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Author: Blog Author

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Mental Health Awareness Month Op-eds

Community Coach/Mentor-KScott

To say I am happy to be a part of this community is an understatement; I am ECSTATIC!

Why? I love to make an IMPACT.


Prior to this field, I was in another field where I was fortunate to earn two degrees as a student-athlete from the University of Utah and received numerous accolades for my leadership, community service, athletics, and academic performance. I was even awarded the Most Inspirational Male Student-Athlete and got opportunities to play professionally in the NFL and CFL.

After leaving that field, I desired to maintain my ability to make a positive impact. That’s why I entered the non-profit sector and gained experience in various areas, including Domestic Violence Shelters, Fatherhood programs, suicide/gang prevention groups, etc.

Now, it’s time to further the advocacy.

With our new program, we aim to decrease the “harm doers” likelihood to exercise verbal/emotional, sexual, physical, financial, and spiritual abuse toward their partner as an option based on their emotional state, history of dysfunction, belief system, and peer association.

My role is to identify healthier coping mechanisms in their intimate relationships that lead to equality between them and their partners through individual coaching for individuals who use violence in their relationships.

As I said, I am ECSTATIC to be a part of this community.

Why? Because I love to make an IMPACT, and I am sure you do too!

 

Will you help to end the violence?

About the Author

DVHRT Coach, HCDVCC

Kenneth Scott

Categories
DVAM neurofeedback Op-eds TBI

Why Neurofeedback

The Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council consistently seeks to identify the gaps that create barriers for survivors to have access to safety and services, hold those who do harm accountable and prevent homicides related to domestic violence.

HCDVCC is on the cusp of establishing innovative programming, specific to neurofeedback therapy, to respond to IPV survivors unique needs and concerns and will be introducing a new Neurofeedback pilot program to address the affects of domestic violence on the survivor related to overall emotional wellness.

Why Neurofeedback?
According to the research by Dr. Huda “Shay” Shaikh, the volatile nature of intimate partner violence (IPV) can make survivors vulnerable to experiencing PTSD symptoms. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms among survivors of IPV is becoming a vast area of interest in the mental health field. Regarding the dynamics of IPV, researchers have asserted that IPV survivors are at a higher risk for PTSD and other mental health concerns such as depression. Given each IPV survivors needs, and concerns tend to be unique, alternative modalities in conjunction with trauma-focused therapeutic modalities are being utilized to respond to symptom reduction and care.

Neurofeedback is defined as a noninvasive, neurocognitive intervention that targets brain wave activity and focuses on training the brain to work towards self-regulation (Nooner et al., 2017). Alternative therapeutic modalities, such as NFB, are presently being introduced to special populations such as veterans across the United States by organizations such as Team Semper Fi and The Lone Survivor Foundation in response to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD symptoms. NFB therapy aims to train the brainwave patterns for the brain to work towards self-regulation (Nooner et al., 2017). Quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) guided NFB, otherwise known as brain mapping guided NFB, is the advised path for NFB therapy given its ability to offer a more personalized treatment plan (Wigton & Krigbaum, 2019).

Brain mapping is a process that captures the unique brainwave pattern of an individual undergoing the qEEG. Given that no two individuals will have the same brainwaves, a qEEG provides an exclusive look at an individual’s brain, as unique as their fingerprint. Based on the qEEG recording of the individual’s brainwaves, the clinician develops a treatment plan for that individual. Once the treatment plan is developed, the individual initiates NFB sessions based on the protocols detailed in their individualized treatment plan. Therefore, qEEG-guided NFB allows clinician to create a treatment plan specialized for that individual and their specific brain wave Patterns (Brown et al., 2019). While NFB has been utilized as an intervention for various disorders for four decades, its solidification as an evidence-based therapy for PTSD has yet to be established. However, research has been conducted supporting its helpfulness in mitigating PTSD symptoms. Utilizing NFB therapy to relieve PTSD symptoms is a growing scholarly field.

