Intervention

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WCST provides advocacy and intervention services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. If you need help, whether it be safety planning, information about restraining orders or safe shelter, or just talking about your next step, please call our crisis hotline at 541-479-9349. 

Our many intervention services include: 
  • 24/7 crisis phone hotline, 365 days a year
  • 24/7 crisis response to law enforcement, hospital, senior and disabled services, 365 days a year
  • Emergency assistance (ex. motels, bus tickets, gas assistance, food boxes, medical assistance)
  • Family Court Advocacy - daily assistance with FAPA, restraining orders, hearings, stalking orders
  • Provide court mandated Family Abuse Awareness classes weekly (both for men and women)
  • Criminal Court Advocacy - in person advocacy for victims of crime through the criminal justice system
  • Department of Human Services, Self Sufficiency-Advocate out-stationed at DHS-SS 
  • Women's Support Group- for women who have been victims of domestic violence
  • Children's Support Group- for children who have witnessed domestic violence
  • One on One in person meetings with victims
  • Community wide advocacy to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
  • Community Education to partner agencies- RCC, service groups, schools, churches, businesses
  • Sponsorship of the Women's Independence Studies Program for past victims of domestic violence for living expenses while the attend college. In 2009, advocates sponsored 10 women bringing in $46,750 for their living expenses. (The Sunshine Lady Foundation, Doris Buffett)
  • Training and Supervision of volunteers and RCC/SOSU Practicum students.

Our crisis hotline is worked exclusively by volunteers, so if you're interested in more information or giving your time to our organization, click here.

The Intervention staff participates on the following community teams and meetings:
  1. Jo. County Child Abuse Multi-Disciplinary Team
  2. Jo. County Domestic Violence Council
  3. Sexual Assault Task Force
  4. Senior and Disabled Multi-Disciplinary Team
  5. Family Law Advisory Committee
  6. Jo. County Mental Health Court Committee
  7. FAST Team meeting with DHS
  8. Medical Assessment Team with DHS
  9. Family Decision Meetings with DHS-Child Welfare

Shelter: Talsunne Safe House

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WCST maintains an emergency safe shelter for up to thirteen women and their children at an undisclosed location in Josephine County. We provide advocacy, food, internet and other services for our residents, as well as a clean, safe place to stay during their time of crisis. We are currently the only safe shelter  for survivors of violence in Josephine County.


Our shelter is called the Talsunne Safe House as part of a blessing from one of the Native tribal elders from our community. She named the shelter "Talsunne," which means "acorn woman" and symbolizes inner strength and tenacity. 

If you are in an emergency situation and are seeking shelter, please call our crisis hotline at 541-479-9349. 

Our Safe House provides:
  • 13 hours of staff advocacy daily, 365 days a year
  • Food pantry
  • Clothing bank
  • Women and Children's support groups
  • Conflict Resolution/Communication skills
  • Advocacy with community partners and agencies
  • Indoor and Outdoor children's play areas
  • Financial planning and management of individuals or groups
  • Safety Planning
  • Identification of Barriers
  • Parenting advocacy
  • Job skills and resume assistance
  • Medical and mental Health advocacy
  • Life Skills advocacy
  • Transportation
  • Household furnishings for new living accommodations
  • Donated cars
  • After Care - Families who have previously been in shelter continue to receive advocacy
  • Training and Supervision of volunteers and RCC Practicum students
The Shelter staff participates on the following Community Teams and Meetings:
  1. Family Strengthening Advisory Meeting (Goodwill Advisory Committee)
  2. Grants Pass Early Childhood Council
  3. Department of Human Services Child Welfare-Family Decision Team Meetings
  4. Josephine County Community Food Bank

Prevention

What WCST provides: The Women's Crisis Support Team has become a recognized leader in implementing primary violence prevention programs and community building curricula in Grants Pass area schools and in the community at large.  Primary prevention involves efforts to reduce the incidence of violent acts among a population before it occurs.  Our strategies introduce new values, thinking processes, and relationship skills to particular population groups that are incompatible with violence and that promote healthy, non-violent relationships.

While quantifying the success of WCST's particular prevention strategies remains difficult, we have been fully recognized by school and community leaders alike as a significant asset to the collective Grants Pass community effort to reduce violence and sexual assault.  The WCST Prevention Program has also been instrumental in bringing an AmeriCorps Volunteer to the Grants Pass community for the purpose of outreach to the community and schools to end violence and build community.

Specifically, the WCST Prevention Program provides:

  • Outreach to four area high schools, providing groups to both young men and young women using the curriculum for the Oakland Men's Project, "Young Women's Lives" and "Young Men's Work." 
  • Community Education to schools, community partners, agencies, service groups, churches including:
    1. All area high schools
    2. Rogue Community College
    3. Soroptimist of Grants Pass
    4. Oregon Employment Department
    5. Rotary clubs of Grants Pass
    6. DHS, Health Options through Prevention and Education
  • Organization of community events, activities, and awareness campaigns for the months of October (domestic violence awareness month) and April (sexual assault awareness month).
  • Organizes and provides the bi-annual Volunteer/Staff training for all WCST volunteers.
  • Production of educational and outreach materials including pamphlet, flyers, and press releases.

Watch the Grants Pass High School WCST Youth Action Team's "iPledge" video as they stand against domestic and sexual violence:

Need more resources?

Click here for more resources on domestic violence, sexual assault, and homelessness in the Josephine County area. 

Click here to read information in domestic violence in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Russian.