Though survivors can share common feelings of fear, anger and hurt, everyone’s situation is different. We believe that victims/survivors of violence know their situation best. We know that each person who calls us may have a different need.
We will not tell you what to do. We will give you information. We will offer concrete help. We will be ready, whenever and as often as you need us, but it is you who decides what you want and how to proceed.
We serve adults and children, of any gender or gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, or income level.
Here are some of the ways we can help.
Our services are free, confidential, and available in any language.
We have:
- 24/7 Hotline – a toll-free hotline, (866) 401-2425, that you can call anytime of the day or night for support, counseling, advocacy, shelter, or just to talk.
- Response to hospitals or police stations – counselors available 24/7 to help those who need to flee violence. We can meet you at hospitals or police stations following an attack to provide help and support.
- Emergency services – including shelter, food, transportation and safe phones, to help you get and stay safe.
- Emergency shelter – we have a secure, home-like shelter, and if our shelter is full, we will find you emergency shelter until we can develop an appropriate plan.
- Pet foster care – a “SafePet” program with Berkshire Humane Society to provide foster care for pets if violence has interrupted your care of them and they need safety.
- Counseling – free and confidential counseling in individual and group settings to help you heal from harm of violence, and to understand that it is not your fault and you are not alone.
- Safety planning – to help you be safer or to help you get to safety.
- Advocacy – to help you get services you need, including income support and medical care, education and training, legal help, help with your bills, housing that is safe and affordable, and protections so you can keep your job or stay in school.
- Court advocates – staff in the Probate Court and in the district courts in North Adams and Great Barrington to help with restraining orders and to talk about your situation and what can help.
- Counselors who work specifically with immigrants – we have counselors with special training and experience in immigration issues.
- LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer) services – including LGBTQ counselors and LGBTQ support groups. Visit www.elizabethfreemancenter.org/rainbow for more info.
- Supervised visitation program – with Berkshire County Sheriff’s Deputies, to keep children and survivors safe during visitation when there is a history of family violence.
We have offices in North Adams, Great Barrington and Pittsfield. We have staff in the Pittsfield Police Department, the Adams Police Department, and Berkshire County Kids’ Place. We have staff that go to other shelters. We can meet people in safe locations almost anywhere in Berkshire County.