| • 24-Hour Crisis Line
- The Crisis Line is answered 7 days a week, 365 days
a year by certified victim advocacy staff and volunteers.
• Emergency Safe Shelter - provided
at "Friends' House", an 8 bed shelter located
in Waverly. Certified advocates are on duty 24 hours
a day to assist victims and their families. The facility
is handicap accessible and strives to facilitate emotional
and physical healing of victims and their children.
• Emergency Transportation - provided
for victims by advocates in each county. Due to lack
of public transportation in the rural area, victims
need help in getting to important appointments.
• Crisis Counseling - provided by trained
staff in Bremer, Butler, and Chickasaw counties, when
requested on an individualized basis. Victims/survivors
may drop-in or schedule an appointment according to
their own choice. Clients are encouraged to borrow agency
self-help resources (books and video tapes) as they
desire. Agency informational materials are available
in Spanish as well.
• Medical Advocacy - assists in assuring
that victims are able to obtain medical services needed.
If a victim arrives at one of the three area hospitals,
the hospital staff offers the services of CVFF. The
advocate then becomes part of the emergency room team,
offering support during the examination process, and
often serving as a bridge between the victim and law
enforcement, hospital staff and the victim and family
members.
• Court Advocacy - assists victims
of domestic violence and sexual assault deal with the
legal system. CVFF has established cooperative agreements
with 16 local police departments, 3 sheriff's departments,
and 3 county attorney's offices. CVFF court advocates
assist victims in obtaining protection orders, accompany
victims to court for permanent restraining orders, and
work in conjunction with county attorneys to help victims
prepare to testify in court appearances.
• Personal Advocacy - assists with
a variety of basic needs including food, clothing and
household supplies. Community donations and cooperative
agreements with area service providers help to meet
the needs of victims.
• Adult Support Groups - held throughout
the year on an on-going basis as interest is expressed.
Most groups meet on a basis of of 4-6 weeks.
• Child Advocacy & Children's Support
Groups - Focuses on safety planning, anger management
and self-esteem issues with children who have witnessed
or experienced domestic violence or sexual assault.
The child advocate may travel to meet with the children
close to their homes. The CVFF child advocacy service
has been expanded through a child abuse prevention grant
which provides sexual abuse prevention counseling to
every child seen at CVFF and in-school classroom presentations.
• Transitional Housing
• Information & Referral - CVFF
has an extensive "lending library" including
books, audio tapes, and videos. CVFF has also created
a folder of printed materials for victims of sexual
assault or domestic violence, distributed by area law
enforcement agencies. CVFF representatives are available
to make community presentations.
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