Battered Women's Shelter of Summit & Medina Counties

some interesting literature about The Battered Women's Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties...all of this info has been pulled from their website and can be found at www.scmcbws.org


Our Mission
The mission of the Battered Women’s Shelter is to lead the community in the prevention of domestic abuse by providing emergency shelter, advocacy and education throughout Summit and Medina County. All in an effort to break the cycle of abuse and help promote peace in every family.

A GLIMPSE AT THE HISTORY OF THE BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER THROUGH THE EYES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The records are a bit sketchy, but the message is consistent through the years. The Battered Women's Shelter today owes its roots, its direction and the excellence of its services to the founding mothers. I recently spent time reading the handwritten minutes from the Board of Directors meetings of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The dedication, passion and empathy of these early volunteers became the heart of this agency that still exists today.
Back in 1976 while I was completing my senior year at Copley High School, a group of women had begun to gather, discussing a community need and a desire to help. At that time, domestic violence, family violence or domestic dispute were not terms commonly used by human service professionals, law enforcement or the average lay individual. The founding mothers who gathered talked about "Court Watch Programs" and "Sheltering Victims in the homes of willing volunteers". They had a vision for a shelter specifically responding to the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence, but they did not have the finances to underwrite such an endeavor. With obstacles before them, the group persevered and became known as the Akron Task Force on Battered Women.
Surprisingly, as I read those early Board Minutes I came across many names of community professionals and agencies that were aiding those founding mothers as they journeyed together in the early years. People such as Judge Judy Nicely from Domestic Relations Court and Jerry Egan from the City of Akron Planning Department were among the earliest professionals who became involved and are still committed to the mission today. Additionally, there were community organizations such as Victims Assistance and Family Services of Summit County (now called Greenleaf Family Services) who provided social service support and professional guidance to the earliest volunteers.
Similar to today, the earliest Board of Directors established the following subcommittees: Finance, Public Relations, Legal, Community Agencies Liaison and Volunteer. Their tasks were similar to those of the 2008 Board of Directors, identifying and filling gaps in services for victims of Domestic Violence. The 2009-2010 Board of Directors is seeking to polish the current services, fill in any domestic violence service gaps in the community and maintain the stable financial foundation that has followed the agency throughout the years. Our objectives today are being fulfilled by the diligent work of 55 staff members and approximately 60 volunteers. Today's staff have much in common with the staff of early days, however, those dedicated individuals did the same work as we do today without paid staff. On September 12, 1978 the Board of Directors called a special Executive Meeting which ensued with a "heated" discussion about the "need" for a paid agency Director. Other discussions and decisions in those early days included the pros and cons of opening a shelter, the need for the address to be anonymous and confidential, the importance of operating a 24-hour hotline and the critical role played by trained volunteers. In symmetry, the 1999-2000 Boards of Directors voted to establish a toll-free crisis hotline for Summit and Medina County residents unable to utilize the local hotline without incurring a cost. Additionally the 2000-2001 Board of Directors oversaw the establishment of a protective shelter in Medina County, thus ensuring that women and their children would not have to leave the County as they escaped violence in their homes.
Many issues have been discussed at the Board Meetings over the past 33 years, but the theme of "family peace" has remained constant. The Akron Task Force on Battered Women, now known as the Battered Women's Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties is once again considering a possible name change. The name no longer reflects the gamut of community-based services, prevention programs and transitional living options. No longer is the Board of Directors all women and no longer do we only respond to the needs of female victims. As the only agency in either county specifically focusing its programs and services on domestic violence issues, it has become imperative that we open our doors to all victims of family violence regardless of their sex and any other individual characteristic.
Unfortunately domestic violence has not gone away in the past 33 years. But fortunately, through many years of support by hundreds of staff, Board Members, community agencies and generous donors we have remained a stable, professionally operated agency responding to the needs of family violence victims. Thousands of victims have become survivors with the support, education and empathy provided through this organization. Little did the "founding mothers" know in 1976 and 1977 that their dreams would become reality and that their goals would help so many individuals and families as they journey towards a life of peace.
The Battered Women's Shelter belongs to this community. Therefore, we should all take pride in the accomplishments achieved as the agency has grown. The services and programs provided are a reflection of the good that can come when a small group of people gather together with an identified need and a conscience that believes in the betterment for all. We hope that the "founding mothers" are proud that we continue working everyday to ensure that this remains our focus.

