Family Services fills the gaps for the needy-Poughkeepsie Journal

December 30, 2012-Family Services in Poughkeepsie has helped individuals and families throughout the Hudson Valley for more than 130 years through direct services, advocacy and collaboration.
"Multiple victims of crime and domestic violence were supported, empowered and strengthened through our victims assistance programs; parents in danger of losing their children to foster care have successfully developed the parenting skills needed to keep their family together and healthy through the Family Education Program and the Family Partnership Center has remained an anchor for services in the community," said Jessica Wallach, Coordinator of Program Development and Outcomes Management.

But the non-profit can use a hand around the holidays. As part of that mission, the nonprofit is also participating in Holiday Helping Hand -- the annual fundraising campaign sponsored by the Poughkeepsie Journal and the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region -- and purchases gift cards and utility vouchers for 52 individuals and families in its Crime Victims Assistance and Dutchess Youth Career Works programs.
As of Thursday, $38,397.17 has been raised to help local nonprofits such as Family Services brighten the holidays of Dutchess residents next year.Funds raised last year benefit this year's programs.

"These clients might otherwise have little or nothing for the holidays," Wallach said. "We serve an underserved population who are struggling with self-sufficiency. Through these gifts and vouchers, we're empowering them to help themselves, but also to brighten their holidays."

Family Services has participated in Holiday Helping Hand since 2007 and serves more than 7,000 families in Dutchess and Ulster counties through its youth recreation and employment programs, after-school programs, supervised visitation programs, child care at Dutchess County Family Court, victims assistance, family education and its accountability program for offenders of crime, as well as collaborating with community and funding agencies through federal, state and county government."The excitement of the holidays most often reminds us of children, but their families are also in need," said Diane Hart, director of Community Impact at United Way. "Thankfully, organizations such as Family Services help to fill this gap whether through a small gift or assistance paying for utilities such as heat."
Loren Hoffman: 845-437-4800, lhoffman@poughkeepsiejournal.com, Twitter: @LoreHoffyPJ.

From the Poughkeepsie Journal: Tougher Human Trafficking Laws Sought

Measure calls for an increase in protections, harsher penalties

Reprinted from the Poughkeepsie Journal April 13, 2012

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012304130039

ALBANY — Lawmakers and prosecutors are pushing for a stronger human-trafficking law that would increase protections for victims and strengthen penalties against traffickers.

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, introduced a bill this week to revise the state’s 2007 law to hold sex and labor traffickers, sex-tourism operators and other human traffickers accountable.

The measure would particularly increase protections in cases of commercial sexual exploitation of children.

It would also close a gap in the state’s 2008 Safe Harbor Law, which prohibits prosecution and incarceration of children on prostitution charges. Children ages 16 and 17 still have been arrested and convicted in criminal court because the judicial system has some discretion about transferring cases to Family Court, Paulin said Thursday.

Prosecutors, members of law enforcement and organizations that serve victims of human trafficking have pointed out other gaps and loopholes in the law that make it more difficult to catch traffickers, she said.

“My bill builds on the 2007 anti-trafficking law by increasing accountability for the criminals, the buyers and the traffickers who are fueling the underground growth of this massive industry,” Paulin said.

The legislation would create the felony sex offenses of first-, second- and third-degree aggravated patronizing a minor so penalties would conform to those for statutory rape. Under existing law, patronizing a minor for prostitution is a class E felony. Rape is a class B felony, a more serious offense.

“People who buy sex from children should face the same penalty as people who commit statutory rape of children,” said Dorchen Leidholdt, director of the Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services at Sanctuary for Families in New York City.

The legislation would classify sex trafficking as a class B violent felony, which carries more penalties than a B felony, as it is categorized under current law. It would increase the penalty for labor trafficking from a class D felony to a class B felony.

Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, said he would introduce the bill in his house, “knowing full well that it’s going to need some work.”

New York has made progress, but there is room for improvement on human trafficking. “Clearly there’s more that needs to be done. It’s just how do we get there,” he said.

Paulin said she and Saland put in everything they want in the bill and will begin the negotiating process.

The bill would remove New York’s requirement that prosecutors prove coercion in sex-trafficking cases involving children. New York’s Safe Harbor Act recognizes that prostituted individuals younger than 18 are exploited youth, as does federal law.

Press Conference Acknowledging Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April 4, 2012- Family Services' administration and staff gathered Wednesday with other community leaders to acknowledge Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Brian Doyle, Family Services' CEO, and Joan Crawford, Deputy Executive Director, remarked that Sexual Assault Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to help the public understand the social norms that permit sexual violence to be as widespread as it is – and to engage bystanders to proactively work together to build a safer community. Also recognized for his work with victims of Crime was Dutchess County Chair of the Legislature, Robert Rolison. Sharon Doane, Family Services' Director of Forensic Services, presented Rob with the Fay Honey Knopp Award of Spirit and Humanity from the NYS Association of the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and the NYS Alliance of Sex Offender Treatment Providers.

