Victim Advocacy Services
The following services are available to all victims of
domestic violence both over the telephone and in person:
- Crisis counseling and safety planning
- Information about the criminal justice
system
- Information about family law
- Referral for shelter, counseling and other
needed services
- Advocacy with the criminal justice system
and other agencies
Legal Advocacy Services
A full time staff
attorney and three contract attorneys licensed by the State Bar of Texas
provide legal representation in family law matters to victims of
domestic violence who meet program guidelines.
An initial screening by
Client Advocates at AVDA is required to determine whether applicants
meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Residency in Harris County for at least
one of the parties to the action
- Income within program guidelines
- The individual or her/his children have
experienced physical and/or sexual abuse or a pattern of abuse including controlling and
emotionally abusive behavior
- Respondent is not a
current or former participant in the Battering Intervention Program
All Legal Advocacy Project services are
free. However, clients accepted for legal representation are responsible for Harris County
filing fees and other court costs.
The Legal Advocacy
Program is conveniently located close to the courts in downtown Houston
at the corner of Main and Texas. Please call ahead to schedule office visits. Evening and
weekend appointments are available.
Battering
Intervention
and Prevention
Services (BIPP)
Formerly known as "The PIVOT Project," this service is a
psycho-educational counseling program for men and women (seen in
separate programs) who are violent, abusive and/or controlling in their
intimate relationships.
Participants in the
program attend a minimum of eighteen weekly group sessions with a
trained facilitator. Facilitators are degreed professionals, many with
licensure. The group sessions educate participants about the nature
of domestic violence and the historical and social context in which it
occurs. In addition, the group process works to help members:
- Identify and take responsibility for
specific abusive behavior including physical violence, verbal abuse, threats, coercion,
isolation and manipulation
- Change attitudes and beliefs that support
battering in their intimate relationships
- Build relationships that are nonviolent
and mutually respectful
AVDA's BIPP is the
only
Houston-based program that is accredited and monitored by the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Community Justice Assistance Division (TDCJ-CJAD) and
TCFV, meeting state guidelines.
Currently, the program
has nineteen groups operating in Houston and outlying communities, such
as Pasadena and Katy, LaMarque, Humble, Clear Lake and the 1960 area. The program
operates on a sliding scale fee policy. Fees are based on gross
participant income.
NEW BIPP LOCATIONS!
AVDA continues to add new locations in an
attempt to provide services across the community. In addition to
the 18 groups offered in Harris County (including Spanish and women's
groups), offered weekday, week nights and weekends, we now also offer
the La Marque location, which primarily services
Galveston County residents—a county that has gone for several years
without a BIPP provider.
We are excited about these new additions!
Please contact BIPP Client Registrar
Carolyn Burks for more
details at 713.224.9911, or our TOLL FREE number at 866.901.0974.
CLICK ON LINKS for more information.
Group Schedule
Orientation Schedule
Group Locations (Maps)
Partner
Services
A Client Advocate is
available to provide crisis counseling, safety planning, information and
referral and other advocacy services to the partners of the individuals
participating in this program. Female partners may also
choose to attend free weekly support groups to learn about domestic violence, the
BIPP program and how it might affect their safety and other domestic
violence issues. |
