One Stop for Hope and Healing

One Stop for Hope and Healing

OCTOBER IS Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center provides services to individuals and families in one location, at no cost, impacted by domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, child maltreatment, elder abuse, and human trafficking. The center operates under the court services department of the Forsyth County Government. The purpose of our family justice center is:

>to decrease the number of visits to organizations in multiple locations for individuals and families experiencing crisis and trauma

> to provide navigation of multiple resources for safety and support, both onsite and offsite

> to increase partner collaboration and decrease barriers between systems working on behalf of families.

“Survivors are welcomed in a trauma responsive environment with warmth, kindness, and compassion, free of judgement, and critique of their circumstances,” said DeWanna Hamlin, director of Bridges to Hope.

Partner agencies include: The Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina, Family Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Forsyth County District Attorneys’ Office, The Parenting PATH, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Kernersville Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety-Adult Correction, the Forsyth County Department of Social Services and more.

While onsite, clients may file for an Emergency Ex Parte 50B Domestic Violence Protective Order and have a virtual court hearing with a District Court Judge, receive next steps for their 10-day hearing, develop a safety plan, receive parenting support and connect to a member of law enforcement or prosecutor’s representative regarding a criminal case.

DeWanna Hamlin

Bridges to Hope is located at 725 North Highland Ave., Annex 1, Ground Floor. Services hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; no appointment required. The center’s phone number is (336) 776-3255; the Center’s website is forsyth.cc/ffjc. I|S

—DEWANNA HAMLIN, director of Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center of Forsyth County

RELATED PROGRAMS

Lounging with the Library Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. via Zoom Panel discussion on domestic violence.

“Her Voice Beyond the Grave: A Sister’s Cry to Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence” by Cassandra Bethea Shine Sunday, Oct. 30 2-4 p.m., Central Library Discussion with the author and book signing.