Programs and Services
If you are in crisis and need help immediately, please call 911.
We work toward these goals by operating the following key programs:
24-Hour Crisis Line at 719-633-3819: Staff and trained volunteers provide intervention, information, and community referral services to domestic violence and/or sexual assault victims. We receive approximately 1,100 calls per month on the Crisis Line.
Safehouse: TESSA’s Safehouse provides emergency shelter, food, case management, counseling and support to female victims and their children who have become homeless because of domestic violence. Women and children can stay up to six weeks, during which time an assessment of their needs (therapeutic and non-therapeutic) is conducted. Women and their children can participate in educational activities while in the safehouse including domestic violence education and life skills classes. In 2008, we provided more than 9,231 nights of shelter for 337 women and children at the Safehouse.
Children’s Program (residential and non-residential): Our Children’s Program offers therapeutic and non-therapeutic services and support to children who have witnessed and/or been victims of domestic violence. The program reaches both the children living in our Safehouse as well as community based children. Children residing in the Safehouse receive advocacy and support, therapy, and play/recreation. For children not in our residential program, TESSA provides psycho-educational, developmentally appropriate support groups called DoVE Kids and Teen DoVE (DoVE stands for Domestic Violence Education) as well as support and safety-planning from trained child advocates. In late 2007 TESSA launched a Kids Crisis Line staffed 24 hours a day so that children facing crisis can access counselors. We served 250 children in 2008.
Victim Advocacy: Staff and trained volunteers provide advocacy, information, support, and referrals for victims in a safe and supportive environment where the client can discover options for moving into a brighter future. TESSA advocates provide crisis counseling, help victims develop safety plans, assist victims filing temporary protection orders, share information and referrals, and respond to the hospital 24 hours a day for assistance to sexual assault victims. In addition, advocates offer court support as well as help to clients navigating the criminal justice and other organizational “systems.” Individual advocacy is also available for Spanish speaking victims. In 2008, we provided confidential advocacy to 1,114 victims.
Counseling Program: TESSA offers group and individual psychotherapy to people involved in domestic violence, as well as to victims of sexual assault. We have bilingual counselors who provide individual and group counseling to Spanish-speaking clients. TESSA’s counselors are specifically trained to treat the psychological problems resulting from domestic violence and sexual assault. The Counseling Program offers psycho-educational support groups for adult victims of domestic violence to provide education about self-esteem, healthy relationships, goal setting and problem solving, as well as therapeutic support groups.
In 2008, 133 people participated in group counseling and 233 received individual counseling (figures are in addition to Safehouse client counseling sessions).
Protection Order Instructions:
Walk-In Advocacy Services are offered Monday – Thursday, 7:30am-4:30pm, and Friday 7:30am-12:00pm. Our advocates can assist with filling out paperwork to apply for a protection order, and with discussing the process of obtaining a protection order. Please plan on about an hour to work with an advocate on preparing a timeline.
TESSA attempts to have Advocates at court as often as possible. TESSA Advocates are available:
· Monday – Friday from 8:00am-10:00am at Room 101 at El Paso County Courthouse to assist you in completing the Temporary Protection Order paperwork.
· Monday – Friday in the Temporary Protection Order (TPO) and Permanent Protection Order (PPO) Courtrooms to assist you.
Temporary Protection Order paperwork is also available at the El Paso County Courthouse, Room 101
Note: The Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT) has been disbanded and no longer exists.
Rural Program: TESSA employs two advocates/clinicians who work in rural areas of our community to provide victims with advocacy, support and counseling. We have an office in Eastern El Paso County and an office in Teller County. In addition, we have a Rural Educator who travels between both of these locations providing community awareness, education and consultation to other professionals in the area.
Prevention & Education: Staff and trained volunteers are available to any group requesting a presentation about domestic and sexual violence. TESSA provides training and education to businesses, community associations, and faith-based organizations. We also work closely with many schools in our community to provide education and outreach to teachers, staff and students around violence prevention and dating violence. In 2008, we reached 5,083 people during community presentations and trainings.
