The Family Justice Center provides comprehensive crisis intervention and support. Our services our trauma-informed and guided by 5 principles: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. Advocates work closely with clients to determine a personalized service plan based on needs and client-identified goals.
- Counseling: Crisis intervention, emotional support, and linkage to trauma assessments and trauma counseling is available for children and adults.
- Needs Assessment: Advocates complete assessments to identify needs, the level of danger, and stalking behaviors.
- Safety Planning: In collaboration with the client, advocates create an individualized plan to help increase safety.
- Case Management: Client-defined goals are identified. A plan to achieve these goals is developed and advocates follow up to provide support.
- Resources & Referrals: Linkage to community resources occurs, based on identified needs.
- Forensic Medical Unit: Clients can have their injuries assessed and documented, including a strangulation assessment and a traumatic brain injury assessment. This documentation can be helpful in criminal prosecution and family law matters.
- Pressing Criminal Charges: Buffalo Police are on-site at the Downtown location for clients to file a report and/or press charges. Police from other jurisdictions may come on-site to complete a police report when available.
- Web Conferencing with Family Court: Clients can obtain emergency orders of protection from Family Court via web-conferencing at an FJC location.
- Connection to Legal Services: Clients are connected to local legal services providers as needed.
- Interfaith Spiritual Support: Qualified volunteers and community partners provide spiritual support to people of all faiths.
- Language Interpretation: Spanish-speaking victim advocates available. Interpreters are available for non English-speaking clients, or those in need of other accommodations.
- On-site Childcare: Each location houses a playroom for children while their parent/guardian is meeting with an advocate.
- Pet Therapy: SPCA Paws for Love Pet Therapy dogs are regularly on-site with their handlers.
- Patient Navigator/Health Home Worker: Both a patient navigator and health home worker are on-call and can provide medical case management services.
- Financial Reimbursement: Advocates provide Office of Victim’s Services (OVS) application assistance for victim compensation where eligible.
- Pantry: The FJC has a small essential needs pantry to assist clients with hygiene products and other personal care items.
- Short-term & Transitional Housing: In collaboration with Community Services for Every1, the FJC is able to assist clients with housing needs when clients meet eligibility requirements.
- Address Confidentiality Program: The FJC is an Application Assistance Provider in Erie County. This program can help keep a new address confidential.
- Support Groups: Peer support and psychoeducational groups are offered.
- Support for Family & Friends: Advocates are available to discuss how to provide support to a co-worker, family member, or friend that may be in an unhealthy relationship. The Reachout WNY web site is useful when someone is trying to help a teen.
- Support for Family & Friends of someone lost to DV Homicide: The FJC hosts a Bereavement Group and honors those lost to homicide due to domestic violence during our annual Vigil.
- Educational and Training Presentations: Area businesses, agencies, the general public, schools, and community-based organizations. Advocate is able to provide offsite services for students. For presentations or training, please complete our online form