A Lifeline to Safety
Lives on the Line program provides talk and text minutes and a cell phone to individuals experiencing family violence who have no other means of communication.
This program is a lifeline to safety and help if someone is in danger of an assault, harassment or stalking. A phone means the person has access to the support of friends, family and other community agencies.
62 cell phones were provided to Individuals Experiencing Family Violence in 2023/24
Jennifer’s Story
Jennifer was a newcomer to Edmonton and left her extremely abusive husband with nothing but the clothes on her back. The Lives on the Line program provided her with a cell phone and talk and text minutes, so she could connect with service providers, friends and her support system. After her husband found her, Jennifer was able to use her Lives on the Line phone to contact police. Because of a phone, she escaped a physical assault. Because of a phone, she had a lifeline to safety.
Steps to book an appointment with a Family Violence Specialist
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Any adult who has recently (within the past year) been subjected to family violence. We work with individuals of any gender, sexual orientation, religion, race and culture.
We serve those in Edmonton and surrounding area.
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Your call will be transferred to our Family Violence Intake Specialist to chat about The Today Centre’s services, ask questions about resources, and/or to book an appointment. If you are interested in booking an appointment, our Family Violence Intake Specialist will complete an intake with you, and this information will be passed to the Family Violence Specialist you will be seeing.
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If our Family Violence Intake Specialist is not available when you call, you may need to leave a message. When leaving a message, we ask that you: provide your name and number, and also indicate whether it is safe to leave a message when we return your call. We will not leave a message unless we know it is safe to do so. We strive to return messages in one to two business days.
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The intake will include questions on your demographics (age, address, ethnicity, gender, etc.) and questions about the violence you have been experiencing. The intake provides us with information about who accesses services at The Today Centre and about what has been going on for you recently. You do not have to answer anything you are not comfortable answering. This process is based on your individual needs, and can take anywhere from ten to forty minutes.
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The Today Centre offers services over the phone, over Zoom (a link will be provided), or in-person during office hours Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm. For in-person sessions, you will be asked about your vaccination status, however proof of vaccination is not required.
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The role of the Family Violence Specialist is to provide a non-judgmental, safe space for you to tell your story and provide resource information and support. The work conducted by Family Violence Specialists is guided by the Canadian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and the Alberta College of Social Workers Standards of Practice.
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Family Violence Specialists are able to support with the creation of safety plans, assess for risk associated with physical harm or domestic homicide, provide education on family violence, and connect you to resources. Initial sessions are typically between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the individual’s needs.
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The Today Centre offers short-term support. Our clients typically spend 4-5 sessions with a Family Violence Specialist.
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No, our services are free of charge.
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No problem. If you are more comfortable accessing services in your first language, The Today Centre can arrange for interpretation during your sessions. Please let us know if this is required.
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Childminding services are normally available, but due to COVID-19 these services have been put on hold. You will need to find alternate care for your children as they are not able to be in the session with you due to the potentially traumatizing nature of what is being discussed. If alternative care barriers exist, contact us as options may be available.