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Thank you for your interest in the Enhancing the District’s Response to Trauma program. The District of Columbia Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants has partnered with Give an Hour to develop a new initiative: Enhancing the District’s Response to Trauma (EDRT). At Give an Hour we believe that within our communities we have the resources to address many of society’s challenges that result in emotional pain and suffering. EDRT will provide free and confidential trauma-specific mental health services to individuals in the District of Columbia and their families who are:

  • victims of crime
  • justice-involved adults and juveniles
  • youth at risk of truancy or juvenile delinquency

In order to be connected to an EDRT mental health provider, please complete the EDRT Enrollment Form below. Once you complete the information necessary, you will be contacted by a Give an Hour referral specialist who will work with you to find a suitable mental health provider. OVSJG requests that Give an Hour collect data. Your name and demographic information will be kept confidential and used solely for the purpose of anonymous tracking of the utilization of this project. If you have any questions, please contact EDRT@giveanhour.org. If you have not heard from a Give an Hour referral specialist within 3 business days please contact info@giveanhour.org.

How to Access Individual Services

In order to receive services through EDRT, you must:

  • Be at least 5 years of age
  • Fall into one of the following categories:
    • Victim of a crime
    • Justice-involved adult or juvenile
    • Youth at risk of truancy or juvenile delinquency
    • Family member of someone in one of the categories above
Client Enrollment Form

If you have not previously filled out the EDRT Enrollment form please click the button. We look forward to working with you and hope you find this resource helpful. You may want to bookmark this page so that it is easier to comeback to in the future. Give an Hour does not provide emergency services.

  • To receive FREE and confidential counseling.
  • To not be charged or have your insurance billed by a Give an Hour provider.
  • To understand how your or your loved one’s experiences are affecting your personal life and relationships.
  • To learn ways of coping.
  • To be referred appropriately if you need additional services (such as medications).
  • To be in a safe environment where you can talk about your deepest fears and concerns.
  • Mention Give an Hour: Tell the provider you are a Give an Hour client at the beginning of your call, voicemail, or email.
  • Leave a message: Even if the provider’s voicemail states they are not accepting new clients, some Give an Hour providers hold openings just for a Give an Hour client.
  • Call again: Messages can be hard to understand or accidentally erased.
  • Include your information: Be sure to leave your name, phone number, and email address (if you have one) in your message.
  • Be prepared: Make sure your voicemail is set up and not full for when the provider returns your call.
  • Try email: Providers spend much of their day with clients. Consider using their email or their website’s “Contact Us” section to make contact.
  • Let us know: If you can’t reach your Give an Hour provider using their contact information provided to you by the referral specialist, let us know at info@giveanhour.org and we will help you find another provider to meet your needs.
  • Do I need to fill out an application?
    No. But, you must first fill out the EDRT Enrollment Form. There will be a few questions that you will need to answer on the Give an Hour link before a Give an Hour Referral Specialist matches you with a provider. If you have any questions please contact EDRT@giveanhour.org.
  • The provider stopped communicating what should I do?
    Please let us know right away. Please contact info@giveanhour.org.
  • Is this just one free hour of counseling?
    No, our providers donate one hour per week for at least one year or as long as the provider and client agree, and it continues to be a good fit.
  • If things don’t work out with the first provider I contact, can I try another provider?
    Yes! We know that it can sometimes take a few tries to find the right fit for counseling. If the first provider you are connected to is not the right fit, please contact info@giveanhour.org and our referral specialist will assist with finding you another provider.
  • How much does it cost?
    It’s absolutely free! This great group of mental health professionals offers their services free of charge to those who are suffering emotionally and do not have access to compassionate care.
  • I have insurance. Can I still use Give an Hour?
    Yes, you can! Many of those who use Give an Hour services have insurance but have chosen not to use it for a variety of reasons. If a provider asks you to use your insurance for Give an Hour services, please let us know right away at info@giveanhour.org.

Click here to submit a request for help or email EDRT@giveanhour.org.

Any additional questions can be directed to info@giveanhour.org.

Give an Hour is committed to equal opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual preference, age, disability, marital status, or veterans status. It is the policy of Give an Hour to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding equal opportunity with respect to the provision of services through the EDRT project and with respect to employment and volunteer participation in the EDRT project. Specifically, all mental health professionals—including psychologists and social service workers—are mandated reporters and are required, by law, to report whenever they know or suspect a child is experiencing abuse or neglect or if an adult is in need of protective services due to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

In keeping with that policy, Give an Hour is committed to maintaining an organization-wide environment that is free of unlawful discrimination and harassment. If a program participant or beneficiary experiences discrimination, it should be reported to info@giveanhour.org. The reporting party will then be notified that they can file their discrimination complaint with the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights. In addition any grievance can be reported in writing to info@giveanhour.org.

To request a copy of Give an Hour’s full Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and/or Give an Hour’s full Grievance Policy for the EDRT project, please contact EDRT@giveanhour.org.

EDRT has collected resources from partner and other service organizations. Give an Hour does not provide emergency services.

Find Resources

About the DC Victim Hotline

The DC Victim Hotline is available 24/7 by telephone, text, or online chat. Through a partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants and the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Hotline provides comprehensive information, resources, and referrals in the District of Columbia. The DC Victim Hotline represents an unprecedented collaboration of service providers in DC who are working to seamlessly connect victims of crime to free resources and to help them navigate the physical, financial, legal, and emotional repercussions of crime. To contact the Hotline, dial or text 1-844-4HELPDC (1-844-443-5732) or access the online chat at https://chat.victimsofcrime.org/dcvictim/

If you are unable to contact your provider, or have any additional questions, please email EDRT@giveanhour.org.

 

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