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Tag: dv nonprofit

Enhanced Safety Planning For Survivors of Domestic Violence

January 30 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST


FULL-THIS TRAINING HAS REACHED CAPACITY

This training will explore how advocates and organizations can develop responsive, trauma-informed safety strategies and strengthen organizational preparedness.

Topics will include key recent policy and protocol changes impacting immigrant survivors, tools for enhanced safety planning within the law and considerations for organizations. 

Registrations must be completed using your agency email address.
After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email within two business days with more details.
Free

When you register, you’ll be added to our newsletter so you can stay connected and hear about upcoming events and updates.

Thecia Jenkins

Enhanced Safety Planning For Survivors of Domestic Violence

January 29 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm CST


This training will explore how advocates and organizations can develop responsive, trauma-informed safety strategies and strengthen organizational preparedness.

Topics will include key recent policy and protocol changes impacting immigrant survivors, tools for enhanced safety planning within the law and considerations for organizations. 

BOTH OF THESE TRAININGS ARE AT CAPACITY
Free

When you register, you’ll be added to our newsletter so you can stay connected and hear about upcoming events and updates.

Thecia Jenkins

REGISTER FOR FRIDAY'S SESSION HERE

Investing Early: Community Partner Meeting

April 9 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm CDT

Early Childhood Resiliency Fund: Community Update & Panel

Join HCDVCC for a community conversation on strengthening early childhood resilience for children exposed to domestic violence.

This session will provide an update on the Early Childhood Resiliency Fund—an investment in local organizations advancing innovative, developmentally responsive support for young children and their families. We’ll hear directly from practitioners about what’s working, where gaps remain, and how early intervention can shift long-term outcomes.

This conversation is designed for professionals across sectors working with children, families, and survivors, as well as those interested in prevention, systems coordination, and community-based solutions.

We’re joined by leaders and practitioners advancing this work across Harris County:

Robin Gandara, LPC
Director of Client Services, FamilyTime Crisis & Counseling Center

Robin Gandara is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Director of Client Services at FamilyTime, where she oversees counseling, shelter operations, case management, outreach, and the 24-hour crisis hotline. Over eight years, she has advanced from counselor to senior leadership, helping shape the organization’s direct service approach.

She led the transformation of FamilyTime’s emergency shelter into a trauma-informed, healing-centered space—redesigning the environment, updating policies to center survivor voices, and expanding programming to better support survivors and their children.

Robin is deeply committed to providing culturally responsive, compassionate care and expanding access to mental health services. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and M.A. in Counseling from Sam Houston State University and is an active member of ACA, TCA, and Harris County SART.

Charity Eames, Ph.D.
Senior Director of Counseling and Family Services, DePelchin Children’s Center

Charity Eames is the Senior Director of Counseling and Family Services at DePelchin Children’s Center, where she oversees counseling, mental health, case management, and parenting support programs. With over 22 years of experience in child abuse prevention, she has worked as a home- and school-based counselor and family therapist supporting children and families.

She provides clinical supervision to staff and leads a range of state and federal grant-funded programs, including initiatives where DePelchin serves as both lead agency and service provider. Charity is trained in nine levels of the Triple P parenting model and brings deep expertise in family-centered, evidence-based care.

Charity holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision and is a licensed counselor and family therapist. Her work is grounded in strengthening families and expanding access to high-quality mental health support for children and caregivers.

Pastor Raymond Steward II
CEO & Founder, Hope Active

Raymond Steward II is the CEO and Founder of Hope Active, a Houston-based organization supporting families and at-risk youth. With over 20 years of experience in community service, leadership, and team building, he launched Hope Active in 2017—following Hurricane Harvey—to create consistent, community-driven support for underserved populations.

He leads initiatives that partner with local schools and juvenile justice programs to connect youth and families with resources, guidance, and opportunities. His work is rooted in the belief that support should be ongoing—not only in moments of crisis—and focused on creating pathways forward.

Raymond’s approach centers on connection, accountability, and community care—offering a hand up, not a handout. His vision for Hope Active is to serve as a bridge between people and possibility, strengthening communities through sustained support.

Free

Thecia Jenkins

United Way of Greater Houston

50 Waugh Street
Houston, TX United States + Google Map

March Community Partner Meeting

March 12 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm CDT

You’re invited to our Monthly Community Partner Meeting, where community voices come together to shape our shared future.

