Empowering Survivors With Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Recovery Services

For survivors of domestic violence, the path to healing often requires more than physical safety. Many face the added burden of substance use, often developed as a response to trauma. Rose Brooks Center’s Supported Recovery Program was created to support these survivors, providing compassionate, trauma-informed treatment for those navigating both abuse and substance use challenges. Whether they are staying in the agency’s emergency shelter or living in the broader community, survivors find not just support—but a pathway to stability and well-being.

Treating Interconnected Challenges

Substance abuse does not cause domestic violence—but the two are statistically intertwined. Survivors may turn to substances to cope with abuse, and abusers often use drugs or alcohol themselves. Without treating both challenges concurrently, long-term recovery is less likely.

Recognizing this, the Supported Recovery Program integrates recovery services into the broader domestic violence support Rose Brooks already provides. The result is a deeply responsive program that acknowledges trauma, honors each survivor’s autonomy, and creates individualized healing pathways.

A Survivor-Centered, Voluntary Approach

A core principle of the program is that all services are voluntary—a critical distinction in a survivor-centered approach that avoids mirroring the power and control dynamics of abusive relationships. Participants are empowered to decide what’s best for themselves, with trained staff walking alongside them every step of the way.

How The Program Works

Survivors begin with a screening and in-depth assessment from qualified substance abuse counselors. From there, the team collaborates with each client to develop a personalized treatment plan, tailored to their goals and needs.

Supportive services include:

• Trauma-informed individual and group counseling

• Crisis intervention and support planning

• Linkages to detox, outpatient treatment, and drug-free housing

• Referrals to community resources like 12-step groups, wellness classes, faith-based services, mental health support, and affordable housing

• Regular drug testing

• Discharge planning that includes follow-up resources and support

Each client works directly with the Supported Recovery Program Manager and Assessment and Coordination Counselor, both trained in Level 3 Drug Counseling, to navigate their recovery in a safe and empowering environment.

Building Protective Factors & Social Support

Beyond treatment, the program emphasizes social connectedness and wellness. Survivors often face isolation and a lack of healthy support systems—both of which are addressed through community engagement and access to resources that nurture recovery. Strengthening these protective factors helps clients maintain abstinence, rebuild relationships, and move toward lasting stability.

By the Numbers: Outcomes That Matter

The Supported Recovery Program has set ambitious goals to track its success and ensure impact. In 2023, the program not only met but exceeded its targets:

• 45% of all clients (completed and non-completed) maintained or increased their abstinence from drugs or alcohol (Target: 30%)

• 100% of clients identified and actively used at least one social support (Target: 75%)

• 61% of clients remained in treatment for 90 days or more, with an average stay of 214 days (Target: 30%)

These outcomes reflect not only successful program design but also the remarkable resilience of the survivors themselves.

Addressing A Growing Crisis

The need for this integrated approach is urgent. Domestic violence and substance use disorders are widespread and worsening. Jackson County, Missouri, where Rose Brooks Center is based, consistently reports some of the highest domestic violence rates in the state. In 2023 alone:

•    Over 7,200 domestic violence incidents were reported in Jackson County—20% of the state’s total, despite the county representing only 12% of Missouri’s population

•    Rose Brooks Center received nearly 12,000 calls to its 24/7 emergency hotline—averaging 32 calls a day

•    Of 2,748 high-risk lethality assessments conducted by police, 77% of survivors were considered in “high danger” of being killed by their abuser

These realities paint a stark picture of the danger survivors face and the urgent need for programs that offer real hope and support.

Who The Program Serves

The Supported Recovery Program is open to adult survivors of domestic violence, regardless of gender identity. While most clients (95%) are women, the program is inclusive of all survivors. Clients range in age from 18 to over 70 and often face additional barriers like poverty—nearly 90% of shelter residents fall below the federal poverty level.

In 2025, Rose Brooks Center anticipates serving 60 survivors through the Supported Recovery Program, with half receiving direct support through COMBAT funding. The program also reflects Kansas City’s diversity, with projected demographics including White (55%), African American (10%), American Indian (5%), Asian (5%), Multi-racial (20%), and Latino (5%) participants.

Why It Matters

Studies show that between 67% and 80% of women in substance abuse treatment are survivors of intimate partner violence. Substance use may be forced upon them, or used as a coping mechanism to survive abuse. Without addressing both issues together, many survivors fall through the cracks.

Yet, even in the face of trauma, survivors show extraordinary strength and resilience. Programs like Rose Brooks Center’s Supported Recovery offer a safe, inclusive, and empowering space for healing—helping individuals reclaim their lives and create new, hopeful futures.

Locations

The location of the Rose Brooks Center can not be published as a security precaution.

Rose Brooks Center, PO Box 320599, Kansas City, MO 64132