Services

ALL HOTLINE CALLS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND FREE.

We encourage individuals experiencing or have experienced a victimization such as domestic violence, physical abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking or any other violent crime(s) to call and seek our services for immediate support.

24/7 HOTLINE (713) 473-2801

The Bridge’s services and programs are offered to help our clients heal mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Our philosophy focuses on empowering individuals and families to make healthy decisions that will lead to productive lifestyles.

Clients participate in all services on a volunteer basis. Immediate crisis intervention and advocacy are available on a walk-in basis during our regular business hours (9am-4pm).

For domestic and sexual violence crisis intervention call the 24/7 Hotline at (713) 473-2801 or to schedule an afterhours appointment.

Learn More About Our Services

Therapy Portal

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is behavior in which one person attempts to control another through threats or actual tactics.

If You Need Help

Statistically, the most dangerous time for the abused person is when they are fleeing the violent situation.

Taking Steps to Leave an Abusive Relationship

For domestic or sexual violence intervention contact The Bridge’s 24/7 hotline 713-473-2801.

Or contact your local crisis center to speak to an advocate.

Develop a safety plan by:

  • Putting away an emergency fund of cash
  • Obtaining copies of documents such as
    • Passports
    • Driver’s license
    • Birth certificates for yourself and child(ren) if applicable
    • Immunization records
  • Pack a suitcase with basic clothing and hygiene needs for yourself and child(ren) that is easily accessible in an emergency
  • Develop a code word for your family and friends to let them know you may be in danger
  • Educate yourself about the legal system (i.e. protective orders, legal remedies for immigrants, etc.)

Prevention:

  • Respect a person’s right to say “NO”
  • Educate yourself and others on the issues
  • Believe in equality
  • Volunteer at your local domestic violence and/or rape crisis program
  • Be aware of how violence is portrayed in the media
  • Believe survivors
  • Contact your legislators and political leaders
  • Know the statistics
  • Speak out against all forms of violence
  • Stop yourself and others from ignoring sexual/domestic violence

Domestic Violence Includes:

Physical Abuse

  • pushing, throwing, kicking
  • slapping, grabbing, hitting, punching, beating, tripping, poking, bruising, choking, shaking
  • pinching, biting
  • holding, restraining, confinement
  • breaking bones
  • assault with a weapon such as a knife or gun
  • burning
  • murder

Emotional (Verbal or Nonverbal) Abuse

  • threatening or intimidating to gain compliance
  • destruction of the victim’s personal property and possessions, or threats to do so
  • violence to an object (such as a wall or piece of furniture) or pet, in the presence of the intended victim, as a way of instilling fear of further violence
  • yelling or screaming
  • name-calling
  • constant harassment
  • embarrassing, making fun of, or mocking the victim, either alone within the household, in public, or in front of family or friends
  • criticizing or diminishing the victim’s accomplishments or goals
  • not trusting the victim’s decision making
  • telling the victim that they are worthless without the abuser
  • excessive possessiveness, isolation from friends and family
  • excessive checking up on the victim to make sure they are at home or where the person told the abuser where the victim would be
  • saying hurtful things while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and using the substance as an excuse to say the hurtful things
  • blaming the victim for how the abuser acts or feels
  • making the victim remain on the premises after a fight, or leaving them somewhere else after a fight, just to “teach them a lesson”
  • making the victim feel that there is no way out of the relationship

Sexual Abuse

  • Sexual assault: forcing someone to participate in unwanted, unsafe or degrading sexual activity.
  • Coercion by threats and/or manipulation such as accusing the survivor of cheating or infidelity.
  • Sexual harassment: ridiculing another person to try to limit their sexuality or reproductive choices
  • Sexual exploitation (such as forcing someone to look at pornography, or forcing someone to participate in pornographic film-making)
  • Withholds sex and affection as punishment
  • Calls person offensive sexual names
  • Engages in sexual relationships outside of the marriage or monogamous relationship
  • Denies contraception or protection against a sexually transmitted infection