Topic: The Lived Experience of Women with Initmate partner Violence Accompanied by Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Intimate partner violence affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime worldwide. The head and face are the most common targets during intimate partner violences episodes, occurring almost 90% of the time. Of these, approximately half will have symptoms consistent with mild traumatic brain injury, yet only a third of them will seek healthcare services. Even when they do seek services, many mild traumatic brain injuries go unrecognized by clinicians. This leaves this population at risk for experiencing chronic symptoms such as, poor health, back pain, headaches, depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, poor concentration, and emotional dysregulation. While plenty of surveys and screening tools have provided researchers with quantitative data in recent years, no one has asked these women how the mild traumatic brain injury from intimate partner violence has impacted their daily functioning. This presentation will share narratives from the women themselves along with the overall interpretation of the data so that we may be able to better understand their challenges in the aftermath of intimate partner violence.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:

Sandra Sanchez, PhD, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, AFN-C has been a registered nurse for more than 30 years. As the current nursing program director for the Forensic Nursing Program at Harris Health, Sandra leads a team of nurses that care for sexual assault, intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking. Her practice as a forensic nurse since 2003 has allowed her to care for more than 2,400 victims of violence. She has also testified in court on numerous occasions as an expert in sexual assault and intimate partner violence cases. She received her PhD in Nursing Science in 2025. Her research focuses on the lived experience of women with traumatic brain injury from intimate partner violence patient. Her goal is to improve the overall quality of care to victims and minimize the physical and psychological impact of interpersonal violence by promoting hope, resilience, and restoration of the lives of those afflicted by interpersonal violence.

Free

Thecia Jenkins

United Way of Greater Houston

50 Waugh Street
Houston, TX United States + Google Map

February Community Partner Meeting

Flyer for Monthly Community Meeting on Immigration & Legal Updates, Feb 12, 2026, 2:30–4:00 pm at United Way of Greater Houston, featuring speaker Katharina Dechert of Tahirih Justice Center.

February 12 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm CST

You’re invited to our Monthly Community Partner Meeting, where community voices come together to shape our shared future.

Topic: Immigration & Legal Updates

This presentation will cover an update on law and policy changes impacting immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other forms of violence over the last year. The training will also briefly include important tools for advocates serving survivors and tips for enhanced safety planning.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Katharina Dechert is the Houston Policy & Advocacy Manager at the Tahirih Justice Center. Katharina leads the advancement of Tahirih’s Houston and Texas advocacy campaigns to change the laws and policies that prevent immigrant survivors from accessing safety and justice. Before stepping into this role, she worked on Tahirih’s legal team for 6 years as a legal advocate, working with immigrant survivors as they navigate various legal systems in their journeys to safety and justice, and representing survivors before USCIS as a DOJ Accredited Representative.

Free

When you register, you’ll be added to our newsletter so you can stay connected and hear about upcoming events and updates.

United Way of Greater Houston

50 Waugh Street
Houston, TX United States + Google Map

If you have questions, please contact:

Thecia Jenkins

Categories
DVAF

Shining the Light on Domestic Violence Awareness

As another October begins, so does Domestic Violence Awareness Month. While everything in the world turns pink for breast cancer awareness from luncheons to the NFL, domestic violence needs a bigger share of the spotlight. And this year, the timing could not be more urgent. Our movement is facing a perfect storm: a federal shutdown, budget cuts, and the rising costs of food, childcare, and basic needs.

While cuts to cancer research make the news and outrages the public, no one is talking about domestic violence services being slashed, advocates laid off, or their salaries being cut even further. An analogy that is often used, put your oxygen mask on before helping others with theirs, but what if your mask is empty?

I was recently reading a report where an oversight agency kept telling a domestic violence survivor to get dv services. But what does that mean? Does that mean calling a hotline and waiting for hours on the phone to try to get help, only to be told there is no room at the shelter, a months-long waiting list to receive services, or we cannot help you with that? But here is the thing: survivors are not stuck because they lack resilience. They are stuck because the safety net is stretched too thin and survivors are remaining in abusive situations because there is no way out. During COVID, when federal funds flowed, survivors had options, agencies expanded, and safety felt possible. If we could do it then, we can do it now, if we choose to invest.

And investment does not just mean government funding. Possibility is already everywhere. Churches, health care clinics, universities, and community centers — our partners in the Domestic Violence Assistance Fund and the Early Childhood Resiliency Fund — are showing what is possible when more people step in. Imagine if every business, every institution, every neighbor asked: what role can I play in survivor safety?

