2023 Agency Year in Review
Family Counseling Center provides
• counseling/groups for children, adults and families dealing with divorce, death of a loved one, traumas, marital issues, parent-child conflicts, sexual abuse, anger management, and child behavior problems. 300 new clients with 668 counseling sessions; HCCWD – 31 groups, 328 attended. (2.25 FTE);
• provide court-mandated programming to women charged with a domestic violence and a criminal thinking group for community members charged with non-violent crimes. Our court-mandated programs have a 7% recidivism rate. For END, 28 clients ordered; 34 client intakes; 13 clients completed; conducted 63 groups; For C&C, 30 ordered, 15 new intakes, 12 completed, conducted 45 groups. (.5 FTE)
• have contracts with Mobile Community Action, Community Action of Baldwin County and Early Childhood Directions to provide mental health consultative services to Headstart and Early Headstart children, families and staff; 145 classroom observations; 21 family referrals; 29 parent trainings, 75 parents trained; 6 staff trainings, 132 staff trained (.75 FTE).
• the Child Advocacy Center, providing a therapeutic and family advocacy services for severely physically and sexually abused children and their non-offending families. 261 new clients with 1533 client sessions; 314 family sessions; 8 support groups, 15 parents attended; 20 grand jury sessions/orientations with 189 victims attending (6.0 FTE).
• Survivors of Suicide – 1 group with 2 attending (.05 FTE).
In 2023, we provided emotional care to 1,183 children, adults and families through 2,862 sessions, groups, observations and trainings.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service offers financial programs to help individuals/families build financially stable lives. Consumer Credit Counseling Services provides consumers in Southwest Alabama with assistance in managing personal finances, both preventive - for those wanting to avoid serious financial problems and rehabilitative - for those who are experiencing financial problems (4 FTE):
• Budget Counseling, Credit/Debt Management Counseling and Education – 346 sessions for credit issues
• Community Education – 71 workshops for 910 attendees.
• Bankruptcy Counseling and Education - 33 sessions
• Housing Counseling and Education, including pre & post purchase counseling, foreclosure prevention, reverse mortgage and home buyer education – 280 sessions for pre-purchase counseling; 25 sessions for reverse mortgage; 50 for general housing counseling sessions; 161 sessions for foreclosure prevention and 82 community members became homeowners!!!.
In 2023, 1,160 individuals/families were given the tools to be more financially self-sufficient.
Outreach & Education offers crisis, referral and community education programs. The programs include – Rape Crisis Center, School Based & Community Education & Prevention programs, Youth Violence Prevention Programs, United Way 2-1-1 and Help ME Grow.
The Rape Crisis Center offers
• Counseling (56 clients with 112 sessions),
• hospital/court accompaniment (195/76),
• crisis calls (855)
• follow up calls (818).
In 2023, we provided services to 528 sexual assault victims and their families. Our services reduced trauma symptoms and returned victims to pre-crisis state, while their family members were given to the tools to provide appropriate support and to feel less helpless (1.75 FTE).
SAKI – 778 cold cases processed. 19 MPD trainings. 45 outreach calls, 52 follow up calls, and 17 victim accompaniments. 9 MDT attended, 3 court accompaniment (2.25 FTE)
We have expanded our services to assist other 118 victims of crime, including survivors of homicide (96 survivors, 226 crisis calls, 32 clients received 64 counseling sessions, 2 court accompaniment, 14 support groups, 49 attended), other violent crimes (armed robbery, assault, vehicular manslaughter) and financial fraud/identity theft (22 identity theft clients assisted, 65 presentations, 1087 attended). (1.30 FTE).
School Based and Community Prevention Programs give children and community members the information/skills to deal with bullying, unhealthy relationships, sexual assault, dating violence, conflict, suicide prevention and other life skills. In 2018, 729 presentations with 8,163 children were given information to decrease violence and increase healthy family dynamics. 16 community trainings, fairs & exhibits with 3,075 in attendance (2.75 FTE).
