Avalon Healing Center's SAFE Expansion in Southeast Michigan

Avalon Healing Center (Avalon) seeks grant funding to support a local project in Southeast Michigan, including an expansion to Monroe County, which currently lacks access to SANE and SAFE services. This project aims to establish new programming and expand existing services, addressing racial inequities by providing culturally specific programming for African Americans.

Avalon serves Southeast Michigan, including Oakland, Monroe, Wayne, Washtenaw, and Macomb counties. The region encompasses the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metropolitan area, home to over 4.3 million people, and includes some of the most segregated and impoverished areas in the nation. The grant will enhance SAFE programming in Wayne County and expand access to Monroe County, the smallest and most underserved county in the region, with significant barriers to accessing healthcare and social services.

In 2022, Monroe County reported 16 rapes, while Wayne County reported 1,147 cases, including 714 in Detroit. Michigan saw a total of 6,196 reported rapes. These alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for expanded SAFE/SANE services in these high-incidence areas. Avalon will address these needs by increasing the availability and accessibility of trauma-informed, culturally competent SAFE services.

Key goals include improving the overall quality of care for sexual assault survivors, fostering partnerships with local communities, and expanding the capacity of Avalon’s SAFE team. By recruiting, hiring, and training additional SAFEs, Avalon will enhance its ability to provide comprehensive medical-forensic examinations, crisis intervention, and holistic post-assault care.

Monroe County faces a significant gap in SAFE/SANE coverage, with victims currently forced to seek services in Ohio, leading to complications in evidence handling and legal processes. The grant will support establishing local SAFE services, ensuring timely and effective care for sexual assault survivors in Monroe County. Additionally, Avalon will provide culturally specific services to African American women, who face unique barriers to treatment and are disproportionately affected by sexual violence.

Avalon’s project aligns with the solicitation’s goals by adhering to national protocols and training standards for sexual assault medical-forensic examiners. The project will increase the number of trained healthcare providers, improve access to comprehensive post-assault care, and enhance collaboration with community partners to support survivors’ healing and empowerment.