The answers do not have to be complicated-Challenge yourself to find out what support a domestic violence agency needs- do they need volunteers, do they need money (most will say yes to this!), do they need food, toiletries, or gift cards? Sponsor an event for their staff, offer scholarships for training, and most importantly support their fundraising events by purchasing tickets and bid outrageously on their auction items. Support them like you would  your child’s sports team! And keep doing it all year long!

Most of all, let us change the conversation. People proudly say they “survived cancer.” Survivors of domestic violence should get the same dignity and visibility. No shame, no silence, just humanity and recognition. Do not stop when Halloween rolls around. Survivors need and deserve more than a month of awareness. Survivors and those who work tirelessly to support them need your imagination, your resources, and your everyday action to build a world where safety is the norm, not the exception.

Categories
DVAF

A Celebration of Hope- Domestic Violence Assistance Fund The Nation is Watching Harris County for Guidance

A Celebration of Hope - Domestic Violence Assistance Fund The Nation is Watching Harris County for Guidance

September 23rd, 2025, was a day of celebration for the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (HCDVCC) and its community partners as the Domestic Violence Assistance Fund (DVAF) Report was released. The Celebration of Hope was hosted by HCDVCC with the help of Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones and her wonderful staff at the Steve Raddack Community Center.  Over 70 people gathered to hear Commissioner Briones speak about the tremendous impact this fund has had on Harris County and domestic violence survivors.  She praised the amazing work of HCDVCC and the 19 Community Partners who use the DVAF to make a difference in the lives of so many.

Barbie Brashear, the Executive Director of HCDVCC, went on to give a brief history of the origins of the DVAF from CARES dollars and ARPA funds to now being a line item in the Harris County Budget! This would not have been possible without the tremendous support of Harris County Judge Lina Hildago and Commissioners Rodney Ellis, Adrian Garcia, Tom Ramsey, Lesley Briones and of course their hardworking, behind the scenes, making it happen staff members!  Before some of the findings were released, a moving video was shown of DVAF partners talking about the impact DVAF had on their clients.  There was not a dry eye in the house at the end!  Barbie then revealed that in 2024, 1204 households were served with 3,331 individuals supported with 59% of them being children under the age of 18.   Residents of all four Harris County Precincts benefited from the DVAF.   The top needs of those who received DVAF were food (20%), daily living (17%) and rent (17%).   The community impact of these funds can reduce strains on systems, including Emergency Rooms, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services which in turn can create stronger and safer communities by reducing recidivism and decreasing intimate partner homicides. DVAF also invests in long-term stability that can build a healthy Harris County. Barbie ended her remarks with a Call to Action- Give survivors safety and choice, Break barriers and Build futures, Invest in lifesaving solutions, Support local families in crisis, Join a coordinated response, Be part of systemic change, and finally Act now– we must respond in REAL TIME.

Dr. Leila Wood, the Director of Research and Evaluation at the Center for Violence Prevention at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) McGovern Medical School also joined in the celebration by presenting the highlights of the preliminary findings from her research project- Harris County DVAF: Examination of the Impact of Flexible Financial Assistance supported by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). Her study is the among the first U.S. based longitudinal study of flexible financial assistance administered by domestic violence focused agencies to collect survivor-centered evidence about the impact of flexible financial funding.   This study is a longitudinal, collaborative, mixed methods designed to examine the use and impact of DVAF for survivors to identify effective implementation strategies among the programs administering the funds.  The study’s goals are to understand the impact of DVAF, explore factors that impact DVAF’s impact, and examine program administration for implementation guidance.

The project has recruited participants from the participating partners by having them fill out a survey and then interviews were conducted of some of the participants as well as the staff at the partner agencies.  The preliminary findings indicate the top ways recipients have found about DVAF was from friends and family (24%), other social service agencies (20%), police/law enforcement (18%) and online research (18%). The findings also reveal that 97% of the participants are women with 83.2% having children under the age of 18 and 71.8% have experienced homelessness due to domestic violence or conflict in their relationship in the last 6 months. The findings revealed that the funds are used for economic, education and employment purposes which include but are not limited to job training, transportation to jobs, laptops for school or work, childcare, and clearing up debt related to barriers for rental or credit history, some have even started small businesses. DVAF also addresses safety and housing related needs as well as family and children’s needs along with health-related needs like medications and counseling. 90% of those surveyed reported that the DVAF helped with their safety. As one survivor put it “There is no doubt he would have killed me if these funds were not available.”

