Clackamas Women's Services Programs

Clackamas Women's Services offers women and children more than a safe place to sleep. Our organization works to end domestic and sexual violence against women and children through crisis support, safe shelter, children's services, transitional housing, on-going peer support groups and community education to prevent violence. Clackamas Women's Services is the only provider of shelter and support for victims of domestic and sexual violence in Clackamas County and in 23 years we have helped more than 70,000 women and children build new lives.

A Safe Haven

Each night, 32 women and children call Clackamas Women's Services' only shelter "home" as they safely regain control of their lives and plan for a brighter future. During their stay, residents receive much-needed emergency supplies such as food, clothing and toiletries. Individual counseling and case management services in English and Spanish begin the healing process. Legal, medical and financial advocacy allow residents to obtain restraining orders, treat their physical wounds and begin establishing a self-sufficient future. Several nights a week, residents gather for domestic violence classes and self-care groups that allow residents to share their experiences, learn more about the dynamics of family violence and develop a support system for a new life.

The Call for Help

In 2006 alone, Clackamas Women's Services staff and volunteers answered 4,000 life-saving phone calls in nearly a dozen languages. Most of those callers were women in need of a safe escape from a violent situation and the remainder were friends, family or co-workers looking for a way to help their abused loved one.

Breaking the Cycle of Violence

Because the negative impact of family violence on youth can last a lifetime, Clackamas Women's Services has developed special programming for children and mothers in residence at the shelter. Moms get parenting support and counsel and kids benefit from play therapy, group activities, field trips and one-on-one attention. When the kids in residence are not on the playground or visiting the zoo, library, museum or Children's Theatre, Clackamas Women's Services' Children's Program staff work to ensure their long-term health and well being by enrolling them in the local school system, providing them with free school supplies and clothing, and making appropriate referrals for Head Start and Healthy Start programs, immunizations, professional child abuse assessments, childcare and mental health counseling. Unfortunately, some children will re-enter abusive situations once they leave the shelter. For this reason, Clackamas Women's Services empowers every child to stay safe in the future by working with them on their own unique "safety plan".

The Next Step

Independent living for many women with children, building a life free from domestic and sexual violence, means more than crisis support, it entails developing job skills, new stable sources of income and finding permanent independent housing. Last year, Clackamas Women's Services' Transitional Housing Program helped 27 families take these challenging next steps. Working closely with 11 apartment complexes, Clackamas Women's Services places women and their children in long-term housing and job readiness programs and provides much needed financial assistance with utility bills, childcare, transportation, household supplies, newspapers for employment purposes, camp for children and parenting classes.

With Transitional Housing Support, Clackamas Women's Services is able to assist participants in improving their credit and rental histories, obtaining permanent housing, increasing their skills and income, and achieving greater self-determination in their lives.

Community Support Groups

Clackamas Women's Services offers a variety of support groups throughout Clackamas County, including facilitation by volunteers trained in issues around family violence, sexual assault, community resources and custody law. Often women still living in abusive homes turn to these support groups for connection with other survivors, for education regarding the dynamics of family violence, and for information about local resources.

Drop-In and Outreach Services

Clackamas Women's Services provides drop-in counseling, resources and referrals for a range of domestic and sexual violence oriented issues. Drop-in services include emotional or logistical support such as safety planning, an alternative housing search, restraining orders or one-one counseling and support. Clackamas Women's Services is equipped to help women speaking English an Spanish and conducts rural outreach services in multiple languages in addition to staffing the drop-in center. Clackamas Women's Services also offers family violence consultation to other service providers such child protection workers, schools, law enforcement officers and the welfare department.

Prevention Begins with Education

Clackamas Women's Services makes an annual average of 150 educational presentations on domestic and sexual violence to businesses, churches, middle schools and high schools, youth programs and Chambers of Commerce. We also provide specialized training for incarcerated women and service providers who may encounter victims of abuse.

Today, Clackamas Women's Services touches the lives of 10,000 people in the community through our continuum of vital services. We are the leaders in domestic and sexual abuse prevention, shelter and support in Clackamas County and we are committed to making our community safe for every women and child, once and for all.

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