RSS About the Program
The Texas Civil Rights Project Social Services Program works with individuals and families served by the TCRP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) program and communities throughout Texas. The program has expanded to offer services for clients assisted through other TCRP programs as necessary and looks forward to continued growth.
Since its inception, the program has served clients referred through the El Paso, Midland/Odessa, Austin, and South Texas offices. The social services program aims to empower clients by providing assistance with safety planning, advocacy, education, self-development, and basic needs. In particular, clients have been able to connect to counseling and support services, a much needed relief for people living in isolation or areas without services.
2013 Spring Social Work Interns
TCRP Austin, Texas L-R: Didi Olaya, Sarah Joseph, Gwen Cubit, Amanda Gandy, Stefanie Mossakowski, and Elyse Oberland
Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project (El Paso): Marina Nava and Jazmin Vasquez
West Texas TCRP, Odessa, Texas Amy E. Lujan
Social Services Provided Through the Program
Counseling — TCRP social workers/counselors offer individual and family counseling for survivors and their families. Our counselors provide education, guidance and support as survivors work to heal from the memories of abuse, trauma, and isolation. Services are offered to clients who have safety concerns, seek to resolve past experiences, and who need support to reach their goals.
Case Management — Social workers/counselors assist clients by connecting them to resources in their communities, coordinating the utilization of those services, and providing information that may further serve the client. Social workers/counselors help promote a dialogue between the client and the legal team and serve as a link between both parties. In addition, they serve as advocates for individual clients and the larger community.
Support Services — Social workers provide motivational support on an extended basis directly to individuals and families in an effort to help clients reach their goals and encourage success.
Promotora Program — This informal, grassroots self-advocacy program allows current and former VAWA clients to become peer mentors who provide guidance, support, education and referral services to other survivors in their community. This program is available in El Paso, Midland/Odessa, South Texas, and Austin. If you are a current or former VAWA client and are interested in participating or would like to volunteer, please contact Laura Gomez-Horton, LCSW at 512-474-5073 ext. 116.
Intern Program
Collaborations have been formed with local colleges and universities that have supplied the program with social work and counseling interns. The TCRP offices have hosted bachelor and master level social work and counseling interns from UT Austin, UT of the Permian Basin, UT El Paso, UT Pan American, St. Edward’s University in Austin, and New Mexico State University. We anticipate fostering relationships with other universities and colleges as more student express an interest in social justice work.
If you are a professor or student interested in the TCRP social work/counseling intern program please contact Laura Gómez-Horton, LCSW, VAWA Social Services Coordinator at 512-474-5073 ext. 116 or lgomezhorton@gmail.com.
Laura Gómez-Horton, LCSW
VAWA Social Service Coordinator
Students work under the supervision of the VAWA Social Services Coordinator. They receive individual and on-line group supervision. In South Texas, El Paso, and Odessa students have access to an on-site non-social work supervisor and may work under the supervision of volunteer LCSW supervisors in their area when available.
Internship positions are established in the VAWA program at all TCRP offices and an internship position is established with the Prisoner’s Rights Program in Austin. Interns learn generalist practice methods utilized in working with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities. Students carry case loads, facilitate or co-facilitate groups and complete administration and planning projects.
For students further along in their programs who have declared their concentrations, individualized plans can be tailored to their learning needs. The social services program is also open to developing internship positions within other TCRP programs based on student’s interests.