Dr. Huda “Shay” Shaikh is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, National Certified Counselor, Board Certified Neurofeedback Clinician, and Board Approved Neurofeedback Mentor. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from The University of Houston and earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Shay completed her doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision in September 2022. Her dissertation was focused on comparing the modalities, EMDR and NFB, in response to intimate partner violence survivor PTSD treatment. Given her passion for trauma work, in addition to being a Neurofeedback clinician, Shay is trained in EMDR therapy, is a CPT provider, trained in providing TF-CBT and well versed in play therapy strategies.

Having a passion for trauma and program management, Shay has worked with a diverse set of populations providing trauma therapy and neurofeedback therapy. Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in building trauma focused programs at different agencies. With a passion for working with combat veterans, Shay has also been a contracted Neurofeedback clinician with the Lone Survivor Foundation to serve those that served our nation. Formerly, with Region 4 Education Service Center, Shay led a trauma team in the Santa Fe District to implement systems and provide trauma-wellness counseling services to students and staff in the district in response to the May 18th mass violence tragedy at Santa Fe High School. Upon the completion of the trauma-focused project with Region 4, Shay worked with the Fort Bend County Women’s Center as their Neurofeedback Supervisor and Counselor to provide mental health services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Presently, she works with the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (HCDVCC) as their Neurofeedback Program Manager/Clinician. Her main responsibility is to establish the neurofeedback therapy program in response to IPV survivor care.

About the Author

Neurofeedback Program Manager

Dr. Huda “Shay” Shaikh

Categories
Mental Health Awareness Month Op-eds

Mental Health Awareness Month and IPV

For Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s discuss the connection between people experiencing intimate partner violence and mental illness. Did you know that people who are victim survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) have higher rates of experiencing mental health issues, like PTSD, anxiety, and depression? Some research suggests 3 times more likely. And did you know that people with chronic mental health conditions are at higher risk for experiencing intimate partner violence? Some research has reported that 30-60% of women with mental health diagnoses will experience IPV.

On a personal note, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, have helped many others through mental health crises, processing trauma, and am as much of an expert as one can be on most things interpersonal violence. I am also a victim survivor of dating violence myself and struggle daily with symptoms of anxiety and depression. It‘s been over 25 years since experiencing abuse, and then I went through therapy, focused on healing, and made a career of helping others, and it still impacts me. I hope this illustrates the power that abuse has over our mental health. Of course, other stressors have popped up over the years, even some traumatic experiences, but this violence I experienced early in life started my brain on the path of trying to constantly remain in survival mode to protect me, and it has never been the same.

We don’t have to be experts on the brain to understand how the brain responds to and is impacted by trauma. The bottom line is that when we experience things that make us feel like our lives are in danger, chemicals flood our brains in response to the threat. The harm does not have to literally be a life or death situation, as long as we are feeling overwhelmed, out of control, and scared. The more we experience this harm, the more challenging it is to get our brains back to functioning like before when we felt safe. This can make life very difficult. These changes can create triggers, impact our memory and executive functioning, tell us not to trust others, make us question everything, and put us in a near constant state of reactivity. Our brains want us to be prepared for trauma if it happens again. This can lead to chronic symptoms of mental illness.

Now that we understand how experiencing abuse can increase our chances of facing mental health challenges, let’s also explore why those already suffering with mental illness are at a higher risk. Unfortunately, many people who suffer with mental illness can struggle with functioning at work, in relationships, carrying out daily household tasks, etc. They can try to cope with symptoms through isolating themselves, disconnecting from their support system, changing jobs and housing often, and can have lower self esteem than those who do not experience these symptoms. A lack of self-worth and a lack of stability and resources can place us in a position of great vulnerability. Vulnerability in a person can be an abuser’s most formidable tool to obtain power and control over them.

I have been provided with empathy and support over the years and have learned how to carry my trauma in a way that empowers me now. Luckily, most days, my brain follows my lead. The greatest gift that you can give a victim survivor who is struggling with their mental health is to educate yourself about these topics and provide them with radical empathy. This is true of those who are dealing with mental health diagnoses as well. Too often in our society, both these groups are victim-blamed, not believed, ignored, and told that they need to “get over it”. Changing this narrative within the communities and groups that we engage with is a powerful first step to making lasting change.

About the Author

Cathryn Councill Headshot

Cathryn Councill is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is the Director of The SAFE Office at Rice University.

