Family Crisis Centers

Domestic abuse comprehensive (dac) & integrated advocacy services (ias)- provides services to survivors of domestic violence in 17 northwest Iowa counties. During the year, the organization provided services to 949 clients. Services are always client-led, focusing on the survivor's highest priorities and goals they set for themselves. Services include, but are not limited to: emotional support advocacy in court connecting survivors with financial supports (housing, food, clothing, food stamps, childcare assistance, etc.) Connecting survivors with victim-specific resources like crime victim compensation, specialized therapy, notifications about the offender's prison term, etc. Housing assistance- relocation assistance, connecting with long-term assistance like section 8, short-term rental assistance, finding furnishings for a new home, etc. Connecting clients with resources to help them become self-sufficient like employment counseling, financial education, and mentoring opportunities this program also serves survivors of violent crimes where they are, literally, by being co-located in medical, mental health, or substance abuse clinics. In addition to the services provided by advocates in the domestic violence program, advocates train clinic staff to screen for and identify abuse, trauma, and patients who have been victims of violent crime. Once identified, clinic staff can bring the survivors over to the advocate located on-site, helping ensure easy access for survivors who may not be able to seek services through traditional means. By being located in community health Centers and areas where traditionally underserved populations (people of color, immigrants, refugees, limited english proficient individuals, and individuals belonging to tribes or living on reservations, the community health partners program effectively targets underserved populations and makes access to services easier than ever before.

Iowa victim service call center (ivscc) - provides 24/7 victim service advocacy through phone and text lines. These services are available to survivors in all 99 counties in Iowa, but also to other programs that may choose to roll their lines to the ivscc after hours, on weekends, or on holidays. During the year, the organization answered over 51,000 calls. Ivscc staff are fully-trained victim advocates who can assist callers any time of the day or night, and help greatly in alleviating in-person advocate staff by helping filter calls on nights and weekends, ensuring emergencies are dealt with immediately, while saving non-emergencies for the following business day. The ivscc is also a wonderful resource for helping professionals throughout Iowa, as it keeps a vast library of resources in all 99 counties of Iowa to share with victims and professionals alike. A nurse responding to a survivor at a rural hospital may not know where to find the right help for the survivor, but by making one phone call to the ivscc, that nurse can get the exact resources needed, have the survivor speak with an advocate over the phone, and even have an in-person advocate dispatched to the hospital. The ivscc is truly a critical service for survivors of crime in Iowa!

Homicide and other violent cimes (hovc) - serves survivors of homicide and violent crime in 29 western Iowa counties. During the year, the organization provided services to 677 clients. Hovc advocates help survivors navigate the complicated and often re-traumatizing criminal justice system in the aftermath of tragedy. Services to survivors include: assisting the Family with funeral arrangements connecting survivors to financial compensation for crime victims meeting with clients to prepare for court proceedings, such as writing a victim impact statement to be read at sentencing, preparing for depositions, or visiting the courtroom when it's empty to see the space and ask questions emotional support for survivors, such as sitting with Family in the hospital, reserving a private space for Family to gather during trial, and processing evidence ahead of time like body camera footage, crime scene photos, or 911 call audio referral to specialized trauma therapy providers referral to other resources as requested or as needed

Housing/homelessness prevention - offers multiple forms of housing assistance for 17 northwest Iowa counties. Housing assistance can include rental assistance, assistance with paying deposits, paying back rent, assistance with utilities, and securing or providing household furnishings. Fcc currently offers different programs with up to 2 years of housing assistance. During the year, the organization provided services to 280 clients. Family visitation and exchange center (fvec) - serves survivors of violence who are dealing with custody issues by providing supervision for visits and facilitating exchanges. During the year, the organization provided services to 39 survivors. Survivors may be one of the child's parents, the children, or both, and can include visits between children in foster care. Most visits occur between children and one of their parents, but the center has also facilitated visits between siblings living in separate foster homes, between children and other relatives, and between children and potential adoptive parents. By ensuring the separation of both parties from drop off to pick up, the fvec creates a safe environment for all participants to enjoy their time together, creating positive bonds and memories between children and their families. It also helps survivors complete exchanges successfully without having to come into contact with the other party. Especially when a protective order is in place, this is a critical need for survivors and their children. Thrift store - offers hope and security to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide and other violent crimes. All profits from the thrift store go directly to funding the organization's purpose.