Programs & Services
At the WRC, our services are free, trauma-informed, and delivered by professional, empathetic, and supportive staff. We serve Newport County, Bristol County, and East Providence. Our extended referral network is available to assist those in other communities.
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Examples Of Programs & Services
Crisis Intervention & Emergency Shelter
WRC provides a range of emergency and crisis services for domestic violence victims and their children. This includes walk-in hours, a 24-hour hotline, advocacy and referrals, as well as our emergency shelter services. Our emergency shelter is pet-friendly, welcoming survivors, their children, and their pets. We offer a safe place to stay, food, and other basic human needs. Shelter clients are also able to meet with a counselor and access additional resources.
Court Advocacy
Our Court Advocates guide victims through domestic violence legal processes, including protective orders, completing paperwork, understanding the legal system, and accessing other services for their safety and independence.
Individual Counseling
Our counseling program is a life-changing resource. It helps individuals heal from abuse, address mental health concerns, and build the emotional strength to leave, stay free from violence, and support their children’s healthy development. Clinical mental health professionals guide clients through the complex psychological effects of abuse using evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Play Therapy, EMDR, and Mindfulness. This is especially vital for those who are uninsured or unable to safely access counseling. Remote, in-person, and group therapy options are available.
Transitional Housing
This crucial program empowers survivors and their children to live independently while continuing to benefit from case management and wrap-around services. WRC provides a furnished apartment for 6–24 months, creates individualized goal plans, and offers a full range of support, including economic empowerment, financial literacy, education/job training, and employment assistance. We also help survivors secure long-term housing with financial support, e.g. security deposit, first month’s rent, and home essentials. Pet-friendly units are available.
The Family Violence Option Advocacy Program (FVOAP)
This program assists Department of Human Services’ (DHS) clients who are victims/survivors of domestic violence. Clients may be able to obtain a waiver from certain requirements of the RI Works program or Child Care Assistance Program. FVOAP also provides other assistance such as crisis counseling and safety planning.
LGBTQ+ Advocacy
LGBTQ+ survivors need and deserve equitable access to resources. We work to ensure the community is equipped to support all survivors by building relationships with LGBTQ+ organizations, creating LGBTQ+ specific programs, and promoting these programs in the community. We also train agency staff, court employees, and police departments, and work to foster accessible and culturally competent services.
Law Enforcement Advocacy
The Law Enforcement Advocate collaborates with law enforcement – specifically, 5 local police departments – to provide improved responses to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. This includes crisis intervention assistance, safety planning, referrals and information.
Prevention Programming
Over the past twenty years, WRC has been at the forefront of prevention practice and has been recognized for it nationally. Through the Newport Health Equity Zone (NHEZ), WRC utilizes innovative strategies to improve community health by addressing social determinants of health, including green and open space as well as social cohesion. NHEZ has been at the center of foundational work in Newport, addressing historic economic and environmental inequities while creating safer, more connected communities. Learn more here.