Advocacy Services

Evidence-Based Programming

Guiding Good Choices
Five-session family skill program designed for parents of adolescents ages 9-14. GGC specifically assists families with a history of problem behaviors, substance abuse, conflict, and management problems.

Mapping – Focused Goal Setting
Through thoughtful conversation, adults can develop a visual plan of action for progress and future plans.

Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women
Twelve-session program designed to help women and girls recover from the effects of trauma in their lives.

Moving On Program
Six-module program focusing on accountability, personal responsibility and motivation for change, and enhancing and building healthy relationships.

Psychoeducational Batterer Intervention and Personal Growth
Six-session program that allows the individuals to learn and acquire various strengths and knowledge such as; communication, negotiation, and coping skills to use when feeling intense feelings of anger or frustration. Session topics include forms of abuse and the cycle of violence; intimidation, coercion and threats; honesty and accountability of actions; trust, respect and support; resilience and termination.

To inquire more information regarding programming and available delivery options, please contact the office to speak to the Counselor Coordinator, Kayla.

Counseling Advocacy

Alice Paul House counselors use a non-therapeutic approach that involves active listening, empathy, and acknowledgment of the victim/survivor’s reality as they are experiencing it. This response to a victim/survivor builds on the premise that each victim/survivor has the ability and opportunity to make informed decisions about what their course of action should be. This means that intervention starts from each individual’s unique perspective; values each individual’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions; recognizes each individual as the chief decision maker, the one who knows best, and the one with the power; and integrates the counselor’s knowledge and resources into each individual’s framework. (PCADV,2015)

Individual Empowerment Counseling
Counselor Advocates provide interventions that are action focused, client-centered, and trauma informed. This interaction occurs one-on-one between a trained advocate and victims/survivors, or their significant others. This interaction is available to both adult and child victims/survivors, and focuses on understanding the complexities and effects of victimization. They also assist with exploring options and ways to implement strategies to overcome obstacles. 

Group Empowerment Counseling
Counselor Advocates provide interventions that are action focused, client-centered, and trauma informed. This interaction occurs between a trained advocate and two or more victims/survivors and/or significant others in an informal, confidential setting. The group encourages participants to build rapport and mutual respect. This gives them the opportunity to reduce isolation and become empowered.

Assessments

Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)
Multi-purpose tool developed for children’s services to support decision-making, including level of care and service planning to facilitate quality initiatives and allow for monitoring of outcomes.

Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment (ANSA)
Multi-purpose tool developed for adult’s services to support decision-making, including level of care and service planning to facilitate quality initiatives and allow for monitoring of outcomes.

The Family Advocacy and Support Tool (FAST)
Assessment tool designed to maximize communication about the needs and strengths of families. The FAST includes ratings of the Family Together, each Caregiver, and all children and youth. Interventions in the family system can be directed at that system or to address the individual needs of family members.

Education Advocacy

Prevention Education
Education Advocates provide strategies to prevent victimization by focusing on conditions that reduce violence. Primary prevention refers to behavior change. Therefore, strategies move beyond knowledge and awareness to include opportunities for audiences to learn, practice, and adopt skills and behavior changes that create environments and cultures free from violence.

Education/Community Awareness Education Advocates offer one time, educational/community awareness programs designed to raise an understanding of violence and victimization in our community. These programs can occur in either an academic, professional, or community setting.

Crisis Intervention Volunteer Training
Education Advocates provide an 80-hour crisis intervention training that is action focused, client-centered and trauma informed. This provides individuals with para-professional counseling skills to support victims/survivors when they are faced with crisis situations.

Educational Evidence-Based Programming

Economic Justice/Financial Empowerment
The Economic Justice/Financial Empowerment program framework has five essential objectives: financial basics, career and job readiness, credit/credit repair, preparation for higher education, and connecting with community organizations. Several multi-session offerings have been developed in order to meet a variety of victim/survivor needs and is essential in assisting them with sustainable financial independence.

