focused.
Overview of services.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted recently or sometime in the past, we can help. Avalon Healing Center offers a wide range of services to meet the needs of survivors in a variety of ways. All of our services are free and confidential.
Assault Response Services
Avalon Healing Center offers immediate crisis intervention, advocacy and medical-forensic healthcare for survivors of sexual violence of all ages 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
A team of specially trained Forensic Examiners and advocates respond as a team to hospital and clinic sites throughout Wayne County and are available to provide immediate support, information, resources and referrals to survivors and their supportive loved ones.
Medical-Forensic Exams
Medical-forensic exams are offered in a confidential and quiet environment by compassionate, trauma-informed medical staff at no cost to the patient. Forensic examiners work to ensure patients know their options and all information available to make the best decision for themselves.
- The sexual assault happened within the prior 120 hours.
- Survivor is able to consent to the exam.
(or guardian is available to provide consent if applicable) - Survivor wants to have the exam.
- Survivor is medically and psychologically stable.
- Medications to curb potential exposure to Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) and pregnancy.
- HIV prophylaxis.
- Expert witness testimony.
- Medical follow up.
Advocacy & Crisis Intervention
Advocates offer confidential support to survivors as they navigate the trauma of experiencing sexual assault and systems involved in their care. Advocates ensure survivors are informed of and understand their rights and options, including medical and legal options and common responses to trauma; provide emotional support during their time at the hospital or clinic site; and provide resources and referrals to address immediate needs the survivor may be challenged with. This includes, but is not limited to, processing their reactions to their experience with sexual violence, safety planning, locating safe emergency shelter, and transportation.
If you have questions about Avalon’s Assault Response Services, please call our Crisis Number anytime at 313-474-SAFE.
Counseling Services
Individual and group counseling services offered at Avalon are provided by a team of multifaceted and diverse professionals and are centered around empowerment and empathy toward survivors. All counselors are trained on an ongoing basis on providing services that are survivor-centered, trauma informed and culturally competent. As we understand that healing is not one size fits all, our counselors are skilled at utilizing interactive strategies to work through trauma reactions related to experiences with sexual violence and working collaboratively with survivors to ensure sessions are tailored to their specific needs and priorities.
The criteria for counseling services is that the person self-identifies as a survivor of sexual violence and is 12 years or older. We provide counseling services for both survivors directly impacted by sexual violence as well as secondary survivors, such as family members and other supportive loved ones. Survivors who are younger than 12 years old will be referred to our local child advocacy center, KidsTALK, or another local service organization that works specifically with children.
A person can request counseling services at any time during their healing process, whether it be immediately after their experience with assault or years later. All services provided by Avalon are free and confidential. To schedule an appt, please call our main office at 313-964-9701 Monday - Friday during business hours: 9am - 5pm.
Group Counseling Services
Many survivors of sexual violence process their trauma best in communal settings, such as support groups. Avalon Healing Center offers diverse opportunities to explore various methods of coping with trauma with the support of trained advocates as well as other survivors of sexual violence. Whether it be using their voice to speak or hands to create, survivors' ability to cope is supported and cultivated in brave spaces that promote empowerment and resiliency.
- Peer Support Group
- Women’s Empowerment Support Group
- Men’s Support Group
- Poetic Justice: A Speaker’s Bureau for Survivors and Supporters of Sexual Assault
- Healing through Yoga
- Art Therapy Group
- Go Gettas
(In Wayne County Jail - Women’s Facility)
Advocacy
Avalon’s advocates serve as a liaison and support to survivors, ensuring their needs are met and rights are honored. Advocacy services may include assisting a survivor and/or their family with navigating the many resources that may address challenges they are facing as related to their experience with sexual violence or otherwise.
- Legal advocacy: Includes ensuring survivors are knowledgeable and understand their rights and options concerning the criminal justice process; accompaniment to law enforcement and prosecutor interviews; court accompaniment; help drafting victim impact statements; assistance filing for personal protection orders.
- Community-based advocacy: Includes researching and connecting survivors with other service organizations for additional resources and assistance (i.e. food pantries/resources; clothing resources; assistance with rent and utilities and other financial resources, etc.)
- Shelter/housing advocacy: Includes aiding survivors in securing safe shelter; locating and connecting with organizations that provide services related to securing long-term housing and related resources (i.e. orgs. that help with security deposits); assistance completing paperwork related to applying for housing resources; etc.
- Transportation: Transportation can be a huge barrier for many survivors in Metro Detroit to access resources and services. Avalon provides transportation for survivors of sexual assault to accommodate appointments, meetings, and other forms of care related to their experience with sexual violence (i.e. individual and group counseling, law enforcement/prosecutor interviews, follow up medical care, and court related matters). We use Lyft, Uber and cab services as transportation options for survivors.
