The Advocate Program

History

The Advocate Program has been in business for over 40 years. It has collaborated with the community to develop Victim Response, Inc. (VRI) Miami-Dade county's first privately-run domestic violence and sexual assault women's shelter. As a result of an initiative funded by The Children's Trust, the Advocate Program also established its Child and Family division, which oversees and manages the Bridging Families & Communities system of care. The division and program serve as the catalyst for the organization of interagency teams and private/public partnerships, and for coordinating a seamless system of care to better service children exposed to domestic violence. Bridging Families & Communities provides a home-based assessment of family needs, mental health consultation and care coordination. The program works with families to address system barriers and develop a family-centered plan for services.

Specialties

The Advocate Program, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit, 501 c (3) justice agency that offers probation, diversion, community service, DUI and traffic programs, domestic violence programs, substance abuse and mental health evaluations and treatment to court-ordered individuals. It has expanded to work with juveniles and families in the juvenile justice field, and to work with families impacted by family conflict and violence.