Our offerings include, but are not limited to, individual goal setting and planning, accredited curriculums, partnerships with local financial institutions, and group workshops. Education advocates are available to meet with survivors during day, evening, and weekend hours.

Support with Style
Support with Style was developed by the Alice Paul House Education Department to empower local beauty professionals on how to identify signs of domestic violence and how to refer victims/survivors to Alice Paul House for empowerment and trauma-focused advocacy. Support with Style is a forty minute single session program. For convenience, advocates are able to deliver the program to beauty professionals at the place of business or at Alice Paul House.

Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

Diversity Works:
Diversity Works is a three-hour hands-on workshop that brings awareness of diversity and inclusion concepts to the workplace. Activity stations are set up around the room for learners to decide which learning activities they want to participate in during the workshop. Each workshop requires at least one facilitator and 6 to 25 adult participants.

Elementary Prompt Cards:
For students in grades K-5, theses engaging prompts strengthen student’s understanding of diversity, inclusion, cultural awareness, and social justice. Cards are used for large or small group discussions and as a writing prompt. Cards cover various topics such as understanding fairness, knowing yourself, doing the right thing, empathy, tolerance, respect, justice and equality.

Coaching Boys Into Men
CBIM is an evidenced based, coach facilitated, program that engages male athletes in much needed conversation, centered on respect and responsibility. CBIM is a twelve week program, conducted in fifteen to twenty minute sessions, at the beginning of one practice each week of the season. Topics of discussion are personal responsibility, insulting language, disrespectful behavior toward women and girls, digital disrespect, understanding consent, and additional information young men should know as they enter into adulthood. Coaches are, at times, the most influential person in an athlete’s life.  CBIM sparks conversations between teammates and coaches that athletes may not have with another adult in their lives. APH Prevention Education Advocates will train the coach how to facilitate the program. Upon completion of training, the coach can facilitate the program while an advocate will be available, to the coach, for any questions, concerns, or any other type of assistance during the sport’s season.

School Awareness Programs

Preschool:
Your Body Belongs to You is a one-session program lasting approximately 30-35 minutes. The goal of this program is to prevent child sexual abuse by empowering children through body autonomy. Through the utilization of Cornelia Spelman’s book Your Body Belongs to You, students will learn that their bodies are their own, that they have the right to refuse unwanted touches, and that they can go to a trusted adult if someone tries to impose an unwanted touch. Additionally, students will learn that the areas covered by their bathing suits are called private parts and that private parts are not to be touched by anyone, with the exception of a caregiver or doctor for purposes of keeping them clean and healthy.  

Kindergarten:
Hands Are Not for Hitting; a book written by Martine Agassi. Students will gain a better understanding of using their hands for positive actions, and be able to learn and discuss the value of positive, non-violent behavior.

First Grade:
Do You Have a Secret; a book written by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos. Students will gain a better understanding of the difference between a surprise and a secret and identify trusted adults.  Students also learn the difference between a good secret and a bad secret.

Second Grade:
Have You Filled a Bucket Today?; a book written by Carol McCloud. Students will gain an understanding that initiating pro-social behavior with others, or “bucket filling” uplifts not only those receiving the positive behavior, but the initiator as well. Students will also learn about the consequences of engaging in negative social behavior, or “bucket dipping.” Students will recognize to effectively fill one’s own bucket is through filling someone else’s bucket.

Third Grade:
A Pixar short film, Birds on a Wire, illustrates the topic of bullying and harassment, followed by a discussion of the topics.  Students work in groups with other classmates to identify types of bullying.  As a large group students are given options for stopping harassment and related abusive behaviors, such as bullying that may be happening to them.

Fourth Grade:
The students will participate in activities and a class discussion about boundaries.  Students will gain a better understanding of boundaries, what they are, how they are set, and steps to effectively communicate with someone if their boundaries are crossed or if they are feeling uncomfortable about a behavior.

