The Family Shelter Service of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage (FSS of MFSD) hotline provides a confidential lifeline for someone to gain knowledge, support, and validation regarding the domestic abuse they or a loved one has experienced. A hotline counselor works with each caller’s specific situation and assists in providing options that are unique to that caller. Safety is assessed and addressed to develop a plan that the survivor feels comfortable in carrying out. Callers can not only access linkage to our other services, but also receive a compassionate, listening ear to provide the support that they may have not received before from any other source.

When a person is planning to leave a violent relationship, there are many reasons why shelter is a safe option for them. It may not be safe for them to stay with friends or family members, because the abusive partner is aware of these locations. Or, they have become so isolated from a support network that there is no place else to go for help. Shelter provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals and their children to heal physically and emotionally. They are given the opportunity to address their immediate needs and to make steps towards achieving their goals.

Every person entering shelter develops a plan with their primary advocate. This plan is used to outline goals and the steps that must be taken to reach those goals; for example, finding safe housing, exploring employment opportunities, arranging for childcare and transportation needs and accessing available legal protection. While in shelter, residents meet with an assigned advocate once a week to discuss their progress towards achieving these goals. In addition, each resident is offered group programs including parenting skills, domestic abuse education, and support groups.

Length of stay is designed to meet the needs of each person and family in the program. In addition, each resident is expected to follow our shelter program guidelines. Shelter stay is determined, with the resident, within the first few days of arrival and evaluated on a bi-weekly basis.

The shelter program has a communal living, home-like environment. Communal living means sharing living space with other people and requires the ability to live with a diverse population. Each resident is expected to participate in the maintenance of a safe environment, including daily chore assignments and maintaining a respectful, nonjudgmental atmosphere. Individuals seeking shelter have an option to also seek temporary shelter for their pets through a local humane society. Hotline counselors will ask you about the safety of your pets. Our shelters are accessible to people with disabilities.

The shelter locations are kept confidential for safety reasons.

Upon departure from shelter, clients are encouraged to participate in the FSS of MFSD community counseling program. In this way, the need for ongoing support and encouragement can be provided.

More information about the shelter program, including specific program guidelines, can be obtained in detail by calling our 24-hour hotline (630-469-5650) and speaking with a trained hotline counselor.

Family Shelter Service of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage works with the courts in a variety of ways:

• Court Advocates provide support and information about legal remedies available for victims’ protection.
• Advocates assist petitions with filing Orders of Protection and helping them navigate the court process.
• Victim Advocates follow up on every police-reported incident of domestic abuse in DuPage County to check on victim safety and to provide referral information.
• Last year, FSS of MFSD helped victims of domestic abuse obtain 1,782 Orders of Protection.

Learn more about Orders of Protection here.

CHILDREN

Individual Support

Children learn ways to stay safe, develop coping skills and process their experience.

Group Support

Domestic Violence Education Series
Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Downers Grove (English and Spanish)

• Available for all children during Adult Domestic Violence Education Group
• Involves movement and activities with peers of their own age to learn:
  • Coping strategies
  • Identification of feelings and expression
  • Identifying safe people
  • “Red flags”
  • Safety planning
  • Non-violent communication

*Drop-in group, but call ahead for childcare

INDIVIDUAL SERVICES

One-on-one support and case management services

FSS of MFSD staff members work one-on-one with clients:

• Assess how the current domestic violence crisis is affecting them
• Increase their ability to stay safe and cope with the crisis they’re experiencing
• Help clients meet their emotional and case management goals

SUPPORT GROUPS

Walk-In Services
Walk-in services are provided for approximately 20 minutes and include support, immediate case management needs, community resources and referrals and assistance with filling out FSS of MFSD forms. These sessions are offered for both existing and prospective clients.

These orientation sessions provide:

• Description of who we are
• An overview of our services
• Assistance with immediate case management needs
• Short-term goal setting
• Assistance with Family Shelter Service forms and paperwork
• Introduction to meditation/mindfulness

Domestic Violence Education Series

Drop-In

• Tuesday’s: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
  Downers Grove
• For more information, call: 630-469-5650

This Support Group covers the following topics:

• Domestic Violence 101 and Power and Control
• Cycle of Violence
• Safety Planning/Orders of Protection
• Effects of Domestic Abuse on Adults
• Effects of Domestic Abuse on Children
• Healthy/Unhealthy Abuse Relationships
• “Red Flags”

MONTHLY WORKSHOPS

CURRENT WORKSHOP

Love & Loss

This will focus on mourning the loss of the relationship, grieving process, processing anger and healing your broken heart.

FUTURE WORKSHOPS

Rebuilding Self

This will focus on loving self, forgiving self, self-love/compassion, finding inner peace, Self-awareness in safety planning

Healthy Relationships

This will focus on clients taking time to themselves and its okay, loneliness vs feeling alone, moving on, dating 101, dating safety, internet dating, owing sexual self

Creative Expressions (group or workshop)

This will focus open art studio, journey binder, affirmation  cards, mandalas, movement.

FSS of MFSD’s Community Advocates work to bring our services out into the community.

By providing trainings and education on domestic violence to other community agencies, we help them learn how to best help their clients who have been affected by the abuse. Personally working with their clients individually or through domestic violence education classes and support groups, we bring the message of hope and healing directly to those individuals. Our Community Advocates are available to provide trainings or develop a curriculum or support group that would best meet their needs or areas of interest regarding domestic violence.

The Bathroom Poster Project

An easy way to get involved and provide crucial information to victims of domestic violence in a discreet way. The poster asks a series of questions in English and Spanish that may help someone identify if they are in an abusive relationship. The posters can be easily hung in a bathroom stall, bulletin board or wherever needed. Individuals can grab a hotline card in a private setting and call at their convenience.

We offer two poster sizes: 9.5 x 15.5 (large) and 8.5 x 11 (small).

The large poster comes with a cardholder for our 24-hour hotline cards. The small poster is great for informational boards or public spaces.

Hotline cards and brochures are available as well.

If you are interested in bringing our bathroom posters, hotline cards or service flyers to your organization, please complete this form.

If you are interested in brining training to your organization, please complete this form and we will reach out to schedule.

As part of our promise, the prevention team raises awareness and provides education that engages the entire community in creating a culture where violence is not tolerated.

Our prevention educators have designed comprehensive, age-appropriate, curriculum that addresses what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like, communication skills, what boundaries are and how to set them, what true consent is, support systems, and how to help someone in an unsafe situation.

Family Shelter Service of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage works with groups including: