Possible federal cuts could take away victims’ access to trauma-focused treatment at Safe Horizon.

Survivors of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, child abuse, and other forms of violence and abuse often need professional assistance to heal from trauma. Abuse can trigger strong reactions that are part of the body’s natural response to violence or abuse. Without expert care these trauma reactions can be painful and lasting, and may make it difficult to carry out basic tasks of everyday living.

Safe Horizon’s Counseling Center is the only New York State licensed mental health clinic that focuses solely on trauma-focused treatment for survivors of crime and abuse of all ages. We use evidence-based approaches to help survivors overcome trauma reactions that they can experience for months or years after.

In 2017, Safe Horizon provided 10,737 therapy sessions to survivors of violence and abuse.       

Many of the individuals and families we help at the Counseling Center depend on Medicaid to access the health care they need. Medicaid is a jointly funded, Federal-State health insurance program for low-income and needy people. It covers children, the aged, blind, and/or disabled and other people who are eligible to receive federally assisted income maintenance payments.

Cutting Medicaid could result in survivors like Angela not being able to access mental health services.

Angela’s Story

Angela struggled with the psychological impact of living and working in fear for so long as a human trafficking victim. At our Counseling Center, she was able to receive the therapy she needed to overcome the trauma. Now she says that she is on her way to writing her own destiny. Read Angela’s Story.