- October 11, 2024
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The Family Life Center — the certified rape crisis program provider for Flagler County since 2015 — is also serving Volusia County, as of July 1.
It's a transition Family Life Center CEO Trish Giaccone said had been in the works for about a year.
The rape crisis program in Volusia County was previously provided by SMA Healthcare, which started providing services in 2014. In the transition, the Family Life Center acquired all of SMA's rape crisis program staff.
"It was both of our goals to make sure there was no interruption in services and that all services were really at their optimum," Giaccone said.
The Family Life Center, which has been serving the community since 1987, offers free crisis intervention services — such as a 24-hour emergency shelter, employment coaching, legal service support and counseling — to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and dating violence.
SMA is a prolific nonprofit, Giaccone said, but the demographics of the majority of the people who come to SMA do so for behavioral health care and substance abuse. While there can be crossover, the needs of sexual assault victims are typically different.
The Family Life Center has been a leader in working with victims of sexual and domestic violence, said Nicole Sharbono, chief operating officer for SMA Healthcare.
Though the program was doing well under SMA, Sharbono said, it made sense to transition it to an organization centered around helping sexual assault survivors.
"As we really started to look at this program and think of what would do it the most justice, it became pretty clear that partnering to transition it to Family Life Center would make absolutely the most sense, because that's their specialty," Sharbono said. "That's what they live and breathe. They do it day in and day out, and they could take this program for Volusia County to the next level. just as they've done in Flagler."
The rape crisis program includes a 24-hour crisis helpline, which is keeping the same number as it had under SMA. People seeking help can continue to dial 800-503-7621 to be connected with an advocate.
The program also offers support during any medical processes and while navigating the criminal justice system.
Advocates are on call 24/7, Sharbono said.
"This team is really able to jump in and [in a] very traumatizing crisis and provide a level of stability — provide emotional support and provide advocacy for that person who may not be able to advocate for themselves in that moment of crisis," she said.
The Family Life Center serves about 300 people in all of its programs in Flagler County, and Giaccone knows that number will increase.
Last fiscal year, SMA provided services to 684 victims of sexual assault in Volusia County.
The Family Life Center's injunction for protection program recently saw 14 referrals in one day. Giaccone said it's the most she's ever seen.
"Sadly, our services are still needed," she said. "We're hoping that we're responding in the most appropriate and efficient manner."
One of the Family Life Center's goals now that it is providing services to Volusia, Giaccone said, is to ensure that the organization reaches underserved communities in Volusia, particularly in the south and west of the county.
The center applied for a state grant specific to Volusia County to fund a bilingual advocate position for those areas. The Family Life Center's headquarters in Volusia will be in New Smyrna Beach.
The center is also in conversations with Daytona State College and Stetson University to place staff members on campuses to provide free support for students. The program is already in place at DSC's campus in Palm Coast.
Working with Giaccone to transition the rape crisis program was "a breeze," Sharbono said.
"I think it's a really great example of how when we come together as a community, we can make an even bigger and better impact for the people that we serve, and the people who ultimately need the resources and may not know that they're available," Sharbono said.
Giaccone hopes the community becomes more aware of the free services available to sexual and domestic violence victims, and realizes that the services are provided without judgment.
"I tell people that they've inherited a family ... which means you have access to all of us through the good and the bad times," Giaccone said.