Categories
Community Share Mental Health Awareness Month Op-eds

Understanding and Promoting Black Mental Health

Understanding and Promoting Black Mental Health blog header
Understanding and Promoting Black Mental Health blog header

Racism has been embedded within American culture for centuries and in turn the U.S. healthcare system. This has led to mental health inequities in the African American community over time. Despite the current popularization of addressing individual mental well-being, the African American population continues to suffer. Mental health remains less researched, resourced, and advocated for equitably within the African American community.

The healthcare system in the United States of America has often engaged with members of the African American community as experimental subjects rather than as patients deserving of respect and quality care. US history is littered with examples of this racist-driven treatment. From the utilization of involuntary institutionalization as a form of punishment to the Tuskegee experiment in 1932, the healthcare system has been another avenue through which African Americans have been oppressed. During slavery, mental health as an aspect of the African American population’s health was often denied or misused to justify further subjugation (“The Historical Roots of Racial Disparities in the Mental Health System.” Counseling Today, 2020.) Following the abolition of slavery, the provision of equitable health services (including mental health) for African Americans was not deemed a priority. This led to less research, advocacy, overall investment, and corresponding healthcare policies being enacted. All these factors could have helped address pre-existing and emerging mental health inequities. Today, we can observe the results of that neglect when peering at the lack of quality healthcare providers/facilities situated in communities with many African American residents, insufficient cultural competency training for future health care providers, etc.

Inaction and apathy rooted in racism have permitted this inattention to the mental health of African Americans to be observable on all socio-ecological levels. Although rates of mental illnesses in African Americans are similar to those of the general population, disparities exist regarding mental health care services (Primm A, 2010). According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Mental Health Facts for African Americans guide, “African Americans are less likely to receive guideline-consistent care, less frequently included in the research, and more likely to use emergency rooms or primary care (rather than mental health specialists)”. “Which has led to only one-in-three African Americans who need mental health care receives it” (Dalencour M, 2017). Many studies have highlighted how factors like health care provider bias, inequality in healthcare services have driven this health inequity.

Currently, we are experiencing a massive shift in our collective regard for mental well-being. The pandemic and social unrest have thrust our nation into a discourse about our nation’s values. This has included mental health. Many have had to recognize the past and resulting compound, vicarious, historical and, racial trauma experienced by many, particularly the African American populace. Healthcare is a social determinant of health and addressing the widespread health-related inequities plaguing the African American community is imperative. This is inclusive of mental health. To properly address the preexisting and growing psychological needs of African Americans, we must explore current research into innovative and culturally competent therapeutic frameworks and interventions.

One way to support black mental health is promoting access to culturally competent mental health services. This means providing care that is sensitive to the cultural and racial experiences of black individuals and ensuring that black individuals have access to therapists and other mental health professionals who understand and can address their specific needs.

Resources:
• Therapy for Black Girls
• Therapy for Black Men
• Black Men’s Health
• Find a Black Provider

Another way to support black mental health is by fostering safe spaces where individuals can openly discuss their experiences and emotions. This can be achieved through community-based initiatives, support groups, and online forums.

Resources:
• National Alliance of Mental Health
• Black Mental Health Alliance
• Black Millennial Mental Health

It is also important to invest in education and awareness programs that promote mental health literacy and encourage early intervention and treatment. This can include workshops, seminars, and community events that educate individuals on the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and how to access resources and support.

Resources:
• Black Mental Health, 988
• Mental Health First Aid
• Mental Health in the Black Community
• MHA of Greater Houston
• Take a free, confidential mental health screening

By working together, to amplify these spaces and resources we can break down the barriers to mental health care and create a brighter future for black individuals and families.

About the Authors

Sharifa Charles
Nicole Milton

Sharifa Charles, Professional Development Specialist

Nicole Milton, Training Manager

Mental Health America of Greater Houston

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Categories
Community Share domesticviolenceshelters DVAM Op-eds Sexual Assault

Houston Area Domestic Violence Providers Study – The Article

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To download a copy of this study, please click the button below.

About the Author

headshot of Dr. Elizabeth Gregory

Professor of English and Director of Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies

Elizabeth Gregory, Taylor Professor of Gender & Sexuality Studies and Professor of English, directs the WGSS Program and the UH Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality. She writes on Marianne Moore’s poetry and women’s work and fertility. Read more about her here.

