2017-2018 FISCAL YEAR ANNUAL REPORT Our Mission 2017-2018 To advance the safety and wellbeing of victims of intimate partner Board of Directors violence and prevent and respond to intimate partner violence Mary Anne Papale through social change. Chair Loretta Benec Vice Chair Phyllis Stevens Vice Chair Nicole’s Letter Patricia Cattrell Last year was a period of transition and exciting growth at Treasurer WC&S. I offer my appreciation to our amazing Board of Directors Linda Larotonda for their unwavering leadership, vision, and support. Our staff, Assistant Treasurer interns, and volunteers are the very heart and soul of WC&S, Eunice Anderson digging into this difficult work in an uncompromising fashion Corporate Secretary that proves every day how much we value and respect our Cynthia Donohoe clients. And without the ongoing support and dedication of our Recording Secretary generous funders, community partners, and friends, WC&S would be unable to provide these high-quality, trauma-informed services to families experiencing IPV. It absolutely Members takes a village, and we just cannot thank you all enough for being our village! Rachel Lorey Allen Latasha Wilson-Batch I am grateful and ecstatic to serve adult and child survivors of intimate partner violence Julius Boatwright in this new capacity as President/CEO. I follow in the footsteps of two of WC&S’ Sara Davis Buss long-time CEOs, strong and intelligent women who I am proud to say were my Patricia Cluss mentors over the years, Shirl Regan and before her, Martha Friday. Having been A.J. Drexler involved with WC&S since 1995, when I began as a direct service volunteer before joining the staff the following year, I’ve seen an incredible amount of growth and Mamar Gelaye change over the years – but what has remained steady is the passion and commitment John Lovelace of those involved with WC&S. Being entrusted to lead a team comprised of amazing Kit Needham people who work with enthusiasm, smarts, vision, and talent to help those experiencing Duke Rupert intimate partner violence is truly a humbling experience. The survivors we serve are Anne Blose Sekula often at the most vulnerable times in their lives. Knowing we can positively impact Bernadette Smith them by serving and empowering them on their journey from victim to survivor is Linda Thier what motivates us every day. Masha Trainor R. Stanton Wettick Jr. Thank you for joining us in this journey as we offer healing and hope to those in Jennifer Woodward dangerous, complex, and often heartbreaking situations. We look forward to continuing our good work together. Your generosity of time and treasure makes a world of difference to those we serve. Thank you. Advisory Council G. Nicholas Beckwith, III Karen Craig Brubaker All my Best, Kathleen Buechel Joseph L. Calihan Andrea Carelli Nicole Molinaro Sherley Craig President/CEO Audrey Hillman Fisher Lois O’Connor, Emeritus John Sylvester Sally Wiggin Bunny Wolff Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh Annual Report 2 Programs & Services 24-Hour Hotline 2017-18: WC&S’ Hotline Advocates are trained in crisis intervention and survivor-centered advocacy. Answered 5,090 crisis calls for 1,148 hours The Advocates assess the callers’ safety (and contact emergency responders when needed), of counseling offer counseling, and walk the callers through creating and updating safety plans. 2017-18: Emergency Shelter Housed 274 adult victims WC&S’ Emergency Shelter provides safety for women and children in immediate, lethal and 203 children for a total of 13,954 shelter nights. danger. Core services for Shelter residents include safety planning, goal planning, and served a total of 41,862 advocacy for housing, career, health, and mental health. meals to residents. Children’s Program 2017-18: The Children’s Program is a safe, welcoming, nurturing space where child witnesses/victims Provided 283 children of IPV can heal from trauma. Beyond addressing basic needs like medical care and school with 6,117 hours of direct service access, our Child Advocates collaborate with local organizations to bring fun, expressive activities to the children we serve. Importantly, the Children’s Program also creates opportunities for mothers and their children to connect with each other while they work through some of the most difficult challenges they have faced. 2017-18: Empowerment Center (Non-Resident Program) Provided 266 adult Support groups are offered at WC&S for IPV survivors who have exited Shelter and those survivors of intimate who have not needed Shelter services. Groups cover topics like building life skills, seeking partner violence with 2,767 hours of safety, recognizing reproductive coercion, fostering wellness, mothering, developing healthy non-resident counseling relationships, and surviving trauma. Individual therapy is provided onsite to help cope with and emotional support the effects of IPV including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. Legal Advocacy 2017-18: WC&S’ Legal Advocacy Department helps IPV survivors navigate the court system by Provided 6,818 hours providing information, resources, counseling, and ongoing support free of charge. Legal of Legal Advocacy to 3,087 victims of domestic Advocates may guide survivors through obtaining Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders violence crime and accompany them to court hearings. These Advocates work with the justice system to improve procedures and to train police on IPV issues. Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh Annual Report 3 2017-18: Civil Law Project (CLP) Opened 620 new cases Through the Civil Law Project (CLP), WC&S clients can receive free legal representation in serving 426 new clients matters including PFA orders, custody and child support, and divorce. Medical Advocacy 2017-18: The Medical Advocacy Coordinator The Medical Advocate maintains relationships between WC&S and local healthcare (MAC) delivered 90 DV trainings to providers, distributing WC&S print materials to medical practices and meeting with healthcare professionals at UPMC patients admitted to hospitals for IPV-related injuries. Additionally, the Advocate Mercy, UPMC Shadyside, UPMC trains healthcare professionals and students in medical fields in an effort to enhance Magee hospitals. the healthcare system’s response to IPV. 2017-18: Education WC&S staff delivered21 criminal justice WC&S delivers training and presentations on IPV awareness and prevention trainings to 290 professionals, and 28 to criminal justice professionals, students, clergy, corporations, and other trainings to 1,290 other professionals professionals. WC&S’ new affiliate, STANDING FIRM, is now housed in this in the community. Various WC&S staff delivered 37 public presentations to department, enhancing our prevention efforts in the greater community. 1,594 people in the community. STANDING FIRM alerts employers to the financial, safety and human costs of partner violence on the workplace and workforce and equips them with tools for taking effective organizational action. MENS (Men Embracing Nonviolence and Safety) Program 2017-18: The MENS Group provided WC&S’ batterer’s intervention program provides 10 weekly intervention groups to IPV 388 MENS participants offenders in various offsite locations. Program sessions last 24 weeks and encourage with batterer’s intervention men to change their attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate IPV. 2017-18: Immediate Needs Coordination (INC) The INC Team served Since 2015, this program has provided much-needed social service advocacy—such as applying for 217 new clients public benefits, seeking assistance with utilities, and securing financial support for school enrollment —to Civil Law Project clients. In spring 2018, WC&S began extending this program to other non-resident clients (i.e. clients who are seeking counseling, advocacy, and legal services from WC&S). Refugees, Immigrants, and Limited-English (RIL) 2017-18: WC&S has a special team that works with Refugees, Immigrants, and Limited-English speakers, The RIL Team served over 500 refugee, called the RIL Team. These multilingual staff members work at two levels – assisting individual immigrant, and clients and advocating improvements in systems to better serve RIL clients. Limited-English speakers 2017-18: CYF Program 246 clients received WC&S has a contract to work with families referred by the Department of Human Services’ 1,098 hours of advocacy Office of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF). These cases involve both IPV and child abuse, and and counseling they tend to be some of the most dangerous cases that WC&S sees. WC&S’ four CYF Advocates also provide training, coaching and consultation to CYF caseworkers throughout the county. Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh Annual Report 4 Program Highlight — Welcome STANDING FIRM! STANDING FIRM, which alerts employers to the financial, Nearly 400 employers have joined STANDING FIRM to address safety and human costs of partner violence on the partner violence in the workplace, representing over 450,000 workplace and workforce and equips them with tools for employees. Providing businesses with the tools to create a safe taking effective organizational action, officially became a and productive workplace, STANDING FIRM offers consultation, program of Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh assistance with creating policies, and training. At their annual on December 13, 2017. Both organizations completed due Fall luncheon, Stand Up for STANDING FIRM, hundreds of business diligence in a nearly year-long process, with each governing leaders, organizations and champions come together to board voting favorably on the merger. celebrate the forward-thinking action steps taken by companies to put an end to partner violence. For STANDING FIRM, this merger increases infrastructure capacity, expands the ability to develop and deliver We are excited about the opportunities this merger brings, products and services and prepares for succession of including addressing the issue of partner violence more the founding leaders. For Women’s Center & Shelter, holistically by increasing our education and outreach efforts the merger adds vibrancy to its prevention efforts in through employers across the region.