Stalking

  • repeated phone calls, hang-ups
  • following, tracking (possibly even with a global positioning device)
  • finding the person through public records, online searching or paid investigators
  • watching with hidden cameras
  • suddenly showing up where the victim is, at home, school or work
  • sending emails; communicating in chat rooms or with instant messaging
  • sending unwanted packages, cards, gifts or letters
  • monitoring the victim’s phone calls or computer use
  • contacting the victim’s friends, family, co-workers or neighbors to find out about the victim
  • going through the victim’s garbage
  • threatening to hurt the victim or their family, friends or pets
  • damaging the victim’s home, car or other property

Economic or Financial Abuse

  • withholding economic resources such as money or credit cards
  • stealing from or defrauding a partner of money or assets
  • exploiting the intimate partner’s resources for personal gain
  • withholding physical resources such as food, clothes, necessary medications or shelter from a partner
  • preventing the spouse or intimate partner from working or choosing an occupation

Spiritual Abuse

  • using the spouse’s or intimate partner’s religious or spiritual beliefs to manipulate them
  • preventing the partner from practicing their religious or spiritual beliefs
  • ridiculing the other person’s religious or spiritual beliefs
  • forcing the children to be reared in a faith that the partner has not agreed to

What is Sexual Assault?

Sexual Violence is any behavior of a sexual nature that is committed without consent. When individuals think of sexual violence our first thought is often of rape, but sexual violence consists of many more behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs. A few examples of sexual violence includes verbal violence, cat calling on the street, sending or receiving unwanted explicit photos, believing that physical affection is “owed” after a date, or unwanted touching. Call Jessica Bellant, our Education and Prevention Director to request a presentation or professional training concerning sexual violence.

If you are sexually assaulted:
  • Get to a place where you will be safe from further attack. For your own protection, call 911 immediately, especially if the assailant is still nearby. The police will help you whether or not you choose to prosecute the assailant.
  • Call a friend or family member for support.
  • Get medical attention immediately. The primary purpose of a medical examination following a rape is to check for physical injury, the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy as a result of the rape. The secondary purpose of a medical examination is to aid in the police investigation and legal proceedings.
  • Don’t shower, bathe or douche. Showering, bathing or douching might be the first thing you want to do. However, you will literally wash away valuable evidence. Wait until a doctor has examined you.
  • Save your clothing. It is all right to change clothes, but save what you were wearing. Your clothing could be used as evidence for prosecution. Place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag for the police.
  • Report the incident to the police. It is up to you, but reporting a rape isn’t the same thing as prosecuting a rape. Prosecution can be determined later.

The Bridge 24/7 Hotline is 713-473-2801.

Advocates are available to accompany you to the hospital 24 hours a day.

Emergency Shelter Program

The goal of the Emergency Shelter program is to empower families to achieve safety, understand their options, break the cycle of domestic violence, sexual assault, homelessness and rebuild their lives.

Frequent referral partners include:

Law Enforcement: Pasadena, La Porte, Galena Park, Channelview, Deer Park, Jacinto City, Baytown, and South Houston Police Departments and Harris County Sheriff’s Department  

Health Services: Harris County Hospital District, Pasadena Health Center, AIDS Foundation Houston, Prevent Blindness Texas, Baylor College of Medicine, and Texas Chiropractors 

Mental Health Services: Family Service Center, MHMRA-Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, Innovative Alternatives, Neuropsychiatric Center, Mental Health America of Greater Houston, Montrose Counseling Center, and Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol

Employment Assistance: Workforce Solutions and the Texas Workforce Commission

Mainstream Resources: SNAP Food Benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicaid

To achieve this goal, the following services are provided:

Emergency Shelter and Basic Needs: The emergency shelter can accommodate up to 100 individuals each night in a combination of dormitory-style rooms and family rooms. Immediately upon entering the shelter, a Resident Advocate conducts an orientation, provides a shelter guide, and helps meet clients’ immediate needs. Throughout the duration of their stay at the shelter, residents have their basic needs met.