Categories
Community Share domesticviolenceshelters DVAM Op-eds Sexual Assault

Houston Area Domestic Violence Providers Study

Blog Header for article "effects that domestic violence has on survivors’ mental health".

UH Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality
Report to the Community

February 2023

Houston Area Domestic Violence Providers Study
+ Initial Local DV Data Aggregation

Study recommends major investment in DV infrastructure as IPV homicides double in 3 years

This report shares the results of UH-IRWGS’s study of regional Domestic Violence [DV] Service Providers, based on interviews and group discussions with leaders of 12 local DV shelters and nonresidential agencies. It recommends significant community investment in expanded DV infrastructure coordination and staffing, to move from the current model of limited response to overwhelming demand to a model that allows the community to not only address DV cases more effectively but to analyze and address causes as well.

In addition, the report contains an initial aggregation of regional DV data – including data from some shelters, law enforcement, and nonresidential service providers (see Supplement). Future reports will provide more detail and include data from more sources.<p/p>

Executive Summary

Houston has a major problem with Domestic Violence assaults and homicides: Calls for Shelter and Calls for Service from the police are high, and IPV homicides doubled between 2019 and 2022, rising from 32 to 64 across the two largest police departments in Harris County (HPD and HCSO).

  • Violence is rampant in this region, across ranks. As was indicated by the recent IPV assault by the (now former) UT basketball coach and January DV cases involving a house set fire with family members within and the decapitation of a young immigrant bride.
  • We need a stronger DV infrastructure to turn the tide.
  • Based on qualitative interviews and group discussions with local DV service providers as well as local data analysis, this report recommends a significant strategic investment in strengthening the currently under-resourced DV service-provider collaborative. A centralized coordination infrastructure, with administrative staff based both centrally and within individual agencies, would enable DV providers across the region (shelters and nonresidential providers in collaboration with law enforcement, courts, and other social services agencies encountering DV) to operate and strategize collaboratively, improve and expand services, and address causes.
  • While funds for direct services are essential, expanded investment in DV infrastructure would be a game changer.
  • Currently, each provider operates on its own, creating inefficiencies at all levels: operational redundancies, inconsistent standards, a lack of unified voice on DV, and, because each is overtaxed with providing service to those at their door, an inability to see much beyond the immediate need
  • The collaborative needs a core administrative team, including an Operations Manager, a Communications Coordinator, a Researcher/Evaluator and a Grant Writer, based in the Harris County DV Coordinating Council. In addition, expanded staffing is needed within provider organizations to carry out collaborative initiatives. An investment for this purpose of $1,000,000 / year for five years from local funders would be transformative
  • A smaller initial infrastructure investment would get change under way, but working by half measures as has long been the case in this region will not enable the real change needed. Over time, grant funding will increase, to cover costs.
  • This significant strategic investment will allow providers to
    • analyze and reframe their services & policies
    • deliver services more effectively
    • work with agencies across the community to address the causes of violence in our region
    • raise more funds and expand services
    • advocate for regional policy change around the issues that give rise to DV

