YWCA offers domestic violence services

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The YWCA of Van Wert County has added domestic violence services to its list of social services provided to area residents.

YWCA Executive Director Stacy Looser announced reception of a grant from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office that will be used to provide a variety of domestic violence services to the community. A grant of $103,204 was awarded to the YWCA by the Attorney General’s Office to provide domestic violence services. The grant also included a local match of $19,972, which was paid with funds from the United Way of Van Wert County.

Services provided under the new YWCA program include a 24-hour protective shelter, a 24-hour immediate housing domestic violence hotline (567.259.9501), child and court advocacy, complete confidentiality, case management, support and educational groups, on-site mental health and alcohol-drug treatment services, referrals to community agencies, economic empowerment (which includes opportunities for furthering education and computer training), and employment assistance.

“Lots of YWCAs in Ohio do domestic violence programs — Toledo has domestic violence, Hamilton, Cincinnati, Dayton, they all have domestic violence programs — so it’s in our mission, it’s what we do,” said Jamie Evans, Transitional Housing coordinator for the YWCA, who will also coordinate the YW’s domestic violence programs.

Mental health and alcohol-drug treatment programs would be offered on-site at the YWCA through a contract with Westwood Behavioral Health Center.

Because the YWCA’s housing facilities are already covered under a transitional housing grant, domestic violence victims would receive housing through that program, at least for this year, Evans said. Starting in 2014, the YWCA will become an official domestic violence shelter, and would then separate the domestic violence and transitional housing programs. If YWCA housing is full, she added, the YWCA would assist domestic violence victims in obtaining housing through a referral list.

Furthermore, unlike the transitional housing program, where it can take up to two weeks to provide housing for participants, Evans stressed that domestic violence victims would be provided immediate housing.

“This is an immediate intake program,” she said.

Evans said YWCA officials had already been looking at the possibility of adding domestic violence services when the Attorney General’s Office approached them about starting a program in that area. She also noted that United Way Executive Director Deb Russell was also instrumental in obtaining funding for the YWCA’s new domestic violence services program.

Moreover, Evans said the YWCA has made a number of changes to accommodate its new domestic violence services program. Changes include installation of a new secure entrance door, a swipe-card security system within the YWCA’s building and 24-hour staffing for the program.

Also, while members of Peak Fitness Center have 24/7 access to fitness facilities located in the YWCA building, that area is sealed off from the rest of the building, Evans noted.

Meanwhile, she added that the YWCA staff’s mission is to provide the best domestic violence services program it can.

“We’re just concentrating on giving the community an amazing resource for domestic violence victims,” Evans said.