Empowerment focused.
Our Mission.
Avalon inspires healing and empowerment for those affected by sexual violence through free and immediate comprehensive services; promotes public awareness; and advances social change.
Who We Are.
Avalon Healing Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault and sex trafficking through compassionate, trauma-informed care. As Michigan's largest and busiest stand-alone sexual assault program, and the only organization in Southeast Michigan solely focused on sexual violence, we provide comprehensive services that help survivors find safety, healing, and hope.
Our services are free of charge and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to anyone who has experienced sexual assault or exploitation, regardless of age, gender, identity, where they live, or when the trauma occurred.
Every survivor deserves to be believed, supported, and empowered
to make their own choices throughout the healing process.
Founded in 2006 as the Wayne County Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program (WC SAFE), Avalon has grown into one of the nation's leading providers of survivor-centered care. Our multidisciplinary team provides medical forensic examinations, behavioral health services, advocacy, education, outreach, and supportive services designed to meet survivors wherever they are in their healing journey. We work alongside healthcare providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, schools, and community organizations to ensure survivors have access to coordinated, compassionate care while preserving their autonomy, dignity, and voice.
Today, Avalon serves tens of thousands of survivors across Southeast Michigan while helping shape a stronger response to sexual violence and human trafficking through leadership, collaboration, and education.
Our on-call Forensic Examiner and Advocacy staff respond to crisis pages within 10 minutes and can meet patients at the clinic location of their choice within one hour of initial contact. If a scheduled appointment better meets a patient's needs, we are happy to arrange one. Transportation assistance is also available to help patients access services safely.
In addition to the medical-forensic examinations, we provide:
Who We Serve.
Sexual violence and human trafficking affect people of every age, background, and community. Avalon serves children, adolescents, and adults who have experienced sexual assault, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, or other forms of sexual violence.
Whether someone reaches out immediately following an assault or years later, our team is here to help. Survivors may seek medical care, counseling, advocacy, assistance navigating the criminal justice system, or support leaving a trafficking situation. Whatever brings someone to Avalon, they will find a safe, welcoming environment where they are heard, respected, and supported.
Healing often extends beyond the individual survivor. With permission, Avalon also provides education, guidance, and support to family members, caregivers, and other trusted individuals who play an important role in the recovery process.
How We Help.
Healing looks different for every survivor, which is why Avalon provides a comprehensive continuum of care designed to meet each person's unique needs and goals.
Our multidisciplinary team offers:
- Medical Forensic Care – Confidential medical forensic examinations, evidence collection, emergency contraception, sexually transmitted infection prevention, follow-up medical care, and referrals to additional healthcare services.
- Crisis Intervention & Advocacy – Immediate emotional support, safety planning, information about reporting options, assistance navigating healthcare and criminal justice systems, and connections to community resources.
- Behavioral Health Services – Individual counseling, support groups, trauma-informed therapy, and other mental health services that promote resilience and long-term recovery.
- Support for Human Trafficking Survivors – Specialized medical care, advocacy, outreach, behavioral health services, emergency assistance, and long-term case coordination for survivors of sex and labor trafficking.
- Community Education & Awareness – Professional education, public awareness initiatives, and community outreach that strengthen the response to sexual violence and human trafficking.
Recovery often requires more than clinical care alone. Avalon helps survivors overcome barriers by connecting them with transportation, emergency financial assistance, housing resources, legal advocacy, and other supportive services through our network of community partners.
We believe survivors are the experts in their own experiences, and we are committed to providing information, options, and support while respecting each individual's choices, dignity, and voice.
How We Change Systems.
Beyond direct services, Avalon works alongside healthcare providers, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, educators, policymakers, and community organizations to improve collaboration, inform best practices, and advance responses to sexual violence and human trafficking.
As the coordinating agency for the Wayne County Sexual Assault Collaborative (WC SAC) and the county's multidisciplinary Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Avalon brings partners together to improve communication, share expertise, and strengthen coordinated responses for survivors across Southeast Michigan.
Avalon also played a significant role in one of Michigan's most important criminal justice reforms through its work responding to Detroit's thousands of previously untested sexual assault kits. Our team provided advocacy and long-term support to survivors while partnering with multidisciplinary stakeholders to improve investigations, strengthen survivor notification protocols, and help establish one of the nation's earliest sexual assault kit tracking systems. This work continues to inform communities across the country seeking to improve their response to sexual violence.
Since 2010, Avalon has helped lead Southeast Michigan's response to human trafficking. Through specialized services, regional partnerships, and statewide leadership, the organization has helped strengthen coordinated support for survivors of both sex and labor trafficking. Founder and Executive Director Kimberly Hurst, PA-C, and Director Amy Smith, LMSW, CTRP, were appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission in recognition of their expertise. Avalon is also an active member of the Detroit Human Trafficking Task Force, working alongside local, state, and federal partners to improve identification, coordination, and access to services for survivors.
Where We're Going.
For more than two decades, Avalon has continued to evolve alongside the needs of survivors and the communities we serve. As those needs change, so will we.
Our commitment is to expand access to care, strengthen behavioral health services, enhance support for survivors of human trafficking, and continue investing in the people, partnerships, and resources that make comprehensive care possible.
Looking ahead, Avalon will continue building stronger communities through collaboration, innovation, education, and leadership. We will remain responsive to emerging needs while ensuring survivors have access to expert care, meaningful support, and opportunities to move forward with confidence.
No matter how our work grows, our purpose remains unchanged: to stand beside survivors, strengthen the communities that support them, and ensure no one has to face the journey alone.