Fifth Grade:
Cyberbullying is brought to the attention of students by using, Stacey’s Story, a video showing a young girls’ interaction with cyberbullying and a class discussion.  Definitions of the topic, as well as tips for the students to take into consideration are included.

Sixth Grade:
In this program, students will gain a better understanding of bystander intervention. They will understand the need for identifying, establishing, and maintaining safe intervention skills.  They will recognize and respect everyone’s right to be safe. In addition, students will develop and enhance critical thinking and empathy skills.

Seventh Grade:
Introduction to Adolescent Relationship Abuse is a one-session program lasting approximately 40-45 minutes. The goal of this program is to prevent adolescent relationship abuse through awareness and the promotion of pro-social behaviors. Through an interactive presentation and discussion, students will learn what adolescent relationship abuse is, healthy boundaries that should be included and respected in a relationship, and the components of consent including how consent is given. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of the cycle of violence and the sexual violence continuum, identifying key components of each. 

Eighth Grade:
Dating Violence is a one-session program lasting approximately 40-45 minutes. The goal of this program is to prevent abuse within dating relationships by empowering students to become agents of their own personal safety. Through an interactive presentation and discussion, students will learn to identify the different forms of abuse included in dating violence, to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy relationships, to recognize red flags in an unhealthy relationship, and steps they can take to seek help for themselves or others if they are being harmed. Additionally, this program will explore the digital aspects of dating violence and the role of bystanders in dating violence, with students being encouraged to become upstanders.

Ninth Grade:
Stereotypes is a one-session program lasting approximately 40-45 minutes. The goal of this program is to promote pro-social behavior and prevent abuse through the deconstruction of stereotypes. Through an interactive presentation and discussion, students will be able to identify what stereotypes are, when they were first exposed to them, how they are reinforced in today’s society, how they can negatively affect us as individuals, and how they can inhibit victims from speaking out about their victimization. While there are many forms of stereotypes, special attention will be given to gender roles with students being asked to think critically about how boys and girls are socialized. Additionally, students will learn steps they can take to stand up for themselves and others in defeating stereotypes.   

Tenth Grade:
Bystander Intervention is a one-session program lasting approximately 40-45 minutes. The goal of this program is to promote pro-social behavior and prevent abuse by empowering students to engage in bystander intervention. Through an interactive presentation, case scenarios, and discussion, students will learn what it means to be a bystander, the importance of bystander intervention at the individual and community levels, and skills to assess when intervention is needed and how they can safely intervene to prevent abuse. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of how bystander intervention is directly related to domestic violence and sexual assault thereby increasing empathy and understanding towards survivors.

Eleventh Grade:
Sexual Violence is a one-session program lasting approximately 40-45 minutes. The goal of this program is to prevent sexual violence through the promotion of pro-social behaviors and by empowering students to become agents of their own personal safety. Through an interactive presentation and discussion, students will be able to differentiate between sexual abuse and sexual assault, identify the components of consent including how consent is given, and to identify what steps they can take to seek assistance if they experience sexual violence. Additionally, the concept of bystander intervention will be explored and students will learn how they can safely intervene on behalf of another to prevent sexual violence.

Twelfth Grade:
Post-Secondary Transitions is a one-session program lasting approximately 40-45 minutes. The goal of this program is to prevent abuse through the promotion of sexual and dating violence awareness and by empowering students to become agents of their own personal safety. Through an interactive presentation and discussion, students will learn what post-secondary transitions are and some of the risks associated with them, what they can do to reduce their risks of being victimized, and steps they can take to seek assistance if they experience sexual and/or dating violence. Additionally, this program emphasizes safety, what healthy relationships look like, and the importance of consent including its components and how consent is given.

Adolescent Relationship Abuse

ARA is a three session program with each session lasting approximately 40 minutes. The goal of this program is to prevent relationship abuse by empowering students to become agents of their own personal safety and through the promotion of pro-social behaviors. Through informative presentations, group discussions, and interactive case scenarios, students will learn what adolescent relationship abuse is, the continuum along which sexual violence occurs, the components of a healthy relationship, boundary setting, how to identify red flags, the importance of consent, bystander intervention strategies, and more. Additionally, this program challenges participants to change social norms to further combat adolescent relationship abuse.

