HAVEN Family Resource Center

The Mission of H.A.V.E.N. Family Resource Center is to assist children or vulnerable adult victims by working in alliance with other agencies to reduce the trauma to victims of crime and increase the success of prosecution. The mission of the Child Abuse Prevention Program is to: increase public awareness about the tragedy of child abuse and neglect; provide resources that pertain to child abuse prevention; and support any efforts in our community that have proven to be effective

Dedicated to improving the quality of victim services through education, training and advocacy, HAVEN Family Resource Center has been providing on-site and on-scene services to victims of sexual assault, child and elder abuse, domestic violence, other person crimes and all other crisis situations since 2001. Staff is available 365 days per year 24 hours a day.

VICTIM SERVICES: Our center provides a variety of services for child and adult victims. We coordinate the response to crimes such as Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual Molestation, Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse. We are available 24 hours per day/7 days per week and respond to all types of 'person crimes.' In the past, victims of these types of crime would have to go to the Police Station, perhaps the Hospital and CPS office. Now the victims come to the center which provides a safe, comfortable environment for the services to come to them. Victims have the opportunity to obtain a variety of crisis services in one location, with all agencies working together in the best interest of the victim. We house the Multi- Disciplinary Team which consists of DCS, Law Enforcement, Mental Health providers and the County Attorney. Our team meets once a month at the Center. Advocates also provide on scene crisis response to homes, hospitals, or other locations as needed. Each victim (and their family) has access to a variety of services including: Basic Needs (clothing, hygiene items, school supplies, toys and household items); Case Management; Crisis Counseling; Community Resources; Educational Information (includes Parenting Info such as Appropriate Discipline and DV Effects on Children); Forensic Interview; Forensic Medical Exam; Follow Up Care Planning; Information and Referral; Justice Support; Legal Advocacy; Orders of Protection; Personal Advocacy; Safety Planning; Therapy (by state licensed therapists who specialize in trauma and victimization); twenty- four hour crisis line; Victim Advocacy (a liaison for investigators, attorneys and other agencies); Victim Compensation Forms; and Victim Rights information. HAVEN also provides emergency transportation or shelter as needed.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION: While we respond to crimes after they occur, we wanted to begin services to hopefully prevent these types of crimes. HAVEN Family Resource Center also houses the Mohave County Child Abuse Prevention Council which is a volunteer council, that provides community education and awareness programs helping to combat the spread of child abuse. This includes Community Education where we conduct trainings in the schools, daycares and nursing homes to teach professionals how to identify and report child and elder abuse. We conduct Mandated Reporter Trainings to the schools, assisted living facilities, daycares, nursing homes and other agencies. It is important that professionals know how to respond to cases of abuse. For example, it is human nature when a teacher sees a bruise on a child to tell Mom about that bruise. Unfortunately, Mom may have been the one to cause the bruise so it is important that they know how to report abuse appropriately in order to provide safety for the child. We also teach Teen Dating Violence as well as Personal Safety Classes to preschoolers. We also host events during April -Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month and October Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

FOOD 4 KIDZ: The "Food 4 Kidz Program" is provide to Lake Havasu City Schools in Partnership with the Lake Havasu Unified School District, to help homeless and at risk students that may have little or no food over the weekends. Even though the free and reduced meals served to the school district guarantee at least one nutritious meal each school day, many children still experience hunger on a regular basis, especially over weekends and school holidays. We discovered that kids were reporting to school Monday mornings, visiting nurses' offices, complaining of stomach aches and headaches after receiving little or no food over the weekends. Hungry children cannot learn properly in school and their physical health tends to be poor as well. While they may not say they are hungry, these children worry about food. The goals is for every child to show up at school Monday morning on a level playing field, able to focus and concentrate and ready to learn.