Anna Maries Alliance

Youth services:children's advocates at the shelter work to provide a sense of normalcy and stability for children who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence in the home. Advocates also support parents whose children have been traumatized by witnessing or experiencing abuse. Services offered include physical and mental health assessments, referrals to address identified needs, safety planning, childcare, recreational activities, parent education and support, and child support groups. During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, 78 children received child advocacy services. Prevention education advocates restructured the way services and programming are delivered to area youth. The focus is on teaching healthy relationship skills through educational support groups, individual support, and classroom presentations. 14 presentations were delivered to 178 youth at area elementary and middle schools. Presentations were given at 5 post-secondary institutions with 74 individuals in attendance. School counselors refer junior and senior-high students identified as being at risk of being in an abusive relationship for life choices groups. In 2023-2024, 143 middle school and high school youth participated in building healthy relationship groups. Community education is focused on building individual and community awareness about domestic abuse in order to grow a community where domestic violence is not tolerated and healthy relationships are the norm. Community education and professional training are provided to area businesses, faith, human services, civic organizations, education community, and the public at large. In 2023-2024, staff presented at 53 community groups with 2326 in attendance, 9 businesses with 317 in attendance, 2 law enforcement trainings with 88 in attendance. Staff attended 21 tabling events reaching around 1600 people.

Community advocacy:criminal justice intervention program advocates offer victims assistance and education about the criminal justice process. They provide insight into navigating the criminal justice system in stearns and benton counties. Anna marie's alliance cji program monitors system policies, procedures, and responses to victims of domestic abuse. Cji advocates conduct training for law enforcement officers. Cji advocates play a key role in the stearns county domestic violence partnership designed to increase offender accountability and victim safety. During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, advocates responded to 163 lethality reports from law enforcement referrals, assisted 110 clients with orders for protection or harassment restraining order paperwork, provided walk-in assistance to 111 individuals, and assisted 31 individuals with lease breaks.

Anna marie's pet safe home provides a safe place for the pets of the women and children staying at the shelter. Families have immediate access to the animals, learn basic care techniques, and learn about respect for animals. In 2023-2024, the pet safe home housed 20 pets. The on-scene program provides an immediate response. After law enforcement has secured the scene of a domestic violence situation, the officer can request an on-scene advocate from anna marie's alliance to assist the victim. On-scene advocacy is available to both men and women. During 2023-2024 anna marie's alliance responded to 73 victims. Advocates also assisted 193 clients with safety planning.the jill eckhoff transitional house provided safe, supportive housing to 10 clients - 7 women and 3 children - needing to stabilize their lives and develop self-sufficiency skills during the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Volunteer services encourages and coordinates opportunities for women, men, young adults and children to contribute their time and talent to the needs of women and their children going through domestic violence. During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, 92 volunteers contributed 3,638 volunteer hours. Holding hope visitation center has successfully conducted over 279 supervised visits and 33 safe exchanges during 2023-2024.