Emergency Shelter &
24-Hour Crisis Line (414) 671-6140
The Milwaukee Women’s Center’s Shelter and 24-Hour Crisis Line provide around-the-clock emergency crisis intervention, support, and case management for women and children fleeing abusive relationships. Each year, the agency’s Shelter provides safety and support to more than 350 women and children and the 24-Hour Crisis Line provides crisis counseling, information and referrals to 12,000 callers.
Emergency Shelter
As one of only two domestic violence shelters in Milwaukee County serving a population of 915,087 (U.S. Census Bureau 2006 Estimates), it is imperative to provide this service to women and children in crisis. The Milwaukee Women’s Center’s Emergency Shelter has been serving the Milwaukee community since 1980, and is at capacity more than 95% of the time.
The Emergency Shelter operates 24-hours per day, 7 days per week and provides emergency transportation, safe housing, food, clothing, personal items and case management services. Consumers access the Emergency Shelter through calls that come in on the 24-Hour Crisis Line, from referral sources such as: 211; police; legal advocates; medical workers; and other community based partners working with issues of domestic violence and homelessness.
Once in Shelter, case managers work individually with women and their children to complete an assessment of their unique needs in the following areas: medical, legal, financial, employment, housing, and counseling (domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health, and age and gender appropriate children's services). An action plan is created that addresses each of the specified needs outlined in the assessment. The action plan establishes short- and long-term goals for women and their families to address while in shelter. Oftentimes, case managers will provide advocacy and referrals to other community resources to help consumers reach their goals. Case managers also follow-up with consumers on a regular basis to ensure that they utilize both internal and external resources to achieve their goals.
The Shelter also provides specialized programming and support for children who have witnessed and/or experienced violence in their own homes. Both adults and children engage in group counseling to address safety planning, trauma, domestic violence, healthy choices related to substance use and relationships, non-violent communication, and positive parenting. All of these activities focus on helping women and their families’ reduce/eliminate violence from their lives as they move towards self-sufficiency.
On average, consumers will stay in Shelter between 21 and 28 days, and may elect to receive follow-up services for one year after leaving shelter.
24-Hour Crisis Line: (414) 671-6140
The 24-Hour Crisis Line housed at the Shelter provides crisis counseling, information and referrals to thousands of callers each year. The Crisis Line serves as a community resource and assists callers with a variety of concerns including homelessness, housing, legal issues, lack of food as well as crisis situations like domestic violence and suicide.