informed program helps children recover and gives parents the time they need to find housing, employment, and tend to legal matters, all of which enable them to become economically independent and thereby freeing them from dependency on the abuser. Kennel - In Central Florida, not only is domestic abuse the leading cause of child abuse, but it is also a leading cause of animal cruelty. Those living with violent abusers know too well what can happen to an unprotected pet and will not leave their pet to an uncertain fate. The Paws for Peace Kennel, Central Florida's only safe haven for pets of domestic abuse survivors, is located on the Organization's five-acre campus, where survivors can conveniently spend time with their pets and participate in human-animal interaction that will support trauma therapy for both. The kennel's mission is to support survivors fleeing abuse so that they can bring their pets to safety as well, keeping the entire family together. In-Kind Donation Center - The In-Kind Donation Center is a multi-functional, innovative facility for a domestic abuse shelter that was designed to improve the Organization's capacity in both the immediate and long-term future. The Organization is able to house all of its valuable in-kind donations - from cleaning and maintenance items to food and baby supplies. The Organization is better positioned, both financially and through improved service delivery, to meet the needs of domestic abuse survivors and position them for future success, safety, and prosperity.

Intervention Services - The next component of the Organization's approach is intervention. These include programs such as outreach services, counseling, and support groups. The major program that accomplishes this is the Community Services Outreach program. This program serves over 4,000 survivors annually at scattered locations throughout the community. Working with survivors who are not in need of or have left emergency shelter, Community Services advocates provide crisis counseling, safety planning, relocation assistance, and support groups.