Walden Can Help Domestic Violence Victims
Walden’s goal is to help individuals and families in crisis to safely stabilize their crisis situation.
For more than 40 years, Walden has been serving the citizens of St. Mary’s County during times of crisis. The crisis hotline (301-863-6661) has been funded by St. Mary’s County since Walden opened. Across those 40-plus years Walden workers have taken about half a million calls.
Walden serves more than 500 cases of domestic violence each year and is available 24 hours a day to help. Walden provides individual and group counseling, court advocacy, hotel services, and assistance with linkage to safe houses for victims of domestic violence.
Walden also continues to collaborate with the Department of Social Service, local hospital and law enforcement agencies to identify victims and family members of abuse via Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) screening, in order to provide support, outreach, information, resources, and service. In addition, Walden works with local elementary schools to implement the Maryland Student Assistance Program (MSAP) to identify and provide referral, assessment, intervention and follow-up of “at-risk” students impacted by domestic violence.
Walden’s services are available to anyone with any type of crisis in St. Mary’s County. The crisis and trauma services can be accessed a few different ways: call the 24 hour crisis hotline (301-863-6661) anytime, connect with a collaborative partner, or come in the Hope Place office in Lexington Park, MD, for same day walk in access.
“Together with our partners in county government, MedStar St. Mary’s, DSS, the Family Advocacy Center, the State’s Attorney office, the courts, the Sheriff’s department and state police, we strive to help end domestic violence,” said Walden CEO Kathleen O’Brien, PhD. “We help thousands of our local citizens annually. No matter what the issue, our staff is ready to provide support and assistance. Please call us anytime day or night at 301-863-6661. We are here to listen.”
Walden thanks county citizens and officials for their continued support and pledges to continue to bring Southern Maryland “Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.”