Crisis Intervention 24/7 Hotline: Shelter staff provide crisis intervention by meeting the immediate needs of domestic and sexual violence survivors. Immediate needs include food, emergency medical attention, advocacy and accompaniment, legal assistance, protective order assistance, crisis counseling, and transportation assistance. Crisis intervention is also provided throughout the client’s residency at the Emergency Shelter as crisis situations arise.

Case Management and Support Services: Within 24 hours of entry into the shelter, clients meet with their assigned Caseworker. The Caseworker assesses the client’s immediate needs and provides the appropriate services or referrals. Caseworkers provide options to help clients increase their residential stability providing case management services including goal setting, advocacy, accompaniment, domestic violence education, safety planning, lethality assessments, and information and referrals. Clients meet with their Caseworker a minimum of twice per week, but may meet every day depending on the needs of the client and the immediacy of the client’s crisis situation. All case management services utilize evidence-based practices, including trauma-informed care. All residents of the Emergency Shelter have access to agency support services, which include individual counseling, substance abuse counseling, support groups, life skills/parenting classes, and job readiness training. Clients are assessed for one of the housing programs, including transitional housing, rapid rehousing, or permanent supportive housing.

Coordination with Other Service Providers: The Bridge collaborates with many community partners to coordinate with and access mainstream resources and other community resources for domestic violence victims, sexual assault and homeless.

Housing

The Bridge offers a variety of supportive services to help with housing.

  • Permanent Supportive Housing with supportive services.
  • Quality Housing Certified
  • On site licensed and accredited childcare
  • Rapid Re-housing-up to two years financial assistance with supportive services.
  • Transitional housing program-up to two years financial assistance with supportive services.

Children’s Services

Investing In Lives

The Children’s Program, known as The Bridge for Kids, provides a holistic approach to trauma-informed services to all families with children ages birth to 18 years of age participating in any of our programs. Our childcare learning center is N.A.E.Y.C. accredited and staffed with child development teachers who work collaboratively with child advocates, youth specialists and parenting educators. The Bridge for Kids impacts lives for generations by breaking the cycle of violence and providing hope and healing.

Child Advocacy:

All children and youth within our program receive the following services:

  • An initial Trauma focused children’s assessment- that focus on their strengths, needs and exposure to trauma to develop an effective service plan.
  • Clothing or shoes if available
  • One-on-One meetings
  • Welcome and Birthday presents
  • Coordinate recreational and community service activities.

Parents receive a trauma focused family assessment and are offered parenting classes and free childcare.

Advocates also act as liaison between the parents and various organizations such as Pasadena ISD, CPS, ECI, and others.

The Advocates provide school advocacy to all school age children within our agency. Each of the Advocates have been trained by the Texas Homeless Education Office to inform each parent of the McKinney-Vento Act, and to offer support to each school we work with. With the help of school administrators, Advocates help coordinate uniform assistance, supply assistance, transportation assistance, and educational advocacy.

Support Groups

Our support groups utilizes a trauma sensitive approach centered around the effects of trauma. Groups are provided weekly to all children in our programs. The groups are broken up by ages ranging from two years to eighteen years old. The group discussion topics consist of: safety, effective communication, healthy relationships, healthy boundaries, self– esteem, coping skills, identification of emotions, empathy building (caring for animals), and self-regulation techniques (expressive dance, yoga, Brazilian Jiu jitsu, boxing, art expression, and so on).

Youth Specialists

Develops individual service plans by assessing children’s development, temperament, coping skills, medical needs, and available support services using independent discretion and utilizing CANS Assessment.

Provides services to minors with extensive exposure to trauma residing in our emergency residential shelter, Permanent supportive housing, and non-residential program by providing psycho-educational sessions, life skills, peer counseling and trauma informed support groups.

