Solace Crisis Treatment Center

TO PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND EMPOWER SURVIVORS OF ALL TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES THROUGH RESTORING DIGNITY, STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE.

THE CLINICAL DEPARTMENT THE CLINICAL DEPARTMENT PROVIDES CRISIS STABILIZATION, ASSESSMENT, AND LONG-TERM THERAPY TO RESTORE STRENGTH AND A SENSE OF SAFETY TO INDIVIDUALS ABOVE THE AGE OF THREE WHO EXPERIENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE. WE USE EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICE MODELS AND DELIVER ALL OF OUR SERVICES BY APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE. OUR CLINICIANS ARE ALL LICENSED BY THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO AS SOCIAL WORKERS OR PSYCHOTHERAPISTS. OUR THERAPISTS USE A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO MEET THERAPEUTIC NEEDS OF SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL CRIMES. DURING THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT PHASE, COUNSELORS BUILD RAPPORT WITH CLIENTS, EXPLAIN THE SCOPE OF TREATMENT, DISCUSS THE RIGHTS OF CLIENTS AND THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNSELORS, AS WELL AS THE LIMITATION ON CONFIDENTIALITY. CLIENTS IDENTIFY THEIR GOALS AND SHARE THEIR EXPECTATIONS. IN THE NEXT STAGE, EVALUATION, THE COUNSELING TEAM DETERMINES WHICH COUNSELOR IS BEST FOR THAT CLIENT, WHAT TREATMENT MODALITIES ARE MOST APPROPRIATE AND WHAT ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT CLIENT MIGHT NEED. AT THAT POINT, THE TEAM IS READY TO START THE THIRD STAGE, TREATMENT. SOLACE'S CLINICAL TEAM USES COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, TRAUMA-FOCUSED CBT, PROLONGED EXPOSURE, EMDR, TRAUMA RESILIENCY MODEL, MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION, SOMATIC EXPERIENCING, LIFESPAN INTEGRATION, AND ART THERAPY. BECAUSE SO MANY SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE ASSAULTS AT DIFFERENT AGES, OUR COUNSELORS TEACH CLIENTS WAYS TO PREVENT FURTHER VICTIMIZATION WITHOUT VICTIM-BLAMING. LAST YEAR THE DEPARTMENT SERVED 445 CLIENTS.

CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER/SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES (CAC/SAS) SOLACE'S ADVOCATES ADDRESS OUR CLIENT'S NON-THERAPEUTIC NEEDS. THEY PROVIDE SURVIVORS WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. THEY MAKE SOFT HAND- OFF REFERRALS FOR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, HOUSING, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS. THEY HELP SURVIVORS CREATE A SAFETY PLAN AND PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE SURVIVOR AND THE SURVIVOR'S FAMILY. ADVOCATES HELP SURVIVORS UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION AND SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINERS. THEY ALSO PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DURING FORENSIC INTERVIEWS, COURT APPEARANCES, GRAND JURY TESTIMONY AND OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. ADVOCATES WORK WITH SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT TO IDENTIFY THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE CRIME AND HELP THEM COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION TO THE NM CRIME VICTIMS REPARATION COMMISSION FOR ASSISTANCE WITH COMPENSABLE EXPENSES. WE PROVIDE A COMFORTABLE, PRIVATE, CHILD-FRIENDLY SETTING THAT IS BOTH PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE FOR CHILDREN. OUR FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS ARE TRAINED TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS IN A MANNER THAT IS DEVELOPMENTALLY AND CULTURALLY SENSITIVE, UNBIASED, FACT-FINDING, AND LEGALLY SOUND. OUR PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO MINIMIZING STRESS AND TRAUMA EXPERIENCED BY A CHILD DURING AN INVESTIGATION. EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ENSURE THAT A CHILD IS NOT INTERVIEWED REPEATEDLY BY VARIOUS AGENCIES. THE PURPOSE OF A FORENSIC INTERVIEW IS TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM A CHILD OR YOUTH ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE OR SERIOUS NEGLECT ALLEGATIONS THAT WILL SUPPORT ACCURATE AND FAIR DECISION MAKING WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE, CHILD PROTECTION, AND SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS. EVALUATIONS OF THE IMPACT ADVOCACY SERVICES HAVE ON CLIENTS ARE RECORDING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOUR TIMES A YEAR DOCUMENTS ARE TABULATED AND REVIEWED BY THE DEPARTMENT MANAGER. LAST YEAR ADVOCACY SERVED 779 CLIENTS.

EDUCATION AND PREVENTION DEPARTMENT THE EDUCATION & PREVENTION DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS CULTURAL CHANGE BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMMING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND POLICY ADVOCACY TO SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE AGE-APPROPRIATE, BILINGUAL, CULTURALLY RELEVANT, AND RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED. OUR PREVENTION, OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ADDRESS BOTH PRIMARY AND POTENTIAL SECONDARY VICTIMIZATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS. THE WORK OF THIS DEPARTMENT INCLUDES COLLABORATING WITH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQI+ AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES; PROVIDING SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULA TO ALL SANTA FE PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOLS; PRESENTING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PREVENTION CURRICULA TO IMMIGRANT FAMILIES; AND PROVIDING PREVENTION CURRICULA AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CHILDCARE-PROVIDING ORGANIZATIONS (DAYCARE AND PRE-K CENTERS). LAST YEAR THE DEPARTMENT SERVED 13,516.