Westchester County Executive George Latimer and the Westchester County Office for Women (OFW) are awarding over $2.6 million in contracts in 2022 to provide crucial services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The funding, a result of an RFP process, comes on the heels of Director of the Office for Women Robi Schlaff being named as a “Game Changer” by End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI).
Schlaff is being honored for the implementation of a collaborative process aimed at reducing serious risk of harm to domestic violence victims and their families.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “From the time that Robi began as Director of the County’s Office for Women in 2013, she has worked tirelessly to establish successful support services and programs to counter domestic violence and advance opportunities for women. One of her greatest accomplishments was the creation of the County’s Domestic Violence High Risk Team, which brings together key community leaders to minimize the risk of devastating domestic violence tragedies. We are proud she has been named a “Game Changer” by EVAWI, and we look forward to seeing our community partners succeed with this additional funding this year.”
Schlaff said: “The success of our work is based on the incredible partnerships with law enforcement, the district attorney’s office, civil legal services and domestic violence advocates and survivors. We could not have accomplished this incredible initiative without the leadership of County Executive George Latimer.”
The awardees who will receive the funding in 2022 include:
- Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV)
- Comprehensive civil legal services for victims of domestic violence residing in Westchester County or accessing Westchester County courts
- Pace Women’s Justice Center (Subcontractor)
- Comprehensive civil legal services for victims of domestic violence residing in Westchester County or accessing Westchester County courts
- My Sisters’ Place, Inc. (Subcontractor for Civil Legal Services)
- Comprehensive civil legal services for victims of domestic violence residing in Westchester County or accessing Westchester County courts
- Non-residential support services for victims of domestic violence as well as domestic violence education and training for service providers, healthcare professionals and middle/high school students in Westchester County
- Hope’s Door, Inc.
- Non-residential support services for victims of domestic violence as well as domestic violence education and training for middle/high school students in Westchester County
- WestCOP, Inc. (through its Victims Assistance Services Program)
- Support services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Westchester County
- Westchester County Health Care Corporation (through Westchester Medical Center)
- Bilingual services for victims of sexual assault in Westchester County
The Westchester County OFW handles over $5.8 million in contracts annually for a variety of services, including support and legal services for victims and families, legal services for immigrants, children’s services, health/mental health services, training and education and entrepreneurship.