Help During a Crisis
24-Hour Crisis and Support Line
HAVEN has a hotline called the Crisis and Support Line. This hotline can help you if you are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault or if you have questions. The crisis line is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When you call, we can give you support, information and referrals to other agencies if necessary.
If you would like an appointment with HAVEN for any reason, call the Crisis and Support Line. Victims, friends, family or anyone can call the Crisis and Support Line for information.
The Crisis and Support Line is free.
24-Hour Emergency Shelter Program
HAVEN has a 24-hour emergency shelter. This overnight (residential) program is the only one in Oakland County for domestic violence or sexual assault. The program also accepts children with a parent. Men can stay too if they are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.
If you need to go to the shelter, please email us at helpnow@haven-oakland.org or call the HAVEN 24-Hour Crisis Line at 248-334-1274 (through Relay). The shelter is in a secret location so it is harder for abusers to find.
You can stay at the shelter for up to 45 days.
We have individual and group counseling sessions to help start your healing. While you are in the HAVEN shelter, you can get help finding a new place to live, medical care and some limited financial help as well.
We have many programs for children who are staying at the shelter. Kids may receive counseling and can still go to school. Your shelter caseworker will help you make arrangements.
All shelter services are free.
If you need more information about the shelter, please email us at helpnow@haven-oakland.org or call our Crisis and Support Line at 248-334-1274 (through Relay).
Help in Court
HAVEN also has a Social Action Program. This program provides a safe and supportive environment to help people gain trust again, feel safe and less alone. Advocates help in a confidential (private) way. HAVEN has an advocate who is fluent in ASL.
Advocates are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have a pager if they are needed and will provide support after an assault. They will go to any Oakland County hospital, our rape exam location (START site) or police station. If you have a friend or family member with you, HAVEN will send a second advocate to help them.
If you need an advocate, HAVEN will page the advocate. The advocate will contact you by videophone or text. Your advocate can give you information to help you during this crisis. They are trained to see how much danger you are in and help you with a safety plan. They can give you information about doctors or hospitals and tell you what your rights are. If you need some money, your advocate can help you apply for money from the Crime Victims fund.
Advocates work with specific district courts in Oakland County. They will go with you to court and help you get a Personal Protection Order (PPO) if you need it. Advocates can go with you for “Show Cause” hearings at the court. They can also work with the local police, prosecutors’ offices and lawyers’ offices.
Personal Protection Order (PPO) Office
If you have been stalked or have experienced domestic violence, you may feel confused and scared by the PPO process, but the skilled staff at HAVEN will help you and support you through the process.
On October 1, 2006, HAVEN began working with the Oakland County Personal Protection Order (PPO) office. The HAVEN PPO office is at the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac.
This service is free. To contact the PPO office, please call 248-975-9511 through Relay. The program is funded by VOCA (Victims of Crime Act).
Rape Exam Program
START (Safe Therapeutic Assault Response Team)
HAVEN has a program called START (Safe Therapeutic Assault Response Team). We can provide you with emotional support and a caring, warm medical team that includes nurses, doctors’ assistants and HAVEN advocates who help you if you have been sexually abused. Our team will carefully examine you and may be able to get the proof needed that you were sexually assaulted.
We have people called Forensic Examiners (FEs). They are specially trained people who can do examinations on both adults and children to find proof that you were raped. They are trained to go to court to tell the judge what happened.
The START office is in Royal Oak. The advocate and forensic examiners meet people in Royal Oak.
The forensic examiner can help both males and females who have been sexually assaulted (13 years old or older) if you tell the police what happened within 96 hours.
This service is free.
If you need more information about the shelter, please email us at helpnow@haven-oakland.org or call our Crisis and Support Line at 248-334-1274 (through Relay).