The biggest reveal was the impact DVAF had on the staff that were able to distribute these funds.  Survivors felt connected to and were treated fairly by staff members they interacted with.  The staff interviewed for this study felt they were able to make an impact on the lives of their clients and DVAF allowed them to do their jobs better by addressing critical needs of clients that are not funded in any other way and by adding another tool to the toolbox for client’s safety.  As one advocated stated “So, I mean for me, it just helps, it kinda makes me feel really nice, because it’s like, I’m knowing that this person’s gonna have somewhere to sleep tonight, and they’re gonna be safe.  Or this person’s gonna have gas to be able to leave in the middle of the night as we safety plan to, or they’re gonna have money to feed their little baby for the next couple of days while their food stamps hit.”

Dr. Woods ended her presentation by talking about how the nation is looking to see how Harris County implemented the DVAF so they can try and replicate it in their community.  Many communities have tried but few, if any, have had the success that Harris County has had with DVAF.  The hope is that the County continues to recognize the importance of and the need to keep DVAF funded!

Click this link for more information and to enjoy pictures from the event
Categories
DVAM neurofeedback

How Abuse Can Rewire Your Brain — And Why Healing Means Rewiring It Back

brain health. blue background with a brain and sunbeams coming out from the brain
brain health. blue background with a brain and sunbeams coming out from the brain

When Reese Witherspoon recently reflected on an abusive relationship she had when she was young, she said something powerful: “I had to rewire my brain.” It’s a vivid way of describing something many abuse survivors experience — the ways psychological, verbal, and emotional abuse actually change how your brain works and how you see yourself. By understanding how that happens, we can better support survivors on the path to healing.

What Reese Witherspoon Shared

✔️She left a relationship that was psychologically and verbally abusive.
✔️Afterward, she struggled with insecurity and a diminished spirit. She believed the ugly things her abuser had said.
✔️It took time to “reconstitute” herself — to rebuild self-esteem, self-worth, confidence.

Her story isn’t unique; it reflects what many people experience after leaving abuse. Let’s look at the science behind how abuse “rewires” the brain.

How Abuse Changes the Brain

Here are some of the ways emotional, verbal, or psychological abuse can reshape brain function, identity, and well‑being:

  • Stress Response, Cortisol, and HPA Axis Overload
    Abuse repeatedly activates the brain’s alarm systems. Chronic stress makes it harder to regulate emotions and increases risk for PTSD.
  • Altered Emotion Regulation & Threat Perception
    The amygdala becomes hyperactive, making neutral things feel dangerous. The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which help regulate and recall safe memories, weaken.
  • Self‑Image and Sense of Self Distorted
    Repeated messages of worthlessness get internalized and treated as truth. Survivors often believe the abuse was who they are.
  • Changes in Brain Structure
    Emotional and verbal abuse can alter brain regions tied to self-awareness, empathy, and reward processing.
  • Behavioral and Psychological Effects
    Survivors often face anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, and challenges in decision-making.
  • Long‑Term Physical Health Consequences
    Chronic stress can also contribute to health issues like heart disease, sleep problems, and immune disorders.

What “Rewiring” Means — And How Healing Happens

The brain is plastic — meaning it can change. Rewiring isn’t just a metaphor. Healing can happen with time, support, and intentional practices:

  1. Therapies such as CBT, trauma-focused therapy, EMDR, and somatic practices.
  2. Supportive relationships that affirm and respect survivors.
  3. Mindfulness and meditation to calm the stress system.
  4. Self-compassion and reframing negative thoughts.
  5. Safe environments and boundaries.
  6. Gradually practicing new, healthier patterns.

“EMDR is a form of re-processing that helps the brain create new neural pathways to guide clients towards healing. It uses the concept of bi-lateral stimulation to replace the negative emotions, sensation and images associated with the traumatic experience to more positive feelings or desensitizes the client to the negative feelings.” – Mariyam Imtiaz, LCSW – HCDVCC Trauma Support Partner

Why It Matters for HCDVCC & Our Community

  • Awareness: Psychological abuse leaves wounds that are invisible but deeply damaging.
  • Access to Mental Health Resources: Survivors need long‑term support, not just immediate safety.
  • Training: Professionals benefit from understanding how abuse affects the brain, improving survivor support.
  • Prevention: Education helps stop abuse and promotes healthier communication in families and communities.

Reese Witherspoon’s message — “I had to rewire my brain” — reveals the real impact abuse can have. But it also points to hope. The brain can heal, self-worth can be rebuilt, and survivors can find their way back to themselves. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, know that help and healing are possible. You are more than what was said to you. Your brain can rewire. And one day, you can remember who you are without those painful messages.