Newly Aggregated DV Data

  • You can’t fix a problem, if you don’t know what it is. Due to costs and complexity, the limited DV data collected to date has not previously been combined to provide a full regional picture. This groundbreaking report begins to aggregate local DV data. Future reports will provide more detail and include data from more shelters, agencies & regional police departments, with a goal to inform response.
  • The Covid emergency raised the level of domestic violence in the Houston area. And per HPD and HCSO data, identified Intimate Partner Violence [IPV] homicides continued to rise after the lockdown ended—doubling in their combined jurisdictions between 2019 and 2022, rising from 32/year to 64/year over that period. That’s a 73% rise in HPD – and 160% in HCSO (a combined 100% rise). [See Figure S-3.]
  • The rise overlaps with the move to permit-less carry which went into effect in Texas in September 2021. Between 2020 and 2022 the number of HPD IPV homicides committed with a gun increased by 61%, while the overall number of IPV homicides increased by 52%. While other factors may play in, the easy availability of guns puts many women at risk for homicide, as well as for terroristic threats of homicide within IPV situations.
  • While overall homicides and non-IPV FV homicides fell in 2022 in HPD data, IPV homicides continued to rise.
  • Calls for shelter have also risen steadily since the lockdown, to rates above what they were prior to March 2020, and callers are regularly turned away for lack of space.
  • Overall DV calls for service have fallen since 2020 in both HPD and HCSO, but numbers remain high: HPD received between 25,000 to 27,000 calls for service around DV for 2019-2021. This data is not sortable by IPV, so we don’t know if there is an effect similar to that in the homicide data differentiating IPV and non-IPV outcomes. We have not received complete 2022 data, but it looks on track to roughly 24,000 in 2022.
  • Many thousands more suffer without reaching out, not believing things would improve if they did or not knowing that help is available.
  • Harris County has 330 shelter beds, while New York City, with twice the population, has more than ten times as many shelter beds, at 3500.
  • Though affordable housing is the best solution for many, it is not widely available; shelters, nonresidential providers and mobile advocates provide alternatives for those in immediate need.
  • A targeted investment in DV administrative infrastructure can turn the tide on DV assaults and homicides.
  • Improved victim service delivery along with a community violence prevention focus will benefit all Houstonians.
  • Though this change will require significant start-up costs, the infrastructure thus created will increase ability to bring in more federal and other external funds down the line.

Additional Findings

  • The high volume of people experiencing IPV in this region links directly to the state’s low level of family support infrastructure, the lack of affordable housing and the low wages earned by Texas women.
  • People dependent on others, especially those with children they don’t want to unhouse, become more vulnerable to violence at the hands of those they depend upon.
  • This is true at any income level but is particularly true for those at low incomes. Since higher-income women may be able to leave when things get grim and still keep their children and themselves housed, they are less likely to utilize shelters than low-income women. Higher-income women more often employ the safety planning resources providers offer.
  • Though Houston’s DV service providers were already strapped before the pandemic, since its onset and in the face of multiplying demand, DV shelters and other providers have stepped up services, helped by Covid Emergency federal funds. Before these funds are gone, the community needs to reorganize its response to DV for the long haul.
  • While DV providers have offered survivors a range of services for some time, the pandemic spurred innovations that have improved service delivery overall: including Bed Availability App, DV High Risk Teams / DART, Mobile Advocacy, Flexible Funding, Text Hotlines, Hotel Stays, Longer Stays, etc.
  • Many in need do not know of, or feel distrustful of, DV service providers, so clearer communications and continued trust building are needed.
  • Transportation is a major issue for those seeking shelter across Harris County.
  • The HCDVCC coordinated housing queue is a great improvement on the past, but it met less than one third of eligible demand in 2022.
  • Staff burnout has been a huge issue for shelters during Covid.
  • Black women in economic precarity are overrepresented in shelter in Harris County.
  • Undocumented Hispanic women suffering DV seem underrepresented in shelters, likely due to threats of deportation from their abusers or lack of information on their rights.
  • Asian and Muslim women generally reach out to culturally specific DV agencies, when they reach out.
  • The leadership of DV agencies is now more inclusive of women of color than it has been historically, enabling wider range of insight and overcoming of survivors’ distrust.
  • All DV leaders need sustained support and engagement from the community as they struggle to address the ongoing DV crisis here.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STUDY

About the Author

headshot of Dr. Elizabeth Gregory

Professor of English and Director of Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies

Elizabeth Gregory, Taylor Professor of Gender & Sexuality Studies and Professor of English, directs the WGSS Program and the UH Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality. She writes on Marianne Moore’s poetry and women’s work and fertility. Read more about her here.