Executive Director Terri Heckman
Director of Services Dana Zedak
Director of Finance Bruce Hyer
Associate Director of Resource Development Karen Widder
Assistant Director of Services, Medina County Crystal Baker
Associate Director of Resource Development Leanne Polio
Donation Coordinator, Summit County Polly Lincoln
Donation Coordinator, Medina County Kathy Henninger

...the shelter offers many services to those that come across it's path...some of the services that the shelter provides are:
Crisis Center
Step II
Step III
Support Groups
Family Stability
Court Advocacy
Community Education
Early Intervention/ Stop the Cycle
Family Violence Court

all of these services have a program that supports the victim. these services are listed in an order that takes the victim from the initial crisis, leads them through the process of finding a support group and making it through the court process to making the community aware of what is happening around them. each service has a short commentary on the website, which i will begin to share with you now...

Crisis Centers

Our crisis centers operating in both Summit and Medina Counties serve to provide emergency protective shelter and a supportive environment for women and their children fleeing an abusive situation.
The centers in both counties are at confidential locations. Our shelters are CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE, home-like environments where you can relax, eat a good meal, sleep in a peaceful environment and begin educating and empowering yourself. Trained staff are available 24 hours a day to answer our hotline and provide crisis intervention, safety planning and help callers explore their options. Domestic violence victims who call our hotline and need protective shelter have the option of staying in one of our shelters. There, trained crisis intervention specialists staffed around the clock are there to provide a safe haven where women and children can receive support, education, emergency food, clothing, personal items and explore their options, as well as promote non-violent conflict resolution.For male victims of domestic violence, the Battered Women's Shelter WILL provide identical safe housing using local hotels. Male victims will be checked in at various hotels under "safe names" so that their identity is protected. Employees from the shelter will visit the men and provide case management, support and education to help in planning the future.Case management is available to assist residents in setting short-term goals needed to transition into a life of peace. Some of those goals may include finding employment, housing, child care, utilizing court advocacy, obtaining protection orders, seeking legal representation, counseling, financial assistance, healthcare and education.Youth Advocates work with children and teens in shelter, providing individual and group support sessions. The advocates model and work with parents to regain age appropriate, non-violent forms of discipline, healthy communication and learn coping skills which are needed to successfully raise children.Residents can attend weekly support groups lead by a trained facilitator. Each week, the facilitator will discuss topics such as the cycle of abuse, signs of abuse and coping skills.
If you are in need of a safe place to stay while sorting through the complicated experiences of domestic violence, please contact our staff through the following hotline numbers:
Summit County Hotline (330) 374-1111
Summit County Toll Free Hotline (888) 395-4357
Medina County Hotline (330) 723-3900

Step II

What is Step II Transitional Shelter?

Step II shelter in Summit County, provides 48 beds to motivated victims who continue to strive towards self-sufficiency after residing at Crisis Center. This secure, confidential, twelve unit apartment building, allows women and their children to feel one step closer to living independently in the community. Although the shelter is in an apartment building, our 24-hour, on-site staff, consistently interact with the residents throughout the day. Residents are encouraged to sign releases of information, allowing staff to coordinate wrap-around services within the community. At times, services providers may come to the shelter to meet with clients on an as-needed basis.

How is Step II Different from Crisis Center?

Families may be provided with their own apartment which enhances privacy and independence. The furnished apartments have a kitchen, bath, living room, and between 1 and 3 bedrooms. Due to the amount of motivated women, some families and individuals share an apartment. When placing two families together, ages and sexes of children are taken into consideration for privacy concerns.Most residents are working towards a permanent life away from the abuser. This transitional shelter allows the residents much more time to continue achieving previous goals and to make new ones! During weekly case management sessions, women develop a self-made plan focusing on areas of their choosing; such as safety, housing, and employment. The Resource Room at Step II also provides adults with a quiet place to go, obtain referrals, utilize a computer, and make business phone calls.

CHILDREN OF STEP II

Our full-time Youth Advocate provides ongoing support to families; ensuring children's lives are minimally disrupted while in shelter. Most children can remain in their school of origin and be transported by the public school bus. Children can also choose to engage in individual tutoring programs, counseling, group field trips, weekly physical fitness activities, and more!The Youth Advocate uses a nationally recognized program titled: 40 Developmental Assets, allowing children to learn about healthy lifestyles in everyday activities. Domestic violence, safety, and confidentially, are also stressed with each child, helping them understand why they are in shelter and why friends and extended family are not able to visit. Children whose mothers are in the process of regaining custody are also permitted to visit and take part in the above mentioned activities.

How Long Can Someone Stay at Step II?

The Battered Women's Shelter understands the difficulties and struggles women must go through to regain their independence. Because of this, Step II shelter does not have a limit on the length of time it takes a woman to transition into the community (as long as she is in need of protective shelter and is abiding by the shelter policies.) The majority of women tend to utilize shelter services for approximately four months and at times, due to safety concerns, residents have stayed up to a year. For those interested in continued support for achieving long term goals, requests to enter the Step III residential program can be made to their case manager.

more later...