Parent Advocacy

Just as every child is different, every family has different needs. The Bridge offers Parenting classes as well as One on One Parenting sessions with our Parent Educator. Parenting classes are centered on a reflective parenting approach. Parents who are struggling with their daily lives, or having difficulties understanding certain aspects of child rearing can benefit from the preventative aspect of a parenting educational program. Parenting classes can help parents gain the problem solving techniques that are necessary to deal with situations that they might face in a healthy way.

Help stop the generational cycle of violence. Donate to The Bridge for Kids.

The Education & Prevention Department

What We Do:

Our team provides professional trainings, community workshops, psycho-education groups, and facilitated discussions concerning domestic and sexual violence and how to prevent these forms of violence. All of the trainings, workshops and groups that we provide are free and tailored to the group requesting the workshop.

We provide a significant amount of our education and prevention programming to students in schools, as young as 5th grade.

If you are interested in requesting a workshop or training please complete the workshop request form.

Our Primary Prevention of Sexual & Domestic Violence Psycho-Educational Groups:

The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc. is dedicated to not only educating the community about domestic and sexual violence, but we also strive to eliminate these forms of violence through primary prevention programming. The Bridge offers 7-10 weeks of psycho-educational groups to all young people ages 9-22 concerning the root causes of violence.

Each of our groups are tailored to meet the age, needs, and interests of the students in the group. Topics of the group include community and trust building, defining healthy relationships, understanding boundaries, self-esteem, communication, gender socialization, media literacy, and bystander intervention. Please contact Jessica Bellant, Director of Education & Prevention for more information concerning our prevention programming.

For More Information Contact:

Jessica Bellant, Prevention & Education Director
jbellant@tbotw.org
713-472-0753

To review some of our workshops and schedule a presentation, please visit: Workshops and Trainings

*All workshops can be adjusted for virtual presentations.

Advocacy

The Bridge offers a variety of supportive services to help with advocacy.

Advocacy services including but not limited to:

  • Mobile advocacy
  • Crisis intervention
  • Case management: including children/youth
  • Safety planning
  • Accompaniments: court, hospital, other medical, police, etc.
  • Assistance with applying for Crime Victims’ Compensation, Address Confidentiality Program, Impact Statements, and mainstream services, i.e., SSI, SSDI, SNAP, child support, etc.
  • Information and referrals
  • Financial literacy
  • Support group: CPS approved parenting and domestic violence education, sexual assault and teens
  • Therapy including support groups-Closed and Open-please call hotline for more information
  • Childcare available for adults attending support groups and or case management, therapy sessions
  • On site forensic collection for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault: SANE
  • Housing assessments via Coordinated Entry

Therapy

The Bridge Over Troubled Waters recognizes that domestic and sexual violence can have a significant and long-lasting impact on survivors. The therapy department is here to help you understand what has happened to you, how it has affected you and how to heal. Our goal is to walk alongside you as you pursue your mental health goals.

The Bridge Over Troubled Waters recognizes that domestic and sexual violence can have a significant and long-lasting impact on survivors. The therapy department is here to help you understand what has happened to you, how it has affected you and how to heal. Our goal is to walk alongside you as you pursue your mental health goals.

We Offer:

  • Play therapy for children
  • Individual therapy for teens and adults
  • Family therapy
  • Support groups

The therapy team is diverse to meet the needs of our clients

  • Staff therapists are licensed in the state of Texas
  • All services are offered in Spanish and English
  • Specialized services to treat special populations such as chemical dependency and play therapy
  • Many of our therapists are trained in advanced, evidence based, trauma techniques, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • We also train student and newly licensed volunteer therapists.

For Domestic & Sexual Violence Intervention

Call 24/7 Hotline: 713-473-2801

Interested in learning more about The Bridge Over Troubled Waters?

Contact Us