Categories
Community Share Mental Health Awareness Month Op-eds Sexual Assault

Effects that Domestic Violence has on Survivors’ Mental Health

Blog Header for article "effects that domestic violence has on survivors’ mental health".
Blog Header for article "effects that domestic violence has on survivors’ mental health".
As a Lead Trauma Support Partner (TSP) and License Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I wanted to touch on the effects that domestic violence has on survivors’ mental health, since its Mental Health Awareness Month. We know from research that domestic violence (whether you’ve endured it personally or witnessed it as a child) increases one’s risk of experiencing depression, anxiety, substance use, suicidal behaviors and PTSD. But what do these “labels” actually look like in the day to day? People think depression is “feeling down or hopeless” and while that’s true for a lot of people, depression can also look like irritability, increased or decreased appetite, need for sleep, and /or interest in sex. It can also look like someone no longer doing the things that they used to enjoy like connecting with friends or family, participating in a hobby or pleasurable activities. Similarly, people think anxiety is “intense worrying’ but anxiety can also look like increased irritability, difficulty concentrating or restlessness (feeling like you always have to be doing something) or feeling like something bad is going to happen. Maybe you’re short tempered with your kids or peers. Maybe you’re on edge all the time. These are all symptoms of anxiety. Lastly, people think PTSD is “flashbacks and hypervigilance” and again that is true, but PTSD can also look like difficulty concentrating, memory problems or forgetfulness, impaired functioning at home, school or work, feeling numb, wanting to be alone, engaging in risky behaviors and difficulty falling asleep. Its important to recognize these “other” symptoms so that you can get help (if you’re the trauma survivor) or you can adjust your interventions (if you’re the advocate). If you’re the trauma survivor and you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to someone – a trusted medical or mental health professional, a clergy member, a family elder, a friend or call 988 – the national crisis line if you’re in a mental health crisis. If you’re an advocate, ask the right questions, connect your client to services, be patient and understanding and most importantly, educate your clients about these other less common symptoms because it just might be what they needed to hear to seek out support. With so many service options (in-person, via tele-health and even text messaging), it’s never been more accessible to get the help you need. Join me this month as we work towards bringing awareness to mental health.

About the Author

Profile Picture for Desiré Martinez, LCSW-S Lead Trauma Support Partner

Desiré Martinez, LCSW-S is a Lead Trauma Support Partner for HCDVCC.

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Children Community Share Op-eds

The St Jerome Emiliani Foster Care Program

St Jerome

The St Jerome Emiliani Foster Care Program

Imagine having an abusive parent in a third world country with no viable option for kinship adoption. Now imagine a hostile government takeover swept your city and violently ended the lives of your entire family. This is the reality for thousands of people around the world, many of which are children who are forced to escape to the US.

The St. Jerome Emiliani Foster Care Program provides a nurturing home environment for unaccompanied refugee children and teenagers, many of whom have escaped devastating situations in their native lands. They may have been trafficked here, escorted by a coyote, or traveled overseas, enduring a long journey to make it to a place of refuge. Due to these adverse experiences, the youth may have trauma, be grieving, and exhibit complex behaviors. Our program is the only International Foster Care available in the greater Houston area, so we offer a niche way to help youth in need that differs from domestic foster care, who works with CPS.

Our youth are temporarily held in shelters or refugee camps while they wait to be referred to us by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Once accepted into the St Jerome program, we pick them up from the airport and place them in licensed foster homes. Foster parents play a critical role in providing a stable family: issuing food, clothing, shelter, love, protection, and guidance to the youth in their care to help them become self-sufficient young adults. The end goal is to ensure the foster youth have their needs met in a safe, therapeutic, and caring way.

The St. Jerome Program, with assistance from other programs at Catholic Charities, provides financial support, case management services, independent living skills training, education/English as a Second Language (ESL, mentoring, job skills training, legal assistance, cultural activities, clinical services, and ongoing family tracing). We work as a well-rounded team to offer full support to all our families and take great pride in how we advocate for both the youth and the foster parents when issues arise. We ensure all sides are heard so we can come up with a proper solution.

Every year we see youth from different countries depending on the current political climate. This year, we anticipate the bulk of our referrals to come from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Due to these stats, we are hoping to bring on some Spanish speaking foster families, particularly from Central America, and African foster parents, to provide a good cultural match for these youth.

Potential foster parents go through many steps to become licensed with our program, including an orientation, trainings, documentation, home study, and observation hours in other foster homes. We work with our potentials to help guide them through the process and make sure our program is a good fit. If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of these youth, please scan the QR code to fill out our questionnaire and sign up for an orientation to learn more today!

Our Mission:
To improve Harris County’s response to domestic violence, we lead efforts to build collaborative systems and innovative programs that increase access to services and safety.
Our Vision:
We envision a community where all persons have relationships that are safe, healthy, and free from domestic violence.
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