True North Of Columbia Inc

TO PROVIDE SAFETY, SHELTER, EDUCATION AND TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND TO EMPOWER ALL TO CREATE A SAFER COMMUNITY.

THE TRUE NORTH EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVED 196 RESIDENTS (111 WOMEN, 84 CHILDREN AND 1 MAN) IN 2021, PROVIDING OVER 6,122 NIGHTS OF EMERGENCY SHELTER AND 3,501 HOURS OF SUPPORTIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR FAMILIES IN 2021 WAS 31.23 DAYS. SERVICES INCLUDED COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT EDUCATION, SAFETY PLANNING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, COURT AND HOSPITAL ADVOCACY, PARENTING SESSIONS, INDIVIDUAL CHILD SESSIONS, ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING EX PARTE ORDERS OF PROTECTION, SUPPORT GROUP SERVICES (INCLUDING LIFE SKILLS SESSIONS), AND VICTIM ADVOCACY. NUMBERS SHELTERED IN 2021 DECREASED SLIGHTLY DUE TO A SHELTER FLOOD THAT OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021 WHEN THE SHELTER'S SPRINKLER SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE FACILITY WAS CLOSED FOR THE 4TH QUARTER OF 2021 FOR REPAIR. TRUE NORTH PROVIDED SHELTER SERVICES VIA HOTEL/MOTEL FOR THOSE IN THE MOST DANGER DURING THESE MONTHS BUT REFERRED OTHERS TO SHELTERS WITHIN A 30-MILE RADIUS WHEN THIS OPTION WAS FEASIBLE. TRUE NORTH SHELTER OUTCOMES: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TRUE NORTH EMERGENCY SHELTER IS TO KEEP VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SAFE BY PROVIDING A SECURE AND CONFIDENTIAL RESIDENCE FOR VICTIMS FLEEING DANGEROUS (AND SOMETIMES LETHAL) SITUATIONS AND ENSURE THAT EVERY VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT LEAVES OUR PROGRAM SAFER THAN WHEN HE/SHE ARRIVED. RESIDENT DESTINATIONS OFTEN SERVE AS ONE INDICATOR OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. IN 2021, 48.60% OF THOSE EXITING THE EMERGENCY SHELTER LEFT THE PROGRAM FOR SAFE, PERMANENT (OR EXTENDED TRANSITIONAL - 2+ YEARS) HOUSING. 30.84% MOVED TO SAFE, TEMPORARY LOCATIONS. 16.82% MOVED BACK INTO AN UNSAFE SITUATION. OF THOSE LEAVING THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETING EXIT INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, THE FOLLOWING REPORTED THEY HAD MET OR MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE FOLLOWING GOALS: SAFETY - 100%; HOUSING - 52.54%; LEGAL - 81.82%; SUPPORT SYSTEM - 98.92%; AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES - 100%. 100% ALSO REPORTED THEY WERE MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE AND 100% REPORTED THEIR CHILDREN NOW HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT HOME.

THE AGENCY PROVIDED SCATTERED SITE TRANSITIONAL LIVING SERVICES IN 2021 FOR 16 FAMILIES (16 WOMEN AND 12 CHILDREN), PROVIDING 7,301 NIGHTS OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND 252 HOURS OF TRANSITIONAL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDING INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, COUNSELING, INDIVIDUAL CHILD SESSIONS, COURT-RELATED ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT GROUPS AND LIFE SKILLS CLASSES. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR FAMILIES IN 2021 WAS 260.71 DAYS. TRANSITIONAL LIVING OUTCOMES: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM (TLP) IS TO FOSTER SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. IN 2021, 5 PARTICIPANTS (AND 5 CHILDRENT) EXITED THE PROGRAM (ALL BUT ONE FAMILY TRANSITIONING IN PLACE TO SAFE PERMANENT HOUSING). 4 SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND 1 FAMILY WAS EXITED FROM THE PROGRAM. 4 NEW PARTICIPANTS WERE WELCOMED TO THE PROGRAM AND WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN SAFE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH RENT SUBSIDIZED THROUGH THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM. EACH RECEIVED ASSISTANCE WITH SECURITY DEPOSITS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ALSO OFFERED COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT GROUPS, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, AND OTHER TRUE NORTH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. ALL 16 ADULT PARTICIPANTS OPTED TO RECEIVE ON-GOING CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND TRUE NORTH PROVIDED CRISIS INTERVENTION AND ADVOCACY SERVICES TO 10 PARTICIPANTS. WE CONTINUE TO BE BOTH AMAZED AND HUMBLED BY THOSE SURVIVORS WHO TRULY THRIVE IN OUR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM DESPITE HAVING EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT PAST TRAUMA AND STRUGGLING TO OVERCOME HUGE BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY. WE CONTINUE TO SEE POSITIVE CHANGES IN SELF-ESTEEM AND RESILIENCY IN ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS. OF THOSE LEAVING THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETING EXIT INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, TLP PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THEY HAD MET OR MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE FOLLOWING GOALS: SAFETY-100%; HOUSING-93.7%; LEGAL-100%; SUPPORT SYSTEM- 87.5%; AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES-100%. 85.5% WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING AT LEAST 9 MONTHS AFTER EXITING THE PROGRAM.

TRUE NORTH'S NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES PROGRAM SERVED 495 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT IN 2021, PROVIDING OVER 4,442 HOURS OF SUPPORTIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES. THESE INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING, CRISIS INTERVENTION, CASE MANAGEMENT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT EDUCATION, SAFETY PLANNING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, COURT AND HOSPITAL ADVOCACY, PARENTING SESSIONS, CHILD EDUCATION SESSIONS, AND ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING EX PARTE AND FULL ORDERS OF PROTECTION. NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES OUTCOMES: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES IS TO EMPOWER VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT THROUGH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. IN 2021, OF THOSE LEAVING THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETING EXIT INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, THE FOLLOWING REPORTED THEY HAD MET OR MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE FOLLOWING GOALS: SAFETY-96%; EMOTIONAL NEEDS-91.3%; LEGAL- 96%; SUPPORT SYSTEM-90%; AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES-100%. 86.96% OF RESPONDENTS ALSO REPORTED THEY WERE MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE AND 93.65% REPORTED THEY HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AS A RESULT OF SERVICE PROVISION.

TRUE NORTH'S OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN CHANGING ATTITUDES AND PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. IN 2021, TRUE NORTH STAFF FACILITATED 29 PRESENTATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS TO CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENTS, MEDICAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFF, AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDER AGENCIES REACHING OVER 750 INDIVIDUALS.