24-HOUR CRISIS LINE
The Riley Center operates a 24-hour crisis hotline, answered by trained peer counselors. Staff and volunteers provide survivors, family and friends with support, crisis counseling, domestic violence information and community resources.
Calling the Crisis Line is a good way to begin exploring your feelings and options – you may remain anonymous and do not have to be in immediate crisis to call.
If you are seeking emergency shelter by calling the Crisis Line, you may perform an intake with a counselor in as little as 20 minutes, as long as shelter space is available.
The Crisis Line responds to approximately 1,700 calls annually, offering women hope and important resources needed to take the first step toward safety and away from abuse
THE COMMUNITY OFFICE
The Riley Center Community Office offers non-residential services to battered and formerly battered women and is housed in the Women’s Building, in the heart of the Mission District.
Services Include:
- Follow-up counseling
- Case management
- Support groups
- Advocacy
- Referrals
- Community outreach and education
- CalWORKS
- Volunteer opportunities and training
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ROSALIE HOUSE
Rosalie House – Emergency Shelter
Rosalie House is a 12-week, 24 bed emergency shelter for battered women and their children, confidentially located in San Francisco. Rosalie House assists women who have been victims of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, with priority to those in immediate danger.
Services Include:
- Shelter, food and clothing
- Individual counseling
- Support groups
- Case management
- Parenting groups
- Employment referrals
- Children’s program
Life at Rosalie House
Families are provided with a room of their own, though space limitations may necessitate that women without children share rooms. Residents share common living areas, and participate in the upkeep of the shelter by rotating house chores.
Once a family has settled into the shelter, a counselor conducts an orientation and in-depth personal assessment of their needs in order to assist in establishing realistic goals for their 12-week stay. These needs may include obtaining medical care, counseling, substance abuse counseling, job search assistance, housing, benefits advocacy and restraining orders.
Women and their children continue to receive counseling and attend support groups throughout their stay at Rosalie House, learning to cope with the emotional effects of violence and separation, as well as with the practical problems of establishing a new way of life – free from the abusive partner.
A Haven for All
Some distinctive qualities of Rosalie House include its ability to house larger families (a woman with up to five children), multi-generational families, as well as families with special needs such as members who have physical or mental disabilities or who do not speak English. Currently, the case management staff communicates in four languages: Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese and English, and use translators to accommodate other languages.
We strive to offer flexibility in meeting a family’s needs, such as allowing an extension if a family has no safe place to go and is abiding by the shelter rules. Families are also able to cook for themselves at our shelter, which is often preferred since many have cultural food preferences in preparing familiar foods.
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BRENNAN HOUSE
Brennan House – Transitional Shelter
Brennan House is a 31 bed transitional housing program where formerly battered women and their children may stay up to 18 months. Brennan House is confidentially located in San Francisco.
Services include:
- Individual counseling sessions
- Support groups
- Parenting meetings
- Housing search assistance
- Childcare
- Legal services
Life at Brennan House
Brennan House services are available to formerly battered women and their children who are survivors of physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Women and families are provided with rooms of their own. Common areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and children’s playrooms are shared.
Women and their children continue to receive counseling and attend support groups throughout their stay at Brennan House, learning to cope with the emotional effects of violence and separation, as well as with the practical problems of establishing a new way of life – free from the abusive partner.
The Brennan House facility offers space with computers for women to prepare their resumes and begin their job search. Case managers connect clients to community workforce development agencies, and vocational training providers help enhance resumes, improve interviewing skills and learn other employment skills beneficial in today’s job market. Many women enroll in local community colleges or specialized education programs in order to obtain higher paying jobs or develop their own businesses.
Throughout their stay, the goal is clear for our clients: to assist women in securing and retaining safe and affordable housing, free from violence.
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