Bethesda House provides a wide range of services to women, youth, children, and their pets, who are living with all types of gender-based violence and abuse including but not limited to:

• domestic violence
• sexual assault
• elder abuse
• financial abuse
• familial abuse
• cultural violence
• human trafficking

Bethesda House supports women and individuals identifying as women, who ask for safe refuge in our secure shelter as well as individuals who choose not to come into the shelter instead requesting support through the Bethesda House Community Outreach Program.

SERVICES INCLUDE:

1. Individual and group counselling

2. Safety planning for themselves and their children

3. Child & Youth Worker support helping moms parent children who have experienced abuse, counselling, and other supports for those youth and children

4. Transition & Housing Worker to identify areas of support in order to move forward, such as finances, finding a safe place to live, attending court, etc.

Women who leave the shelter are connected with the Bethesda House Community Counsellor for follow up support and counselling.

SHELTER GOAL:

To provide shelter, support, and advocacy to abused women, with and without children, by offering temporary, secure accommodation and woman-based counselling, empowering them to make their own choices and exercise their right to live free from fear and violence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SHELTER PROGRAM:

The Bethesda House shelter is a safe and secure residence where women, with and without children, can come to stay when leaving behind abusive relationships. The shelter is funded for 18 beds and has a warm common living, dining and kitchen area on the main floor as well as a child-friendly playroom. The property includes a small outdoor play area for the children and a smoking area for the women.

Women can refer themselves to the Bethesda House shelter. They, their children, and their pets (whenever possible) are welcome to stay at the shelter while they gather their strength and make plans to move on to a violence-free living situation. The length of stay is flexible, varying to meet the needs of each individual woman.

While in the shelter, counsellors help the women develop plans, identifying goals and the steps needed to be taken to achieve those goals. The women, shelter counsellors, and the shelter Transitional Support Worker coordinate services to ensure that the women’s needs are met in the shelter and her transition back to the community is as smooth and safe as possible.

While in shelter the women are provided;

• a safe & protected environment in which to recuperate and rejuvenate
• a clean & sanitary environment
• one-to-one counselling and support groups focusing on each woman’s strengths using a brief, solution-focused counselling modality
• emotional support & education regarding violence and abuse
• in coordination with the Transitional Support Worker, emotional support & education regarding legal, housing, CAS, medical etc. options, and accompaniment to appointments when necessary
• assistance to emotionally prepare for appointments & meetings
• support coping with day-to-day issues as they arise
• ongoing workshops & groups in the shelter on topics of interest to the women (ie re nutrition, relaxation, being safe, relationships, self-esteem, etc.)

When a child(ren) accompany a mother into the shelter, the Bethesda House Child & Youth Worker (CYW) completes an independent intake with the children. The mandate of the CYW is to ensure that no children in Bethesda House fall through the cracks in service while their mothers are working on their own abuse trauma and plans. The CYW ensures that children and youth in the shelter are able to feel and act like children/youth, having fun in addition to dealing with their trauma. The CYW provides support to meet the individual needs of each child/youth, in coordination with their mother, and shelter staff.

The mother/children are provided;

• support & assistance with parenting challenges and issues related to abuse and the children
• one-to-one counseling support to the children
• group activities for the children in the shelter (movie nights, craft activities, games, music nights, etc.)
• referrals for the children to external resources as appropriate
• back-up child care support in the shelter for mothers who have appointments and there are no reasonable alternatives (when available)

Women in the shelter share in housekeeping responsibilities. They have access to food to cook for themselves and their families or can join with other residents to make a meal for everyone. Residents look after their own laundry.

Families are kept together in one bedroom. Women without children may be required to room with another resident.

Living in a communal setting like the shelter (shared common areas including the kitchen, dining room, living room, etc.) can be stressful and very different from living in one’s own home. However, all residents are expected to treat each other in the way they themselves would expect to be treated and comply with a set of communal guidelines that are in place to make living together as positive as possible for everyone involved. The violation of the communal living guidelines can result in the resident being asked to leave. The safety and well-being of the residents and staff is of utmost importance and is taken very seriously.

ALTHOUGH THE BETHESDA HOUSE SHELTER PROVIDES SUPPORT WITHIN A “HARM REDUCTION” FRAMEWORK IN SUPPORTING WOMEN WITH ALCOHOL OR DRUG DEPENDENCIES, WE DO NOT ALLOW ALCOHOL OR RECREATIONAL DRUGS TO BE BROUGHT ON SITE.

BETHESDA HOUSE PROVIDES SERVICES WHICH ARE FREE OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SOCIAL STATUS, ETHNIC ORIGIN, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE, CULTURE, RELIGION, ABILITY, ETC.