Our Response to COVID-19
We Are Here For You
Our priorities are to keep our doors open to provide critical services to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking while minimizing the risk of community spread of the COVID-19 virus. We are monitoring the current situation, but know we are still answering calls to our 24/7 Helpline number, our emergency shelter remains open, and we continue to provide telephonic services, and legal advocacy work to families in need. Our tele-mental health services are ready to respond to survivors needs.
July 23 2020: Virtual Programming to Keep You Safer During COVID-19
As many of us continue to adjust and pivot to the guidelines set forth by our state and federal governments due to the global outbreak of Coronavirus, WTLC brings you FREE online programming, classes, and workshops to support your emotional, mental, and relational health. Below is a calendar of our virtual programming and available classes can be downloaded here.
DAILY LIVE STREAM
Join us on Mondays and Thursdays from 12:00PM-1:00PM on Facebook live to learn about ways you can prevent violence, right from your home during social distancing.
LEARNING FROM A DISTANCE LIVE STREAM TOPICS
7/30: Navigating & Adapting to Our New “Normal”
8/3: How to Respect Different Cultures
8/6: How To Respect Different Cultures [Spanish]
8/10: Exploring the Body [Spanish]
8/13: Exploring the Body [English]
8/17: Mental Health
8/20: Mental Health [Spanish]
8/24: The Misuse of Alcohol and Drugs [Spanish]
8:27: The Misuse of Alcohol and Drugs
8/31: Difficulties in Families [Spanish]
Empowered Parenting – Sharing Experiences About Parenthood In an Online Space
Learn new skills and tools to use to better communicate with your child! Join us for a welcoming and fun class where we talk about how to empower ourselves as parents and support our kids. WTLC’s 6 part series is now being offered in English and in Spanish on Zoom. To find out class schedules and register, call WTLC’s Helpline at 877-531-5522 or text/email [email protected]
CLASS SCHEDULE [English]
Wednesday from 9:00AM-11:00AM
Wednesday from 9:00AM-11:00AM
CLASS SCHEDULE [Spanish]
Tuesday from 4:30PM-6:40PM
Wednesday from 9:00AM-11:00AM
Wednesday from 6:00PM-8:00PM
Wednesday from 9:00AM-11:00AM
Wednesday from 6:00PM-8:00PM
Thursday from 2:30PM-4:30PM
A Window Between Worlds – Art Transforming Trauma
Express yourself and tell your story, build resilience, gain a stronger sense of self-worth, and much more through A Window Between Worlds’ art curriculum. To find out class schedules and register, call WTLC’s Helpline at 877-531-5522 or text/email [email protected]
CLASS SCHEDULE
Mondays from 3:00PM-4:00PM
Legal Resources During COVID-19
Join us weekly as we provide the most current updates on the status of the court system and help keep you informed about the legal resources to help protect yourself, your loved ones, and/or your clients. This discussion is now available in English and Spanish and for information purposes only, and should not be taken as legal advice in any way. To register, call WTLC’s Helpline 877-531-5522 or text/email [email protected]
SESSION TOPICS
Tuesdays from 4:30PM-5:00PM
Session Topic: Courts During COVID-19
Wednesdays from 2:00PM-2:30PM
Session Topic: Navigating Immigration
Fridays from 3:00PM-4:00PM
Legal Information Session
PTSD Group: Processing PTSD in a Safe Environment
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a mental health condition that may occur in individuals that have personally experienced a traumatic event. This open-ended process group highlights six key components related to PTSD and provides a safe and supportive environment to explore and process the impact such trauma may be having on an individual’s life. This group meets once a week and allows individuals to connect with others within the community, empowering one another to explore coping mechanisms in order to thrive. To find out class schedules and register, call WTLC’s Helpline 877-531-5522 or text/email [email protected]
CLASS SCHEDULE
Tuesdays from 5:00PM-6:00PM
Come As You Are: Addiction Education Harm-Reduction Group
What does addiction mean and what can I do to move forward? Attend the addiction education harm-reduction group Come As You Are, occurring once a week for 1 hour, where we will cover 6 different diverse topics in relation to addiction. Topics include: What is Addiction?, I am in Control, Identifying and Understanding Triggers, Setting Boundaries, Shame and Guilt, and Moving Forward. This is a wonderful group to connect with others who share similar struggles and are on the road to recovery! To find out class schedules and register, call WTLC’s Helpline 877-531-5522 or text/email [email protected]
CLASS SCHEDULE
Wednesdays from 5:00PM-6:00PM
Personal Empowerment Group
The Personal Empowerment Program (PEP) is a 10-week course aimed at increasing awareness of the emotional and physical dangers involved in unhealthy relationships.
CLASS SCHEDULE
CLASS SCHEDULE [English]
Mondays 1:30PM-3:30PM
Tuesdays from 2:00pm-4:00PM
Tuesdays from 2:00pm-4:00PM
Thursday from 10:00AM- 12:00PM
Friday from 10:00AM-12:00PM
Friday from 10:00AM-12:00PM
CLASS SCHEDULE [Spanish]
Tuesday from 12:00PM-2:00PM
Thursday from 5:00pm-7:00pm
Friday from 1:30PM-3:30PM [In Person]
Friday from 1:30PM-3:30PM [In Person]
Life Skills Training to Help you Reach Your Goals
Life Skills are designed to help strengthen your ability to make the right choice for you and your family, and learn the skills that will help create a happier and healthier life. To find out class schedules and register, call WTLC’s Helpline 877-531-5522 or text/email [email protected]
CLASS SCHEDULE
Thursdays from 2:00PM-3:00PM
June 22 2020: During COVID-19, Domestic Violence Has Been on the Rise
During COVID-19, domestic violence has been on the rise. Since March, WTLC has experienced a 135% increase in calls to our 24/7 Helpline, with the majority of callers seeking shelter or housing assistance. Other requests have included legal advocacy, counseling, and financial support. See how WTLC has responded to survivors’ increased needs in this short video.
