Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County feeling effects of COVID-19
MEDIA » The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County is feeling the impact on services due to COVID-19 guidelines and safety recommendations set forth by Gov. Tom Wolfe. DAP’s main office is closed to the public, with exception of essential staff, and Nana’s Attic thrift store is closed indefinitely. As victims are quarantined in their homes with their abusers, DAP staff continues to update delivery of services to clients.
Julie Avalos, DAP’s executive director, compliments the resilience of the staff as they maintain their commitment to victims of domestic violence and move toward an online model.
“Our 24/7 crisis hotline remains operational without any disruption to service. The community education and outreach department has begun to provide domestic violence awareness education via our social media outlets to ensure that we are educating the on-line community about the dynamics of domestic violence and what resources are available to them.”
As the counseling department moves towards a telehealth model, they encounter new challenges. With isolation as an already common way to maintain control in an abusive relationship, it’s now a mandate for the health and safety of the community, said Elizabeth Braccia-Hubbard, DAP’s counseling manager.
“One of the main concerns for counseling through telehealth is safety for survivors who are living with their abusive partner or family member. I may be very difficult for them to find the privacy needed to participate in a counseling sessions, while also facing increased risk of violence,” she said.
It’s not just counseling that is impacted by the stay-at-home order. DAP’s
24/7 crisis hotline provides safety planning, crisis intervention and referrals to shelter. While many domestic violence organizations are reporting a dramatic increase in domestic violence calls due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, DAP’s
24/7 crisis hotline has seen a substantial drop.
“Hotline calls often fluctuate throughout the year. While it is hard to say for certain what is leading to the decrease in hotline calls, it is highly possible that due to isolation and control tactics by abusers, victims needing help may have less access to reaching out for support,” said Nicole Ramspacher, counselor and hotline coordinator. “Victims may not have access to a phone or a safe place to talk about their concerns with a hotline advocate. Reaching out for help and being discovered by the abusive person may put a victim at a higher risk of violence which may lead people to not reach out while quarantined with the abuser.”
With Nana’s Attic Thrift Store being a major fundraiser for the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, there is a growing concern about the funds that are lost due to the shutdown.
“DAP is projected to lose $89,000 if the store is closed for six weeks and this number will only increase the longer we are not in operation, “said Avalos. “Given that families in Delaware County are in their homes, and children are not in school, the impact of violence is more likely than ever. We are committed to continuing to serve as a resource for safety and help for those at most risk.”
The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County provides free crisis hotline, legal, counseling and safe house services to victims of domestic abuse in Delaware County. If someone needs help, or they know someone who needs help, they can contact DAP’s 24/7 hotline at 610-565-4590.
Red Cross seeks plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients
In coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,
the Red Cross is seeking people who are fully recovered from the new coronavirus to sign up to donate plasma to help current COVID-19 patients.
People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma that can attack the virus. This convalescent plasma is being evaluated as treatment for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections, or those judged by a healthcare provider to be at high risk of progression to severe or lifethreatening disease.
To fill out a COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Donor Eligibility form to donate plasma for coronavirus patients, visit redcross.org.
Teleconference available to explain legal steps to take after death of spouse or family member
Christopher M. Murphy, Esq. will hold a teleconference 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 20 to answer questions about the legal steps to take after the death of a spouse or family member. This Senior Community Services presentation, which was originally scheduled to be at the Concord Township Building in Glen Mills, will now be held by teleconference, and is free of charge. A telephone is all that is needed to participate.
Pre-registration is required. To register, call Eileen
Haupt at 484-496-2137.
Pennsylvania launches COVID-19 job hiring portal
Pennsylvanians looking for work can now find life-sustaining businesses that are hiring through a new online COVID-19 job portal the Department of Labor and Industry is launching today.
“Many life-sustaining businesses across Pennsylvania are hiring and this new portal will help connect them with people looking for a job,” said L&I Secretary Jerry Oleksiak. “A top priority of L&I is to provide businesses with access to the workforce they need to maintain their lifesustaining operations and help our workers find jobs, especially during this unprecedented and challenging time.”
People seeking employment can visit www.PAcareerlink.pa.gov and select the green “PA COVID-19 Jobs – Hiring Immediately” job portal banner to see active job openings. Selecting the “Apply Now” button for a listed position will redirect individuals to the employer’s website or email where they can apply directly with the employer and speed up the hiring process.
Life-sustaining businesses can feature their job openings on the portal through an easy to use online form. Businesses
must meet the criteria of a life-sustaining business and must have more than 10 job openings .
The PA COVID-19 job portal is updated daily so businesses in need are spotlighted and people searching for employment have the latest job information.
The new COVID-19 job portal is part of the PA CareerLink® system, an effective one-stop shop for Pennsylvania job seekers and employers. Local PA CareerLink® business teams are assisting lifesustaining businesses to ensure their specific hiring needs are met.
Although PA CareerLink® offices across the commonwealth are physically closed to adhere to necessary social distancing measures, the majority of staff are teleworking and providing virtual services to both job seekers and employers.
Visit the commonwealth’s Responding to
COVID-19 guide for the latest guidance and resources for Pennsylvanians or the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s dedicated coronavirus webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19.