There's still time to register for Walk A Mile in Her Shoes!

Family Services' Crime Victims Assistance Program’s first annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event will take place this Saturday (4/30) at 1PM at Marist College!  

Everyone is invited!  Help us raise awareness and support Crime Victims. You can register as an individual or a team.  We’ve got great prizes for walkers who bring in the most sponsorships.  If you don’t have a pair of heels, don’t worry we’ve got a pair of pink flip flops for you!

 

For more information or to register, go to http://www.familyservicesny.org/WalkAMile2011.php

Like us on Facebook to stay updated – 

 Walk a Mile in Dutchess County

Three cheers from the The Poughkeepsie Journal

Three cheers | The Poughkeepsie Journal | poughkeepsiejournal.com

To those working to highlight April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Dutchess County officials, members of local police departments and representatives of the Crime Victims Assistance Program and the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse hosted a news conference last week to call attention to the issue. They noted the local services available to victims.  "It shouldn't be just April that we pay special attention to this. It should be all year round," said Dutchess County Sheriff Butch Anderson.

To raise money for victims, the Crime Victims Assistance Program is hosting an April 30 event called "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes." The old saying, "You can't really understand another person's experience until you've walked a mile in her shoes," is the inspiration for this international walk, which asks men to literally walk one mile in women's high-heeled shoes. High heels can be very uncomfortable, and Old Navy is donating dolled-up flip-flops for guys who don't want to feel the pain. For these guys, they might finally get a true understanding of the bumper sticker that says, "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did except backward and in high heels."

The entire community, however, is welcome to participate. To sign up for the event, go to www.familyservicesny.org/WalkAMile2011.php or call call Sharon Doane at the Family Services' Crime Victims Assistance Program, 845-452-1110, Ext. 3127.

Come have fun at Crime Victims' Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event!

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

There’s an old saying: "You can't really understand another person's experience until you've walked a mile in their shoes." Walk a Mile in Her Shoes asks men literally to walk one mile in women's shoes. It's not easy walking in these shoes, but it's fun and it gets the community talking about something that's really difficult to talk about: gender relations and sexual violence.

Family Services' Crime Victims Assistance Program’s first annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event will take place at 1PM April 30 at Marist College.  Everyone is invited!  Help us raise awareness and support Crime Victims. 

You can register as an individual or a team.  We’ve got great prizes for walkers who bring in the most sponsorships.  If you don’t have a pair of heels, don’t worry we’ve got a pair of pink flip flops for you!

For more information or to register, go to familyservicesny.org and click on Walk a Mile in HER Shoes under “Happenings.”

Like us on Facebook to stay updated – 

Walk a Mile in Dutchess County

Employment Opportunity- Crime Victims Therapist

Join Our Dynamic Team!

Family Services’ Crime Victims Assistance Program is seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated full-time therapist to provide trauma therapy to adult and child victims of crime.  Job responsibilities include: providing assessment, individual and group therapy; crisis intervention; responding to hotline calls; providing in-services and community presentations on related issues.  Some on-call services are necessary.  MSW or MA with NYS license required.  Experience working with victims a plus.  

Send resume and cover letter to Sharon Doane, Director of Forensic Services: sdoane@familyservicesny.org by 3/4/11. 

Walk a Mile with Family Services

What on earth do you have on your feet?!

The International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence

There’s an old saying: “You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.”  Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® asks men to literally walk one mile in women’s high-heeled shoes.  It’s not easy walking in those shoes, but it’s fun and gets the community talking about a difficult subject--gender relations and sexual violence.

On April 30, 2011, FSI’s Crime Victims Assistance Program will host its first Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event at Marist College.

Walk as an individual or get your friends or club to register as a team. Have some fun as you compete in your red high heels. Get your girlfriends to cheer you on. It's for a great cause -- to raise awareness and funds to stop gender violence. More details to follow.

Everyone is welcome.  We are currently seeking sponsors.  Contact Sharon Doane 452-1110 x3127 or sdoane@familyservicesny.org. 

Like us on facebook or check back here for updates about walk registration and how you can participate!

Thank You To Fairview Firefighters

Thank you to our amazing friends Mark Bendel and Robert Ridley from the Fairview Fire Department for the tremendous donation of food to our Crime Victims Assistance Program and also to our Battered Women's Services program. Your support is sincerely appreciated. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!