The Safe Program

What is the SAFE Program?

National Domestic Violence Hotline

800-799-7233

When it comes to abuse, you believe there's no way out. There is always help. There is always a way out

Donna Mulvey

Our Signature Emergency Shelter Assistance Program…

The SAFE Program is our signature Emergency Shelter Assistance program to assist victims. The SAFE Program (Strengthening the At-Risk Family Environment) is our signature Emergency Shelter Assistance program to assist victims. The SAFE Program seeks to immediately improve the housing, health, and development of homeless and at- risk mothers and children. Since WCM has not acquired a transitional housing facility we will employ an emergency mobile case management model, meeting and serving clients where they live. We place these women in hotels, extended stay suites and apartments to immediately secure their safety until long term arrangements can be made.

The SAFE Program serves the demographic of lower socioeconomic, minority women between the ages of 18-30 with infants to children 8 years old. We find that many women in the lower socioeconomic standing in this age range have formerly been in foster care, are also previous victims of sexual and mental abuse and they currently live in abusive and unhealthy residential environments. When children in foster care reach the age of 18, they must fend for themselves and for their children, so they often stay in an abusive situation just to survive or suffer homelessness.

It is the experience of WCM that this demographic set of women is unlikely to receive assistance from the larger domestic violence agencies in the DFW Metroplex due to lack of access to transportation and an overall lack of knowledge on how to obtain such services. WCM primarily service clients in the Southern Sector of Dallas that house a lower socioeconomic and underrepresented population. In today’s economic climate WCM has experienced a 50% increase in our call volume from women seeking helping the DFW Metroplex.

THE AREAS OF COVERAGE INCLUDE

TARGET POPULATION

This program will serve families consisting of a mother between the ages of 18 and 30 with at least one child aged 8 or under. The process evaluation identifies common threads from the client’s perspective and in the client’s own words. It also provides an opportunity to better understand clients’ strengths and challenges.

WE ANTICIPATE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES:

Clients care deeply for their children and want to become a better parent.
Clients desire stable jobs and/or continuing their education.
Clients are remarkably resilient despite having faced many challenging and traumatic events.
Clients have extremely difficult financial situations exacerbated by limited education, lack of childcare and difficult-to-navigate our hostile public benefits systems.
Many clients have extensive substance abuse/chemical health and mental health issues.
Participants have histories of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicidal ideation or attempts.
Many clients have a history of child welfare involvement. Some spent time in the foster care system during their youth while others have been separated from their children with many falling into both categories.
Transportation is a challenge for clients; few own their own vehicle and public transit is either prohibitively expensive or unavailable.
Safe stable housing is both difficult to find and financially difficult to attain..