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Safe Place And Rape Crisis Center, INC.

SPARCC Services

Emergency Shelter - Emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The primary goal of the shelter is to protect program participants from harm and to restore them to self-sufficiency through the provision of supportive services. Shelter services include food, clothing, counseling, and advocate services.

24-Hour Hotline - SPARCC’s crisis hotline is answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide immediate response to the needs of victims.  If needed, a crisis intervention advocate can be dispatched to the local hospital or law enforcement agency to provide shelter screenings, advocacy, counseling and other supportive services.

Counseling - SPARCC provides individual counseling and support groups at the shelter and outreach offices.  Crisis counseling is also available 24 hours daily via the SPARCC hotline.

Safety Planning - Planning assistance for ongoing safety is provided to survivors at initial contact on the Hotline and in individual face-to-face counseling sessions.

Transitional Housing - SPARCC provides transitional housing to assist those fleeing violent homes to secure permanent housing and to integrate into the community.  Program participants are eligible for up to one year rent-free while pursuing educational and vocational goals that would enable them to become financially self-sufficient.

Information and Refferal - Information and referral to resources appropriate to individual needs is provided to outreach and shelter participants, via face-to face and telephone contact, as part of the service management.

Children's Services - The SPARCC Children’s Program provides services for participants’ children who have witnessed and/or experienced domestic violence. The Children’s Advocate assesses children for abuse and provides information and referrals for other services as appropriate.

Community Education - Community education presentations are provided to schools, churches, clubs, businesses and other organizations by staff and trained volunteers.  SPARCC provides a violence prevention education program (“PEP”) in elementary schools.  The PEP program teaches peaceful, constructive ways of dealing with emotions, managing anger, and handling stress and conflict.  Additionally, SPARCC offers acquaintance rape and teen dating violence prevention education to middle/high schools, colleges and universities in Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.