Advocacy
Counseling
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Positive Parenting Program
Transitional Housing Program

 

ADWAS has advocates on staff to assist people who are victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault and need help. Services are free of charge and available to people who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing and residents of King, Pierce or Snohomish County.

Advocates can:

• Offer information and options
• Help you decide your safety plan
• Help you deal with people involved in your situation such as:
  • lawyers
  • hospitals
  • CPS
  • counselors and housing systems
• Help you learn about victims rights, and the rights of Deaf people to have interpreters and fair access to all systems.

We will help victims whether the police are involved or not, no matter if you want to leave the abuser or not, no matter what. We will work with you for as long as you want, until you feel 100% safe.

If you would like to contact an advocate please e-mail them at adwas@adwas.org

The counseling program offers victims of domestic violence and sexual assault the following services:

• Short-term crisis counseling
• On-going individual/family therapy related to domestic violence & sexual assault
• Group counseling related to childhood sexual assault and domestic violence
• Psychosocial assessments and evaluation of sexual abuse of children
• Client advocacy and referrals

The National Domestic Violence TTY Hotline (NDVH) is available to Deaf,  Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind people across the nation. The NDVH headquarters is in Austin, Texas and partners with ADWAS in Seattle. At ADWAS, the national TTY hotline operates from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday. A future goal is to have ADWAS operate the national TTY hotline 24-hours a day.

24-hour TTY Hotline: 1 (800) 787-3224

The TTY Hotline program offers:

• Expertise with using TTY etiquette (using GA and SK)
• Familiarity with Deaf agencies/services across the nation
• Capable of assisting related to communication and cultural barriers in shelters, hospitals, and other services people may need access.

What reasons do people call the Hotline?

• Victims are in an immediate crisis situation
• Families or friends of victims have questions
• Request for information and referral
• Need assistance with reducing barrier to services
• Looking for a safe place to go
• To have discussions to help develop a plan of action
• To flee from an abusive home
• Need assistance for court advocacy
• Just simply to talk

We have received calls from different states including Texas, California, Tennessee, Washington D.C., New Jersey, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and Washington State.

If you have a family member or friend who needs help, refer them to the TTY Hotline. If you need help, contact us by any of the following ways:
TTY: 1-800-787-3224 (Deaf advocates respond 9am to 5pm PST)
IM: ADWASHotline
E-mail: adwas@ndvh.org

The Positive Deaf Parenting program offers parenting education and support to all members of the Deaf community. We offer a variety of classes and workshops throughout the year in King County, Everett and Tacoma.
Click here for a listing of all our current workshops and classes.

Classes/workshops include:

• Positive Discipline class (for parents with children age 5 and above)
• Parenting Through Play class (for parents with children age birth to three years old)
• Parenting Teenagers class
• Talking to your kids about drugs and alcohol workshop
• Building Bridges workshop
• A parenting support group
• Special events for families through the year

All classes are free of charge and include:

• A meal
• Structured program for children over the age of 5
• Childcare for children under the age of 5
• Materials

A Place of Our Own transitional housing program is currently accepting applications for both Deaf and hearing program participants! We are located in a brand-new building in the lovely, residential Maple Leaf neighborhood on the I-5 corridor north of the University District. (Please click on the image at left to see more pictures of a transitional housing apartment.)

Applying is easy! ADWAS A Place of Our Own transitional housing program features 19 individual units of transitional housing for very low income families who are homeless. All units are subsidized by project-based Section 8 through the Seattle Housing Authority. Qualified applicants will meet an income limit of 30% median income plus other SHA requirements. In addition, all units are part of the Washington State Housing Finance Commission Tax Credit program.

Click here for pre-application forms or if you have any questions or desire further information please contact us via TTY (206-726-0093) and ask for the housing admissions staff.