- Victim Compensation: The Crime Victim Services Commission (CVSC) Compensation Program may help sexual assault survivors who sustained a personal physical injury, and their immediate families with the financial costs of the crime they experienced. Costs that may be eligible include medical treatment, counseling, funerals, crime scene clean-up, grief counseling and loss of income or support not paid by other sources. Avalon’s advocacy staff assist survivors in completing the application for CVSC.
Pediatric Services
Avalon Healing Center provides acute medical-forensic exams and crisis intervention for ALL ages in collaboration and partnership with KidsTALK and Children’s Hospital of Michigan 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Survivors ages 0-17 may be seen at our Taylor clinic, St. John Medical Center (Detroit) clinic and KidsTALK CAC Medical Clinic (Detroit).
- Assault occurring within 120 hours prior.
(If assault occurred more than 120 hours, will be referred to KidsTALK.) - Parent or guardian provides consent for the exam.
- Law enforcement and/or CPS will be involved in all cases that involve survivors under the age of 18 before our team will accept a referral.
Counseling and advocacy services are available to survivors ages 12 - 17 as well as their supportive family and loved ones. Supportive family and other loved ones of children under the age of 12 years old are also eligible for services with Avalon.
For questions about medical-forensic exams for ages 0-17, call our crisis pager anytime at 313-474-SAFE.
LGBTQ+ Services
Avalon Healing Center provides inclusive services and resources for members of the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to the high number of experiences of discrimination and violence, many LGBTQ+ individuals feel they have nowhere to go for assistance. In order to cultivate a safe and accessible environment, our staff are dedicated to engaging in ongoing training on issues faced by people who identify as LGBTQ+ and emphasize access to sexual assault care that is affirming to all identities.
- Counseling Services: Group & Individual Trauma-Informed Counseling with multiple LGBTQ+ and trans-affirmative counselors/advocates.
- LGBTQ+ Advocacy: Includes working with the Detroit Police Department through a collaborative Advisory Board, concentrating on rebuilding the relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and police, encouraging Law Enforcement to receive training around LGBTQ+ social issues, etc.
- Community Outreach: Includes access to gender-affirming clothing at the center and providing referrals to our community partners (i.e. food pantries/resources, rent and utility assistance, other resources, etc.)
- Access to free services found at our Wellness Clinic: Including STI testing, condoms and dental dams, follow-up HIV testing, nPEP medication management, etc.
Human Trafficking
The Federal Government defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person to engage in commercial sex or labor against their will (22 USC § 7102). Human trafficking can be conceptualized through an action, means, and purpose model.
Ask yourself: Do you feel unsafe? Have you ever been forced to do work that you did not want to do? Have you ever felt you had to have sex to get something that you need to survive? Does someone prevent you from doing what you please? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be in a trafficking situation – we can help.
(National Human Trafficking Resource Center 2010)
- Supportive counseling and case management with a team having extensive experience with human trafficking
- Advocacy services
- Support groups including art and yoga
- Specialized referrals
- Relocation assistance
- Medical-Forensic Healthcare
To access Avalon Healing Center’s trafficking services, please reach out to Meredith Baughman directly at (313) 618-1647 or mbaughman@avalonhealing.org
If you suspect trafficking, report you tip to the National Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888
If you need assistance or referrals outside of Michigan, call the National Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888
Wellness Clinic
The Avalon Wellness Clinic is a safe space that is focused on providing important medical services following the trauma of a sexual assault. This includes injury re-evaluation, photo-documentation progression of injury, medication evaluation and follow up testing for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Whether the assault happened a few days ago or many years ago, we may be able to provide you with peace of mind about physical health and well-being. In addition, we can also provide women’s and men’s reproductive healthcare, expanded medical-forensic healthcare and non-fatal strangulation assessment and evaluations.
The Avalon Wellness Clinic includes:- Free services.
- Injury re-evaluation.
- Photo-documentation progression of injury.
- Medication evaluation.
- Follow up testing for sexually transmitted infections.
- Follow up HIV testing and nPEP medication management.
- Non-fatal strangulation assessment and evaluations.
- Women’s and men’s reproductive healthcare and expanded medical-forensic healthcare.
Clinic is open M - F 9am - 6pm | Call to schedule an appointment: 313-920-0470
Kimberly HurstBS, MA, MS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Founder and Executive Director
khurst@avalonhealing.org
Glenda Cook
BS, CA
Wellness Clinic Advocacy Director
gcook@avalonhealing.org
Michelle Demey
MSN, APRN, FNP-C, SANE-A
Wellness Clinic Director
mdemey@avalonhealing.org