April 21 2020: notable: Free Live Stream Programming to Support Your Emotional, Mental and Relational Health
Amidst the global outbreak of Coronavirus, many are staying at home and cabin fever is starting to set in. To support those forced to join the office exodus, notable brings you free online programming to support your emotional, mental, and relational health. Join us for our daily live streams, 3 part series, and educational classes to equip you with knowledge to create healthier lives, relationships, and communities. A calendar of our live streams and available classes can be downloaded here.
April 8, 2020: Online Resources for Community Participants
Dear Community Participants,
We are committed to keeping our doors open to provide critical services to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking while minimizing the risk of community spread of the COVID-19 virus. To honor social distancing guidelines, our supportive services are still available online. Here are some resources that have been transitioned online.
Learning From a Distance – A daily live stream from WTLC’s Facebook on preventing violence from a distance with our Community Advocates.
Past Week’s Topics and Live Streams
April
04/14 Talking to Your Child about COVID-19: Trauma Informed and Supportive Approaches
04/15 How to Stop Teen Dating Violence
04/16 Healthy Teen Relationships: Consent, Communication, and Codependency
04/17 Child Abuse Prevention Month
04/20 LGBTQ Healthy Relationships
04/21 How Can I Help?: Supporting a Loved One Experiencing Abuse
4/24: You Matter. We’re Here to Help. WTLC Resources and Services.
May
5/6 Financial Planning
5/7 A Window Between Worlds- Therapeutic Art
5/15 Come Yoga with WTLC
June
6/4: Origins of PRIDE
6/11: LGBTQ+ Relationships
6/15: Seniors and Relationships [In Spanish]
6/18: LGBTQ+ Relationships [In Spanish]
6/22: Seniors in Isolation
Empowered Parenting – Learn new skills and tools to use to better communicate with your child! Join us for a welcoming and fun class where we talk about how to empower ourselves as parents and support our kids. Download the Empowered Parenting Flyer.
Telemental Health Services – Safe and confidential counseling services through video conferencing and chatting for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Call our Helpline at 1-877-533-5522 or email [email protected] to schedule a phone or video chat with a Counselor today.
Legal Services – Receive safe and confidential information and resources on Family Law and Immigration services – Restraining orders, custody, child support, visitation, court accompaniment, immigration relief services, information and referrals. Call our Helpline at 1-877-533-5522 or email [email protected] to make an appointment with a Legal Advocate.
March 23: CEO Update on COVID-19
Dear Friends of WTLC,
I hope everyone is well and staying healthy.
As our local and national environment constantly changes in relation to COVID-19, at WTLC we have been bringing the very best thinking and planning to our organizational response and plan of action. Our two fundamental priorities have been identified:
- Protection of the health, safety and wellness of our staff, volunteers, and participants, mitigating community transmission of the virus.
- Successful delivery of our programs and services, delivering the highest service quality as we can in a way that protects the safety of all.
WTLC is an essential business/activity and our programs and services remain operational. WTLC has adopted an appropriate response plan that allows us to keep our doors open to provide critical services to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking while minimizing the risk of community spread of the COVID-19 virus.
We are still answering calls to our 24/7 Helpline number, our emergency shelter remains open to those fleeing from abusive situations, and we continue to provide therapeutic counseling and legal advocacy work.
I am truly impressed by my team’s strong sense of compassion and commitment to serve our community’s survivors during this difficult time.
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
With Appreciation,
Mark
Government Information
- OC Health Care Agency The OC Health Care Agency Health Referral Line is taking questions from the community about COVID-19 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven day per week at 1 (800) 564-8448.
- Coronavirus.gov
Official government website with information about the outbreak.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Updated information for people at higher risk for complications from COVID-19, including older adults and people with chronic health conditions.
Additional Resources
Are you experiencing increased isolation and danger due to social distancing? Create a safety plan that will help during this stressful time. WTLC can help survivors walk through a potential safety plan at 1-877-533-5522. When making your safety plan, especially in light of the new uncertainty for most of our daily lives, here are 10 safety planning tips:
- Trust your judgment. If a situation/individual makes you uncomfortable, trust that feeling.
- Change your exit plan to account for shelter-in-place requirements as different localities have different public health advice regarding movement and gatherings.
- Let a trusted friend/relative know if you feel like you are in danger or if a person/situation is suspicious.
- If you feel your abuser may be monitoring your communications, delete calls and messages, use coded language, or chat online in “incognito” mode.
- Keep important numbers on your person at all times, including the number of someone you feel safe contacting if you are in trouble.
- Make sure that you have a means of communication (cell phone or phone card), access to your bank account, and any medication that you might need with you at all times.
- Plan regular phone or video chat check-ins with your friends, family, and people you trust.
- Practice self-care even if you can’t leave the house – make sure you’re eating enough, try to get enough sleep, and if you’re able to leave the house, try taking a daily walk outside.
- Recognize when it might be time to leave. Even during a “shelter in place” situation, escaping an abuser is considered “essential” travel.
- Be an ally – check in on your friends and neighbors during this time. If you see something suspicious, call 911.