Wayside''s Program C.I.S. Children Impacted by Substances

OVC’s mission is to enhance the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC achieves this mission, in part, by administering discretionary award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund to develop innovative training and technical assistance, and to provide direct services to improve the overall quality of victim assistance. The purpose of the FY 2018 Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims is to address an urgent gap in crime victim services related to the opioid epidemic and to expand upon existing or establish new programs to provide services to children and youth who are victimized as a result of the opioid crisis. The overarching goal of this program is to support children and youth who are crime victims as a result of the opioid crisis by providing direct services and support to these young victims at a community or jurisdictional level.

With this award, the Wayside Youth and Family Support Network: Trauma Intervention Services will provide counseling and advocacy to children and families whom have suffered due to the nation’s continued opioid crisis. Wayside’s Trauma Intervention Team has been providing direct client services to survivors of homicide, sexual assault, and domestic violence, as well as their nonoffending parents or guardians for decades. Services extend to Milford and 26 surrounding towns that make up portions of Worcester, Norfolk, and Middlesex counties. Under this project, Wayside will provide these same services to children and families who are victims of crime due to the opioid crisis. Services are inclusive of all survivors regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, education, immigration status, religion, race, and ethnicity. Clients can receive free one-on-one counseling sessions and/or group counseling sessions, with a culturally, linguistically, and competently diverse team of supportive counselors who specialize in evidence-based trauma modalities such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and the Empowerment Model. Wayside has built relationships with other local organizations that will contribute to the growth of the program and act as community supports for victims. Organizations involved include the Milford Regional Medical Center, Department of Children and Families, local police departments, local religious organizations, Norfolk Advocates for Children, Voices Against Violence, Family Continuity of Whitinsville, schools, and the other services provided by Wayside Youth and Family (i.e., outpatient services, in-home therapy, family partners).

CA/NCF