Our Services Extended Family US has established a indebth program that not only rescues women and their children who are trying to get out of a domestic violent homelife or relationship, but also sets them on the right path for a happy, safe, and successful future.  Our program is nationwide throughout the United States of America.  Our programs includes a 12-24 month assistance program.  Throughout the course of the program, participants are introduced to the services listed below.  Please click on the services in the list below to get a detailed explaniation of the service.  You can click back on the service title to make the description disappear. Crisis Intervention Crisis Intervention is an effort to reduce the severity of a crisis by providing assistance that will help victims regain a sense of control in their lives and help them understand their reactions. Advocacy EFUS provides legal support & resources, as well as attorney referrals to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Our victim legal-advocacy assistance includes helping domestic violence survivors to obtain Personal Protection Orders (PPOs), to navigate the legal system, and we will also attend legal hearings in court to provide support and guidance. Spiritual Guidance EFUS provides access to spiritual counseling in order to help clients who may feel isolated or hesitant to seek spiritual counseling services through their own place of worship. The spiritual counseling will help clients restore their faith and trust while providing a safe avenue for spiritual healing. Spiritual counseling is offered upon voluntary request without discrimination against any religious belief. Education (Academic) Many times, limited academic education can be a factor in domestic violence. The victim may feel powerless, have low self-esteem, be excluded from opportunities, and overall have a dependency upon the batterer to maintain a standard of living. Extended Family US's Academic program provides: * GED Preparation * Extra-curricular Tutoring * Computer Literacy * College Exploration * Career Counseling * Mentoring * Advanced Support Services Community Education Extended Family US (EFUS) provides extensive community-education as a key component in achieving our goal of eliminating domestic violence. For those wishing to learn more more about domestic violence awareness and cessation, EFUS offers several training workshops each year. Our workshops inform the public about the dynamics of domestic violence and the toll it exacts on families and on society. Staff and volunteers appear before corporate audiences, civic organizations, church congregations and other public forums in an ongoing effort to increase awareness about the severity of domestic violence. The workshops cover a wide range of topics including but not limited to Workplace Violence, Dating Violence, Dynamics of Domestic Violence, Types of Abuse, and Warning Signs Referrals Looking For My Sister's referral program is very well-rounded; we have a comprehensive portfolio of referral partners that will provide legal, medical, community-based, educational, spiritual, and entrepreneurial services. The staff of Looking For My Sister advocates on behalf of women and children in the areas of housing, employment, education, public assistance, day care, and medical services. We have over 30 referral partnerships including: Counseling and Case Management Individual counseling sessions with EFUS are encouraged and required for all victims of domestic violence. One-on-one counseling offers a woman the opportunity to share the depths of her suffering and to vent her long-withheld anger and fears. Our counselors are state-Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW) who have been impacted by or are intimately familiar with the tragedy of domestic violence; counselors help each victim to recognize and appreciate their individual strengths and to establish new goals and an action-plan to achieve them; we're focused on helping survivors to heal from domestic abuse and achieve self-empowerment. Counselors will also connect victims and survivors with valuable resources and referrals for housing, finances, employment, legal-aid, and more. Support Groups Support groups allow victims and survivors of domestic violence to share their experiences with others who are involved in similar situations. Groups focus on reducing the effects of trauma and getting one’s life back on track. The group also provides a support network for the survivors as they move forward. The support-group sessions are held on a weekly basis for participants to meet and interact with successful survivors. Support groups work to dispel myths associated with abuse and to affirm each woman's positive image. Referrals EFUS's referral program is very well-rounded; we have a comprehensive portfolio of referral partners that will provide legal, medical, community-based, educational, spiritual, and entrepreneurial services. The staff of Looking For My Sister advocates on behalf of women and children in the areas of housing, employment, education, public assistance, day care, and medical services. We have one of the largest referral partnerships, and continue to sign more into our network. Job Readiness Many times, unemployment can be a factor in domestic violence. The victim may feel powerless, have low self-esteem, be excluded from opportunities, and overall have a dependency upon the batterer to maintain a standard of living. Looking For My Sisters' Job-Readiness program teaches the skills needed to apply and interview for jobs, strategies for job retention, and tools for career advancement. Family Life Education EFUS helps families who are impacted by domestic violence to cope with and achieve positive outcomes from the challenges and stressors of daily life. Our Family Life Education program includes support groups, classes, and seminars that focus on issues relevant to family life including: * Financial Literacy * Budgeting & Money Management * Human Sexuality * Conflict Resolution Life Skills Training (LST) Life comes with a myriad of ever-changing challenges. Looking For My Sister offers a wide scope of workshops to enable victims and survivors to develop healthy life skills. Our programs include:: * Esteem & Self-Improvement * Decision Making * Dealing with Anxiety * Social Skills & Awareness * Communication Skills * Assertiveness Training Prevention Education Prevention Education programs are designed to give students a knowledge and understanding of Healthy Communication, Conflict Resolution, Building Self-Esteem, Power of Spoken Words, and Types of Abuse. Students learn how to make better choices in life and to develop a support network; they also receive instruction about identifying positive influences & environments, and avoiding detrimental events. Extended Family US also provides resources and support for educators and community leaders. Our prevention specialists participate in discussion panels or presentations for large and small groups that are interested in domestic violence awareness and cessation; we are also a resource for research, problem assessment, referral programs, treatment programs, and community & cultural issues that pertain to domestic violence prevention. Youth Awareness In an effort to prevent intimate partner violence, our Youth Awareness program ensures that youth are able to identify the characteristics of a healthy relationship, as well as valuing themselves and being responsible for their future. Outside organizations that work with the youth of the women in our program target young women grades 7-12, and explores behaviors associated with dating violence, as well as coaching in areas such as decision making and life skills. Extended Family US's prevention outreach extends to the youth as well. We provide education programs and speak to young people—from ages 3 thru high school—about domestic and dating violence topics. Our Youth program is co-organized by FiggTree Youth Recording Academy and their nationwide partners, who also have programs set forth for males in that same age group. Transitional and Permanent Housing For nearly all people, "home" is a place of comfort and security; it's the one place in the world where we seek or expect refuge. Unfortunately for domestic violence victims, their house is not a "home", it's a threatening environment where even a good night's sleep is a rarity. For those reasons and others, Extended Family US provides transitional housing for up to 24 months, partnering two or more families together to lessen the burden of single parenthood and providing realistic childcare options; upon successful completion of the program, participants may relocate into their own permanent residence, and achieve their dream of home ownership, through EFUS' partnership with the Housing Authority Organizations for their state. To make this reality possible, our Housing program offers counseling related to: * Budgets & money management * Buying versus renting a home * Loan defaults and foreclosures * Credit scores and their importance * Reverse mortgages