Trauma Services  - COVID-19

Trauma Services, Abused Persons Program (APP) and the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program (VASAP) have continued without interruption to provide services to crime victims during the pandemic in a variety of ways: 

  • Therapists are providing telephone intakes and counseling services.  We are exploring Tele-Health video conferencing platforms that are compliant with crime victims' laws to add to our toolkit.  At this point in time, therapists can use MS Teams and we are exploring ZOOM Health as another possibilty.     
  • The APP 24/7 crisis line and the VASAP 24/7 crisis line are answered and walk-ins are available anytime, day or night, at 1301 Piccard Drive, 1st Floor through the Crisis Center.  APP: 240-777-4673 (HOPE)  VASAP: 240-777-4357 (HELP).
  • Victim assistants/advocates are helping crime victims with information on the Courts, filling out Protective and Peace Orders and providing safety planning as well as participating on No Show Cause Hearings via telephone.  
  • Trauma Services' sexual assault outreach volunteers are responding 24/7 via telephone to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence physical assaults presenting at the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and other area hospitals. 
  • Therapists and victim assistants/advocates are providing information and referrals to community programs, school personnel, and to private providers. 
  • Psychiatric medication monitoring services are continuing over the telephone as well as new evaluations. 
  • Victim assistants are accepting and processing crime victim compensation claims. 
  • The administrative staff are checking the telephone lines hourly and distributing the voicemails to the appropriate staff member or supervisor.  They are continuing most administrative functions while teleworking.   
  • Please leave a message for APP at 240-777-4210 or for VASAP at 240-777-1355.  
  • A victim advocate and a program manager are responding to all voicemails left on our APP intake line at 240-777-4195. 
  • Supervisors are assigning intakes for victim assistance support and for counseling into our two Trauma Services programs.  There is a high demand for services during this time. 
  • The Betty Ann Krankhe (BAK) domestic violence shelter is open and has never closed.  The shelter continues to accept high lethality domestic violence victims/families fleeing domestic violence.  The staff and residents are maintaining safe social distancing, wearing facial covers and providing enhanced cleaning precautions at the shelter. 
  • Safe Passages, the supervised visitation center is open and has never closed.  Monitored exchanges have continued at the center. Supervised visits have been suspended. 
  • The Victim Services Advisory Board (VSAB) continues to meet remotely as well as many other coordinating and contract monitoring meetings.  
  • The Abuser Intervention Program (AIP) face to face groups were suspended after the Governor's stay at home orders. A new contract with a new vendor is being finalized and we will re-open during Phase C of the County's re-opening.  

LINKS 

      Below are links to resources, flyers and press events.  We hope these can be of assistance to you. 

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