Healthy Relationships Programs

Care for Kids
Care for Kids is a health-based curriculum specifically designed for children ages 3-8 years old in grades Pre-K through 2nd grade. The curriculum is targeted at preventing child sexual abuse and meets National Health Education Standards. Topics include self-esteem, identifying and expressing emotions, ability to name all body parts using correct names, a good understanding of a child’s role in a family, and healthy touch boundaries. Moreover, Care for Kids is a research-based program that creates a partnership between pre-schools/schools, caregivers, and community organizations to promote healthy, abuse free relationships. Through the six developmentally targeted lessons at each grade level, children learn important skills related to healthy relationships. Included within the curriculum is material for Circle Time discussions, a book, and an interactive activity.

WE Care
We Care Elementary is a health education and violence prevention curriculum that meets National Health Education Standards for grade 6.  Over six sessions, the experiential and interactive We Care Elementary curriculum focuses on helping children with the following topics, communication and understanding feelings; understanding personal boundaries; recognizing boundaries in others; and understanding sexual harassment.

SAFE-T
SAFE-T is a health education and violence prevention curriculum that meets National Health Education Standards for grades 7 and 8.  Over six sessions, the experiential and interactive SAFE-T curriculum focuses on helping adolescents build empathy, identify support and resources, understand consent, and identify the risk and protective factors aligned with sexually harmful behaviors and perpetration.

Shelter Advocacy - 24 Hour Services

Crisis Hotline
Provides around the clock support and guidance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to include weekends and holidays. Victims/survivors will receive support from a trained crisis intervention advocate or volunteer who is certified through our crisis intervention training.

Safety Planning
Serves as a primary intervention tool when working with victims/survivors, their children, and significant others. This includes steps and options for increasing the safety of victims/survivors and preparing in advance for the possibility of future victimization.

On-Call Advocacy
Offers victims/survivors with a skilled advocate at any hour to respond to legal, medical, and various community facilities. An advocate provides information and intervention services to victims/survivors and their significant others.

Emergency Shelter
Offers specialized, short-term emergency shelter and victimization support services for victims/survivors and members of their families when in need of safety. Services available to adult victims and their children, 18 years of age and under.

Victim Advocacy

Legal Advocacy
Victim Advocates provide in-person, non-judgmental support in a legal setting. The advocates are responsible for providing the necessary information to the victims/survivors about the legal system when making critical decisions. They also ensure that the victims'/survivors' rights are upheld throughout the process and provide explanation of the legal ramifications. 

Protection from Abuse Orders (PFA)
The PFA order is granted from the court to provide protective "relief" to adult victims and/or children for up to three years. Victim Advocates provide support to the victims/survivors while filing the PFA. They also ensure that the victims'/survivors' rights are upheld throughout the process and provide explanation of the legal ramifications. 

Sexual Violence Protection Order (SVPO)/Protection from Intimidation (PFI) Order
SVPO's are granted from the court to provide protective "relief" to adult victims/survivors and/or children for up to three years. The PFI is granted from the court to provide "relief" to minor victims/survivors with defendants 18 years of age or older, for up to three years. Victim Advocates support the victims/survivors while filing these orders. They also ensure that the victims'/survivors' rights are upheld throughout and provide explanation of the legal ramifications. 

Medical Advocacy
Victim Advocates provide in-person, non-judgmental support in a medical setting. They are responsible for providing necessary information and explanation to the victims/survivors about the medical system when making critical decisions. They also ensure that the victims'/survivors' rights are upheld throughout the process.

Victim Compensation Assistance Program
Victim Advocates support victims/survivors and their eligible family members by providing information and assistance to ease the financial burdens they may face as a result of a crime.

Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Contact us for information and assistance.