Bethany Women's Center
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 7:30-4:00 Weekends, 9:00-4:00
A woman enters the N Street Village continuum of services through the Bethany Women's Center (BWC), where between 80 and 100 women are served each day. In BWC a woman may receive food (breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are served each day), have access to showers and bathrooms, laundry machines and a clothing closet, use the lounge for relaxation, or participate in a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, book groups, games, beauty sessions, health education presentations and more.
A woman who makes use of the Bethany Women's Center is invited to be seen for an intake session with a case manager but is not required to do so. As she develops increasing trust and comfort in her relationship with our excellent and caring staff she may begin to feel more comfortable accepting additional services.
Case Management
An intake interview with Case Management is the next step in the NSV progression of services and will entail a review of a woman's current circumstances, including: her family situation, employment and income status, housing history, health and mental health history, her perceived strengths and resources and her stated needs.
From this point an individualized case plan will be developed in conjunction with the client to identify goals and a strategy to accomplish them. Such a plan might include addressing the client's compliance with mental health care, applying for disability benefits or Section 8 housing, finding medical help for a chronic problem, reuniting with a child or making a safety plan to leave a violent partner. Each plan is premised on the individual needs and abilities of the client and is meant to be a cooperative effort between her and her case manager.
Substance Abuse Recovery
Substance abuse recovery programming is integrated throughout the services of NSV and works in synchronicity with the 12-Step program of AA/NA, which is the most enduring and effective model available for establishment and maintenance of sobriety and lasting behavior change. The 12-Step model incorporates fundamental principles of spiritual health and responsible interpersonal relationships into its prescription for recovery and long-term emotional health.
N Street women attend meetings on site, as well as, out in the community where they develop an even wider network of recovering friends, sponsors and role models. Women in addiction recovery who are residents or participants at NSV work with their case manager to abide by a recovery contract specific to their needs; this contract will detail goals for their sobriety, restrictions or privileges that will apply to their participation, and supports and services that they are asked to use in pursuing their recovery goals.
