Transitions Family Violence Services is the sole provider of comprehensive family violence services in Hampton, Newport News and Poquoson, and a co-provider of services for York County.

Transitions Family Violence Services is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization formed in 1977. It is funded by the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula, grants from many sources and community contributions. Clients receive all services at no charge, although transitional housing clients pay rent according to their income.

The mission of Transitions Family Violence Services is to build safe and healthy families on the Virginia Peninsula. The agency assists adult and child victims through the provision of shelter, counseling and advocacy services. We work to increase awareness of domestic violence and provide opportunities for community members to participate in our mission.

Since 1980, 16,000 clients have been sheltered for 160,000 nights of shelter, yet, to our knowledge, no victim ever sheltered has subsequently been murdered by the abuser. This program literally saves lives.

Transitions implements outreach, emergency, short-term, transitional shelter, and specialized services, providing 90 emergency, short term, and transitional beds and a client service center. A 24-hour hotline, crisis intervention, counseling, legal advocacy, transportation, trained volunteers, and experienced staff enable clients to assess their situations and formulate action plans. Case management, self-sufficiency, outreach for older battered women and child witnesses of violence, internships and community education are priorities. Children’s programs include childcare, art/play therapy, after-school tutoring, and conflict resolution. Clients reside 30 days to 2 years before moving to permanent housing, where more than two-thirds have remained in permanent housing since 1991. Clients with substance abuse and employment issues are assisted and given referrals and resources to seek treatment and find employment.

In FY07, Transitions served 263 sheltered and 2,849 outreach clients. Transitions is a quality organization with a 30-year history of upholding best practices standards, as acknowledged by Fannie Mae, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Department of Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence, the Governor of Virginia, and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance (VSDVAA). During the past two years, 100% of Transitions’ NEXT STEP clients remain in permanent housing. Transitions is credited by the Newport News Chief of Police for having, with his department, reduced domestic violence homicides in Newport News by 60% since 1984.

Other agencies may house women who have had domestic and family violence in their histories, but Transitions offers a full range of services that are designed to help them not only with their shelter needs, but to build violence-free, self-sufficient lives.