Searching for Victims Of Abuse Support Programs

• information on the family court process
• assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid)
• debriefing with clients following family court appearances
• referral to specialized services and supports in the community
• safety planning
• court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate

• Assistance in accessing employment and education
• Crisis intervention and referral services
• Individual counselling
• Support and advocacy for medical, legal and court appointments
• Support groups

• Advocacy
• Assistance with housing applications
• Individual and group counselling
• Legal aid and court appointments
• Safety planning

• Provides emergency shelter for women and children who require safe accommodations and are seeking refuge from abuse
• Allows women and children to stay up to 6 weeks

• Crisis and supportive counselling
• Safety planning

• Operates a 24-hour crisis line for Indigenous women and their children
• Provides immediate crisis assessment, intervention, referrals and follow-up

• Provides 24/7 telephone support, including text
• Offers a 12-hour mobile unit to provide in-person crisis assessment
• Operates short-term Crisis Safe Beds

Telephone support provides the following:

• Crisis assessment and intervention
• Follow-up
• Referrals to other community services
• Support to family and friends
• Wellness Planning

• Offers culturally appropriate counselling services to Indigenous women by Indigenous women, via telephone, text, or chat

• Oji-Cree
• Cree
• Algonquin
• Inuktitut
• Mohawk
• Oneida
• Odawa
• Potawatomi
• Micmac
• Black Foot
• Anishnaabe
• Moose Cree
• Swampy Cree
• English

• Provides professional counselling services
• Offers faith-based counselling if requested
• Offers the Family Strengthening program

• Abuse and neglect
• Addictions
• Depression and anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Grief
• Residential school experiences
• Self-esteem and identity
• Trauma

• Coordinates a group intervention program for men who have abused, neglected, or exposed their children to domestic violence
• Focuses on helping men end the use of abusive parenting strategies, recognize attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that support healthy and unhealthy father-child relationships and understand the impact of child maltreatment and partner assault on children

Acts as an alternative justice program in place of the regular court system for youth in trouble with the law

• Focus is on repairing the harm done by the crime and requiring the youth to be accountable and accept responsibility/consequences
• Coordinates a meeting (Youth Justice Conference) between the victim and their supporters, the offender and their parents/supporters and program facilitators
• Allows each party to tell their story of how the crime involved and affected them
• Assists all members to form a resolution contract that outlines consequences for the offender such as curfew, compensation, school work and personal and public service, instead of being lawfully charged

NOTE: Offenders who plead innocent must remain in the regular court system

Provides legal assistance for low-income people

Services include:

• Legal representation for eligible clients who appear in court without a lawyer
• Legal aid applications and information over the phone
• Legal resources and referrals to other social assistance agencies
• A legal aid certificate program which enables a client to retain a lawyer for complex and serious cases

Areas of law served may include:

• Criminal
• Domestic violence
• Family

Does NOT cover applications for:

• Wrongful dismissal
• Change of name
• Personal bankruptcy
• Power of attorney
• Money lent to others or money owed to others
• Sponsorship of relatives
• Commercial litigation
• Real estate matters and libel
• Defamation and slander

• Gives immediate legal assistance to individuals who appear in court for criminal matters without a lawyer
• Provides information about legal rights, obligation and the court process
• Provides assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• Assists with diversions, guilty pleas and sentencing
• Helps determine if further duty counsel services are required or if the matter requires Legal Aid Ontario's assistance in retaining a lawyer

• Mental health
• Drug treatment
• Domestic violence
• Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court

• Criminal Law if custody is probable
• Family Law
• Child Welfare

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

• Supports families by facilitating connections with culturally appropriate referrals and supports
• Facilitates the gathering of case-specific information about police investigations, coroner's reports/reviews, court proceedings or other government processes and provides information to family
• Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU) staff members are of Indigenous ancestry, knowledgeable, culturally competent and responsive to the needs of the family members they serve

Information and assistance to support participation in and understanding of the criminal court process. Services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over. Services include:

• information about victims' rights, the criminal justice process and their specific case (e.g., court dates)
• needs assessment and referrals to community agencies, including Indigenous and other culturally specific agencies
• crisis intervention, trauma-informed support, victim advocacy
• facilitates victim's input and liaises with Crown Attorneys, police, regarding bail, safety, resolution of charges, release conditions, publication bans, testimonial aids, trial preparation and court orientation
• arranges for interpreters and accessibility accommodations
• information and support on Victim Impact Statements, Statement on Restitution
• facilitates access to court orders, such as bail conditions, probation orders, peace bonds
• debriefing and follow-up support

Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund (VVFF) -- Helps support victims of crime, including families of homicide victims and motor vehicle fatalities resulting in criminal charges, participate more fully in the criminal court process by providing financial assistance and court-based supports for:

• travel to attend key court dates
• language interpretation services
• special accommodations for victims with disabilities, such as real-time captioning
• necessities for victims of human trafficking or gun and gang violence while attending court

• needs assessment
• safety planning
• referrals to community services
• enhanced support for vulnerable victims
• assistance with applications to VQRP+

• Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes storage locker, tattoo removal and treatment at a recovery facility
• No direct reimbursements are made to victims for the supports listed above
  
• Financial support is also available for victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime and for parents of homicide victims and spouses of homicide victims

Provides personalized support to help child and youth victims and witnesses feel more confident and prepared for court

Goal of the program is to

• help victims feel stronger and more in control
• reduce the trauma caused by the crime
• support children, youth, and their caregivers as they get ready to testify and understand the court process

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

• ​Assists Indigenous women and their families who have experienced family violence
• Promotes a healthy lifestyle, health awareness, and mental health wellness

• Cultural supports and ceremonies
• Emergency support
• Land-based activities
• Prevention of family violence
• Referrals to other services
• Safety planning
• Traditional healing

• Provides individualized 24 hour emergency service to victims and survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence
• Provides emergency medical assessment and treatment
• Provides initial emotional and social support as well as ongoing follow-up care by specially trained nurses

• Assessment and treatment of injuries
• Testing/treatment/prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI) including HIV
• Emergency contraceptives
• Reassurance and emotional support
• Collection of forensic evidence including photographs
• Risk assessment and safety planning
• Referral for medical follow-up
• Referral to appropriate social services agencies
• Referral to shelter and or other relevant community resources
• Police involvement, at victims request
• Storage of forensic evidence for up to six months if the patient is uncertain about involving the authorities

• Reassessment of injuries
• Further consideration of safety
• Continuing treatment and monitoring of STIs (including Hepatitis and HIV)
• Further photographs if indicated
• Appropriate referrals

• Provides legal advice and assistance to residents within the District of Thunder Bay, particularly Indigenous people who, because of poverty, geographic isolation, or language differences, do not have access to traditional existing legal services
• Focuses on helping people get income maintenance benefits and maintain access to housing
• Provides services at no cost to individuals who meet eligibility criteria
• Provides advice, assistance, and representation in courts or tribunals
• Facilitates legal education workshops in appropriate areas of law

• Minor criminal offences such as common assault, theft under $5000, and mischief to property under $5000
• Provincial and traffic offences such as trespass to property, careless driving, speeding tickets, driving with no insurance, and driving under suspended licence
• Small Claims Court and Civil disputes under $35,000
• Tenant rights and applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board
• Employment law

• Accompaniment
• Advocacy
• Community liaison and development
• Counselling and peer support
• Information and referral
• Practical assistance

• Free lending library
• Prevention programs
• Public education
• Volunteer training

• Geraldton