FCSO app can assist victims of violence

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Within the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) smartphone app is a section providing information on the Faith in Recovery coalition — which includes the ability to request help for individuals with a substance abuse issue along with providing several local resources for individuals experiencing domestic violence, dating violence and/or sexual assault.

Those requesting assistance for a person with substance abuse issues can request help from the community’s peer support program (Pathways to Recovery) and/or the outreach overdose team (PORT).

There are several resources located within the domestic violence section of the app. More often than not, a domestic violence victim requires “wraparound services” to empower them. Obtaining the proper services will give the individual a chance to rebuild a sense of control and get their lives back.

Victims of domestic violence are often overwhelmed by the process of seeking help and/or when leaving their abusive partner. This app provides a variety of information directly to victims to have at their fingertips when needed. It is comprised of local counseling centers, Washington Court House Municipal Court and Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Victim Witness Division advocacy services, and information on obtaining protection orders.

Fayette Recovery Center, Phoenix Integrated Health and Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health are the local counseling centers that offer individual and group counseling as well as support groups. Their contact information can be found within the app.

There are different housing programs available for domestic violence victims as well, such as Emergency Transitional Housing, an Emergency Homeless Shelter, Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing. More information on each program is located on the app under Advocacy/Housing.

Both municipal court and Fayette County Victim Witness provide court advocacy, assistance in filing for protection orders, and safety planning as well as other services. Second Chance Center of Hope is also listed. They provide assistance to victims with toiletries, laundry, clothing, job/employment services, tax preparation and food.

There are two supervised visitation and exchange centers that serve Fayette County. These centers make it possible for the parents to have no contact but guarantees the children are able to peacefully and safely transition from one parent to the other.

Victims are given direct access to vinelink.com through the app. VINE is the nation’s leading victim information notification network. It allows survivors and victims of crime to retrieve timely and reliable information about offender custody status in U.S. jails and prisons.

Not only is there information on Faith in Recovery, but through the app individuals have full access to other vital information. The app offers notifications about weather (including emergency alerts), the latest public safety news, local traffic information and much more. It allows residents to report crimes and/or submit tips anonymously, and for residents to see which inmates are incarcerated in the Fayette County Jail and receive notifications upon their release.

The smartphone app came about following a project that was done in coordination between the FCSO, the Fayette County’s I-TEAM and the Community Action Commission of Fayette County.

This free app is available for download by searching “Fayette County Sheriff’s Office” in the app store on an iOS or Android device.

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