Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center Receives Grant For Counseling And Advocacy

The St. David’s Foundation recently awarded $574,674 for a two-year grant to the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center to provide professional counseling and advocacy for victims of family violence, dating violence, sexual assault and child abuse who reside in Hays and Caldwell County.

Counseling and Advocacy Program Director Jennifer Vasquez says, “The funding HCWC receives from St. David’s Foundation allows us to provide services to victims of abuse by licensed, professionally trained clinical staff with Master’s degrees in Counseling and Social Work. Our Counseling and Advocacy staff have extensive education and training on the impact of trauma and abuse on the clients we serve.  The generous support from St. David’s Foundation allows our clients access to six months of free individual counseling and ongoing support groups facilitated by licensed professionals who are able to help them work toward their goal of living a life free of abuse.”

HCWC has benefitted from continued support from the St. David’s Foundation which dates back to 2006. The St. David’s Foundation is committed to supporting behavioral health programs in schools, health clinics and community non-profits. This grant has allowed HCWC to expand counseling and advocacy services outside our two main offices, including cities within our two county service area (with offsite locations in Lockhart, Dripping Springs and Luling), provide additional support in our family violence shelter and expand services with our children’s advocacy center, Roxanne’s House. In addition to individual counseling and advocacy, HCWC counselors are currently providing seven adult groups including a six week Domestic Violence Psychoeducational class and two children’s groups on a regular basis.

Last year, HCWC provided professional counseling services to 951 victims who benefitted from 8,045 counseling sessions and 1,957 advocacy days all provided free-of-charge and confidential. In total, HCWC provided free face-to-face services to 1,743 victims of abuse in 2015 and responded to 2,490 HELPline crisis calls.  When clients were asked what service was most helpful, a vast majority counted counseling and advocacy as the most valuable. As one client stated, “I don’t feel isolated anymore, individual counseling was awesome, life changing” and another shared our ultimate goal, “this is the best I have ever felt about myself in my entire lifetime.”

The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center has entered its 39th year of serving women, men and children in Hays and Caldwell Counties who are victims of abuse including family violence, dating violence, sexual assault and child abuse. All HCWC services are free and confidential.

For more information please visit www.hcwc.org or call (512) 396-HELP.