Services & Resources
More information about Safe at Home Hamilton
Requirements to Participate
- You must be referred by a community-based professional
- Once admitted, take part in a comprehensive and ongoing risk assessment and safety planning process
- Take part in a safety/environmental audit of your home (conducted by Police)
- Be willing to participate in wrap-around services offered by the program
Accessing the Program
Self-referrals are not available at this moment. If you would like to be referred to Safe at Home contact your service provider. Information about community services can be found at www.wawg.ca
Role of Safe at Home Staff
- Case management
- System navigation
- Safety Planning
- Community Referrals
Who Is Eligible?
- 18 years of age or older (excluding dependent children)
- Low to moderate risk of (re-)experiencing physical harm
- Experience threatening, controlling or coercive behaviour from partner
- Willing to undergo a safety check of their home and accept adjustments
- We consider support around pets when leaving a violent relationship. We feel that this model is uniquely positioned to provide support to those with pets by allowing participants to bypass the shelter system, which generally does not allow pets.
Who is Not Eligible?
- High-risk situations
- Living outside of the Hamilton area
Working with Predators of Violence
- With the permission of the participant and consent of the former partner, Safe at Home staff will also provide referrals, offer case management and system navigation to perpetrators with the goal of safety homelessness prevention for all involved.
- We anticipate that providing holistic services in this way will have a ripple effect and provide a significant and positive impact for participating families.
Wrap-around Services
Wrap-around support will be provided through referrals to partner agencies to ensure the participants’ needs are met.
Services may include:
-
- Any counseling services and other mental health supports requested
- Newcomer services (e.g., employment and training, ID clinics, setting up bank accounts)
- Interpretation services will be provided as needed. We will work with specific site partners to identify the best approach for implementation
- Legal services
- Financial literacy and other program to support financial independence
- Direct/indirect financial support (e.g., rent payment, discretionary spending, bus passes)
- Services to support children in their transition from living in a violence household.
Support for (ex)Partner
Safe at Home has the goal of supporting women to live separately from their partners. We recognize that many couples ultimately decide to reunite (live together); for safety reasons, participants under these circumstances will exit the program and be referred to relevant services.
If your (ex)-partner is accepting help, Safe at Home will offer some case management and system navigation for them.
Police Involvement
Police/ Victim Services will only be involved in conducting a safety check upon program acceptance. The case manager will coordinate their check and provide safety improvements. You can request officers in plain clothes for the check.
You do not need to report your experience to the police to participate in Safe at Home.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Help & Support
Assaulted Women’s Helpline 24/7
(multi-lingual)
Fem’aide 24/7 Support
1-877-336-2433 (French)
Talk4Healing 24/7
1-855-554-HEAL (Indigenous)
Find a shelter
For information on community resources, including VAW counselling, transitional housing support, police services, Indigenous services, and more, visit, wawg.ca.
WITHWomen Web-App
Access the WITHWomen screening web-based app.
This app asks 9 questions to help you assess the level of safety in your relationship and provides you with information about safe and unsafe relationships and helpful resources.
The WITHWomen web-based app is available in English, French and Spanish.