The Office of Domestic Violence (ODV) provides temporary housing, emergency shelter and supportive services for victims of domestic violence and their children. ODV directly operates one emergency domestic violence shelter, oversees the reimbursement of 38 private emergency residential programs, and oversees and provides client referrals for eight transitional housing programs for victims of domestic violence. All programs provide a safe environment as well as counseling, advocacy and referral services.

Domestic Violence and Welfare Reform
Domestic Violence 800 Numbers
Non-Residential Domestic Hotlines
Is your partner?
Domestic Violence Shelter
Non-residential Domestic Violence Services
Project NoVA (No Violence Again)
Domestic Violence Liaison Unit (DVLU)                                                
ADVENT
Teen Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP)
The Alternative to Shelter Program (ATS)
Shelter Literacy Program

Domestic Violence and Welfare Reform
Domestic violence survivors are the first to say that they want to go to work. They see work as the most important factor in breaking the cycle of violence and becoming financially independent of the abuser. However, at HRA/DSS we recognize that the safety of the client is paramount, and that domestic violence can be a major obstacle to compliance with Welfare-to-Work requirements. Although HRA/DSS's mission is to engage all welfare recipients in work activities, we are being very careful to protect clients with special needs.

As part of the compliance with the State Welfare Reform Act, HRA/DSS established Domestic Violence Liaison Units in various job centers throughout the city. The units are staffed with social workers trained in the domestic violence field who assess clients to determine their special needs for welfare-to-work compliance. The liaison unit also outlines recommended engagement plans that may include counseling, working on a GED, attending ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, job or skills training, a WEP assignment, or unsubsidized work, and helps coordinate work and work-related activities.

If a client has just entered a shelter, most likely she will have counseling as an important component of her 35-hour workweek. She might attend GED classes two days a week and go to a WEP assignment one or two days. The important part of this program is that the client will be protected from being sanctioned if she is unable to comply with her engagement plan on any given day because of the domestic violence. She has a domestic violence counselor to call who will intercede for her and help her to be successful in her journey toward self-reliance and self-sufficiency while remaining safe.

Clients who have already entered the world of work have expressed their heartfelt gratitude. Becoming financially independent has allowed them to regain control of their lives, and enabled them to end the disruption to their children's lives. Both the woman and her children take pride in the working mother as a role model.
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Domestic Violence 800 Numbers:

• NYC 24-Hour Hotline: 1 (800) 621-HOPE (4673) (Spanish speakers are available ).
• Hearing Impaired 24-Hour Hotline: TDD: 1 (800) 810-7444
• Non-Residential Domestic Hotlines are available by clicking HERE
• NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project 1 (212) 714-1141
• Barrier-Free Living (Disabled Clients) 1 (212) 533-4358
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Is your partner?

• Physically hurting you--pushing, grabbing, slapping, hitting, choking, or kicking?
• Forcing you to have sex when you don't want to or to do sexual things you don't want to do?
• Threatening to hurt you, your children or someone close to you?
• Constantly putting you down or telling you that you are worthless?
• Stalking, checking up on you or following you?
• Making you afraid?  CALL: 1-800-621-HOPE.

You can be a good friend and neighbor without risking your own safety. If you hear screams or violent fighting or abuse, call 911.

• Let your friend know she is not alone.
• Explain there is no excuse for abuse.
• Tell her that abuse is never the victim's fault.
• Listen, believe and support her in getting help.
• Encourage her to call the City's hotline at: 1-800-621-HOPE.
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Domestic Violence Shelter
ODV directly operates one emergency domestic violence shelter; oversees the reimbursement of 38 private emergency residential programs, and oversees and provides client referrals for seven transitional housing programs for victims of domestic violence. The shelters provide temporary housing and supportive services for victims of domestic violence and their children. All programs provide a safe environment as well as counseling, advocacy and referral services.
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Nonresidential Domestic Violence Services
Fifteen community-based organizations provide telephone hotline services, counseling, groups, information and referral, advocacy, and community outreach throughout the five boroughs. In addition to the services already mentioned, four programs also offer legal assistance with orders of protection, custody, separation and divorce and immigration issues specifically tailored to DV clients. Non-Residential Domestic Hotlines are available by clicking HERE.
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Project NoVA (No Violence Again)
Addresses the needs of domestic violence victims seeking emergency housing from the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). This program is staffed by MSW social workers who provide assessment, placement assistance, crisis information and referrals to domestic violence victims at the DHS intake locations, and at several DHS transitional housing facilities.
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Domestic Violence Liaison Unit (DVLU)
Established to implement the Family Violence Option of the Welfare Reform Act of 1997, the Domestic Violence Liaisons (DVLs) are MSW social workers located at HRA/DSS job centers to assess public assistance participants and applicants who identify themselves as domestic violence victims. The DVLs provide public assistance participants with temporary waivers from TANF work requirements in order to ensure the safety of the client and her children. DVLs also develop safety plans with clients and provide counseling, information and referral services.
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ADVENT
The primary focus of the ADVENT teams is to engage the clients in work. The ADVENT team workers, including Domestic Violence Liaisons (described above), provide shelter clients with public assistance case management and engagement services to ensure safe compliance with TANF work requirements.
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Teen Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP)
This school-based program is the largest domestic violence prevention program in New York City, and is critical to ending relationship abuse among young people. Through a comprehensive curriculum, students learn to recognize and change destructive patterns of behavior before they are transferred to adult relationships. Since 1999, HRA/DSS's innovative RAPP Program has helped teens in public high schools develop healthier relationships. This program delivers an array of relationship abuse services through four components: prevention, intervention, staff development and training, and community outreach. RAPP fosters a school climate with zero tolerance for abusive behavior in all of its forms, thereby promoting a safe and productive learning environment for students and staff.
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The Alternative to Shelter Program (ATS)
ATS enables domestic violence victims to remain safely in their own homes and communities instead of relocating to a domestic violence shelter. MSW social workers and a case manager assess client safety and provide eligible families with a high-tech safety alarm system. ATS staff partner with the local NYPD precincts to ensure safety. ATS staff work closely with families to provide crisis counseling, support services, and information and referral. Hotline (212) 331-4538. Leave a message and someone will return your call.
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Shelter Literacy Program
Improves the literacy skills of both parents and children and engages them in a positive education experience that reaches beyond shelter. The Shelter Literacy librarians have developed user-friendly libraries and work with families to facilitate activities that promote literacy and cultural awareness and develop literacy resources for families upon their discharge from shelter. Family literacy strengthens the bond that holds the family together while moving them economic stability.
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