In March 2023, we had 6 staff trained in an evidenced based program, Strong African-American Families. This program was funded through a grant with the Mobile Area Education Foundation. The SAAF program is a short intervention for African American families with children from 3rd to 6th grade. The program consists of 7 consecutive weekly sessions lasting 2½ hours each in length. At sessions, families eat a meal together and then divide into parent and child small groups for discussion. For the final hour of each session, the groups reunite for a large-group meeting. The focus of the sessions are on effective parenting behaviors, providing guidance and support for children, helping children appreciate their parents, and teaching children skills to deal with stress and peer pressure. To facilitate attendance, families in the program are provided with transportation and child care if needed. We conducted two cohorts in 2018 at George Hall Elementary School, Cohort 1- 4 families (7 youth, 7 caregivers) 5 males, 9 females; Cohort 2- 4 families (7 youth, 6 caregivers) 5 males, 8 females. We had 7 youth in child care.
Youth Violence Prevention Program teaches youth and their parents the skills necessary to reduce problem behaviors, decrease delinquency, deal with alcohol/drug abuse in children, parent more effectively, improve social competencies/school performance, and strengthen the bond between parents and youth. In 2018, 68 ordered, 40 intakes, 2 completed, conducted 21 groups in this program, improving their communication, anger management, conflict resolution and relationships (.5 FTE).
Since 2006, we have been the local provider for United Way 2-1-1 for Southwest Alabama are a part of the statewide 2-1-1 network. Caller’s needs are screened, assessed and connected with the appropriate area agencies. Callers, also, receive follow up calls to ensure appropriate assistance was attained. If assistance was not received, additional referrals are made. Additional services are also called in conjunction with the caller to assist them in navigating through the community network of agencies. In 2018, 2-1-1 answered 9,197 calls giving 8,406 referrals, 1,978 follow up calls to health and human service community resources needed to improve lives. We serve as the regional suicide line for our community and helpline for the National Suicide and Distress Line, answered 444 suicide calls (2.5 FTE).
Our implementation of United Way 2-1-1’s information and referral services has recently grown to become a more holistic source of assistance to our individual callers, and it continues to grow as we take on new programs offering our callers a stronger system of support. This shift toward a more comprehensive service began in November (2017) with the Veterans’ Initiative. In order to best serve those who have served our country and their families, we have strived to ensure that the veterans who reach out to 2-1-1 and those whom we contact through community outreach events are provided with the supportive information they need. Beyond the information itself, veterans gain the dedicated and empathetic support of 2-1-1 case managers who work to motivate them and, at times, advocate on their behalf. Since the inception of this program, we have provided resource information to 567 veterans and their families.
Our 2-1-1 specialists are uniquely capable of attending to each caller’s unique set of needs through case management because 2-1-1 is situated as a hub of supportive services. This position has driven and inspired us to become partners in the A-RESET program—an employment and training program offered to those who receive SNAP benefits. We started offering our case management experience for this program in August (2018). Since we initiated our services, we have screened 3,466 2-1-1 callers for the A-RESET program while simultaneously providing the traditional information and referral services of 2-1-1. 863 of these callers have conveyed an interest in participating in the program, and 20 have become fully enrolled clients. Of our A-RESET clients, 4 have attained employment situations while working with us and 1 has become so successful that she no longer receives SNAP benefits because her income is too high.
Top 5 Needs
1. Utility Assistance
2. Shelter/Housing
3. Food Assistance
4. Rent Payment Assistance
5. Tax Prep Assistance
Top 5 Referrals
1. Catholic Social Services
2. Community Action Agency
3. Life Gate Ministry
4. Dauphin Way United Methodist
5. Housing First
We also partner with Help ME Grow Alabama, an initiative providing developmental screenings for families with children, up to eight years-old. 2-1-1 Connects Alabama is collaborating with the Alabama Partnership for Children to provide the Help Me Grow program to those in our area. Help Me Grow (HMG) is a proven model that will connect children and families to resources they need to ensure all children have the best possible start in life. Help Me Grow connects families to health and developmental resources so children (Birth to age 8) can start school healthy and ready to succeed. 467 calls received, 430 referrals given to community resources, 2,819 follow up calls, and 82 community presentations, fairs & exhibits (1 FTE).
In 2023, we provided services to 25,118 community members through our services.
New Initiatives
• Emergency Solutions Grant (211 + CCCS)
• Family Justice Center (RCC)
• A-RESET (211)
• Trauma-Focused, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (FCC, CAC, RCC)
• HUD Certified Counselors
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