The Women’s Center of Montgomery County was established in 1976 as a community-based organization dedicated to the empowerment of women. With our primary focus on eliminating domestic violence and other forms of abuse, the Center has been volunteer-powered since its inception.  Services provided include: a 24-hour domestic violence hotline; individualized, peer and group domestic violence counseling; telephone counseling; legal advocacy; court and hospital accompaniment; education and outreach to the community and schools; and various support groups. Our programs are administered by more than 200 trained volunteers and a paid staff of 12 full and part-time employees in our five offices located in Elkins Park, Norristown, Lansdale, Pottstown and Bryn Mawr.  Additionally, we fund a full-time Medical Advocate at Abington Memorial Hospital and a training facilitator for our Medical Advocacy Project.

 The Elkins Park office is the administrative headquarters of the Women’s Center. The Women’s Advocacy Project, which is the legal advocacy component of our overall Domestic Violence Project, is housed in both the Norristown and Pottstown offices.  The Lansdale site, which opened in December 2001, is based at Central Montgomery Hospital and provides both domestic violence and medical advocacy services for victims of domestic violence.  Our Bryn Mawr office, which opened in October 2003, was modeled after the Lansdale project, thereby combining both our service and advocacy programs.

 Each year, we serve more than 4000 victims of domestic violence. We provided court accompaniment assistance to more than 1,500 individuals seeking Protection from Abuse Orders (PFAs).  Approximately 75% of all individuals who were granted PFAs in Montgomery County were accompanied by a Women’s Center advocate.  Through our TANF-funded Relocation Assistance Program, we distribute more than $28,000 annually, enabling families to move to safety.

 A commitment to volunteerism has remained the stable core of the Women’s Center.  Our active volunteer pool enables us to maintain our high volume and the diversity of services we provide.  Despite funding cuts, we have been able to remain consistent – indeed, to expand – in our services to victims of domestic violence.    Recognizing our volunteers as a tremendous asset to be nurtured, cultivated, motivated and well-trained to ensure quality in our provision of services, the Women’s Center has invested a great deal of energy and vision into standardizing and coordinating resources, training opportunities and technical support throughout our five offices.

1.Counseling Services:
Domestic violence hotline – crisis response
Safety planning
Individualized counseling (in-person and telephone counseling)
Peer counseling to provide women with ongoing support for conflict resolution
Support groups (non domestic violence) to address issues such as divorce, employment, bereavement, relationships, and substance abuse problems
Referral source to community information and resources

2.Information, Educational and Enrichment Services:
Workshops
Professional trainings provided in domestic violence counseling and identification
English as a Second Language
Monthly newsletter (circulation 1200)
Community Education programs in Montgomery County schools, businesses, churches, synagogues, and other community groups about the dynamics of abuse & identifying ways they can help a battered woman.
Consciousness raising workshops, Wonderful Older Women (WOW) programs, Advocates for Improved Medical Services (AIMS) forums.

3.Legal Advocacy:
Court accompaniment to hearings at court and district justice level
Assistance with legal options and available remedies to domestic violence victims
Direct advocacy on behalf of women seeking a temporary and final Protection from Abuse order.
Assistance in filing Indirect Criminal Complaints for PFA violations
Systems advocacy to effect social change.

4.Medical Advocacy Project:
Professional training to medical providers to provide universal screening, identification and early intervention for victims of domestic violence.
Technical support to hospitals in developing domestic violence protocols and procedures.
Seamless transition of counseling, supportive and referral services to victims identified through the medical service providers.