Victim Intervention Program/Rape Crisis Center staff provide 24/7 care
Parkland staff assists victims of violence, abuse
For nearly two decades staff in Parkland's Victim Intervention Program (VIP) and Rape Crisis Center have responded to the needs of family violence and sexual assault victims treated at Parkland and its on-campus outpatient specialty clinics. And while VIP/Rape Crisis staff are available 24/7 to assist with victims’ immediate needs, they play an even larger role by providing counseling and assistance long after physical reminders have disappeared.
“Our overall goal, as demonstrated through our mission statement, is to help prevent abuse and violence and help victims heal,” said Melissa Reilly, LCSW, Director of the Victim Intervention Program/Rape Crisis Center at Parkland. “Parkland has been a provider for underserved populations in Dallas County for over a hundred years serving as a safety net for the county. Many of our patients have little or no income, few resources, job skills or social support and we are here to help them especially in this time of crisis.”
Client advocates provide crisis intervention and licensed counselors along with graduate and post-master’s interns help provide therapy for victims. Through various grants, the center has been able to add a full-time education specialist, according to Reilly.
In 2012, an enhanced abuse/violence screening was implemented in the Parkland system to better identify victims, Reilly said. Three years later, approximately 2,270 victims of abuse/violence (ages 13 and up) were served in the hospital. Responding to referrals from their hospital-based colleagues, client advocates provide emotional support, forensic written and photographic documentation, information and referrals and help with emergency services. They also serve as liaisons between law enforcement, victims and the medical system.
“Our job doesn’t stop with the primary victim,” Reilly noted. “We realized that others may be suffering from the violence or abuse so we also offer counseling to secondary victims including non-offending parents, siblings or partners.”
Last year approximately 314 new clients received counseling services and 3,410 counseling hours were provided to victims. Along with a crisis line, support services also include legal advocacy, court accompaniment, and assistance with specific victim resources including Crime Victims Compensation, and community resources. In case of emergency, Dallas County Hospital District police officers respond to provide protection for victims and staff.
Parkland’s VIP/Rape Crisis Center also plays a critical role in teaching new medical professionals about the importance of screening and intervening with victims.
“We provide specialized training for new direct service providers, medical students, interns and residents and people training to be physician assistants, public health professionals and nurse practitioners,” Reilly said. “It’s important that we train the next generation of medical providers how to ask the right questions in a caring, compassionate way. We never want an individual to feel that they’ve been victimized twice.”
Although Parkland funds the majority of services, the VIP/Rape Crisis Center also receives financial assistance from grants. A Junior League of Dallas grant funds partial salary of a client advocate who provides crisis intervention, emotional support and information and referrals to victims in the hospital.
Additional grants the center receives include:
- A grant from the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has allowed VIP/Rape Crisis to conduct training throughout Parkland, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the community about domestic violence and sexual assault. This funding enables Parkland to host a regional training program which addresses emerging trends and effective interventions with sexual assault victims.
- Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) funding has allowed VIP/Rape Crisis to provide advocacy and counseling to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence for many years. With this funding, the center staff is able to provide evening and weekend counseling and advocacy services. In 2015, there was an increase in funding which expanded counseling and advocacy services to other victims of violent crime and human trafficking. As a result, group therapy is now being offered to all clients. In addition, a dedicated case manager was hired to address client’s needs and help with the healing process.
- Texas Office of the Attorney General Grants
- Other Victim Assistance Grant has allowed VIP/Rape Crisis to address the community’s need for trauma-focused counseling for Spanish speaking children, teens and their parents. The funding allowed the center to offer group therapy services for this population.
- Sexual Assault Prevention and Crisis Services – a state grant that covers a portion of the salary for a counselor and client advocate positions. In addition, the grant continues a long-standing relationship with Dallas Police Academy where a VIP/Rape Crisis counselor presents to new cadets about effective ways to intervene with sexual assault victims.
“We are most grateful to the organizations that have provided grants and funding to the VIP/Rape Crisis Center,” Reilly said. “Thanks to their support we are able to provide additional services for those Dallas County residents who need our assistance.”
Learn more about the Victim Intervention Program/Rape Crisis Center.
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