The Center's 13-bed shelter, Elizabeth House, offers refuge to women and children who must flee violence in their home. Shelter for men is provided in other confidentially arranged locations. During their stay in this safe haven, residents receive counseling and assistance with rebuilding their lives and planning a violence-free future.
Counseling Services
Reducing the effects of trauma through individual and support group counseling.
Individual and support group counseling is provided for victims of domestic and sexual violence as well as those dealing with other major life crises. Services are also available for family members and signficant others.
Counseling services provide critical intervention, opportunity for healing and assistance in the development of client-centered safety plans which minimize risk and danger level. Support group counseling helps to lessen feelings of isolation, self-blame and denial. In groups, clients are offered the opportunity to learn from each other and to express and better understand their own experience. Support groups meet at the Center on a regular basis.
The Center is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Some evening and Saturday morning individual counseling appointments are available upon request.
Advocacy services are provided on both an individual and system level. The Women's Center has advocates housed at Danbury Superior Court available for on-site counseling and safety planning strategies. Through the advocacy program the client learns to navigate medical, criminal and legislative systems. The Center's advocacy work extends to legislative, criminal justice, medical and educational institutions to obtain changes in laws, procedures and quality of response.
Community Education & Training
Increasing community knowledge and awareness.
Programs are provided to a wide range of audiences, from pre-school children to senior citizens. The Center customizes these programs to suit the age group and special itnerests of the particular audience. In-service training is also provided to law enforcement and medical professionals to ensure that they are informed about and sensitive to issues concerning domestic violence and sexual assault. More than 23,000 adults and children benefit from education and training programs annually.
Information & Referral Services
Supporting clients with a network of available agencies and community resources.
The Center's referral system consists of an array of supportive resources including legal, medical, financial, housing and mental health care providers.
