A Kansas City LGBTQ crisis center closed abruptly. These local resources are still available
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The Kansas City Anti-Violence Project (KCAVP), the city’s only domestic violence and sexual assault resource group focused on the LGBTQ community, is closing permanently.
The group announced its closure on Instagram last week.
“We’ve been an organization since 2002, and truly believe we have done our best to serve the community with the love, support, respect, and dignity it deserves,” the group wrote. “Please know that we don’t take this decision lightly.”
Why did KCAVP close?
KCAVP stated in a release that it is filing for bankruptcy. The group told The Star in an email that it is not giving interviews, but provided a statement.
“It is no secret to the community that KCAVP has faced some difficulties in the past. These obstacles have truly made current operations more difficult. The organization has been in recovery mode for quite some time, and ultimately we were not able to overcome the harm that was done,” the group stated in the press release.
No further details were provided.
What services did the group provide?
For 20 years, KCAVP has worked to support LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and hate crimes. The group helped its clients of all ages obtain protection orders, navigate court proceedings and hospital stays, interact with law enforcement and document incidents of anti-LGBTQ+ violence.
It also hosted the weekly youth group “Passages,” where teens age 13 to 17 could connect with fellow LGBTQ community members. KCAVP stated in its closure announcement that it is “finalizing a new home for Passages.”
Local resource provider Our Spot KC released a statement on KCAVP’s closing that emphasized the difficulty of funding community-specific resource groups.
“As our civil rights are chipped away, finding safe and affirming providers will be more difficult, and the consequence of failing to find one devastating for LGBTQ+ survivors,” the group wrote.
Where can survivors turn for support instead?
KCAVP’s closure leaves the Kansas City area with no sexual assault or domestic violence resources specifically focused on the LGBTQ community. However, other crisis resources and LGBTQ organizations still exist in the area.
Local Resources:
MOCSA is Kansas City’s largest resource organization for survivors of sexual assault. You can contact the group’s crisis hotline at 816-531-0233 in Missouri or 913-642-0233 in Kansas.
Hope House is a nonprofit that operates six domestic violence shelters in the Kansas City area. You can reach it directly at 816-461-4673 or call the metro domestic violence hotline at 816-468-5463 to reach any of its shelters.
The Mattie Rhodes Center provides crisis counseling services primarily in Spanish to Kansas City families. Its services include domestic violence intervention and mental health counseling. You can contact the center at 816-241-3780.
Rose Brooks is a domestic violence shelter that also accommodates pets. You can call its 24-hour crisis hotline at 816-861-6100.
Pride Haven is an overnight shelter for LGBTQ+ people ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness or facing an unsafe situation at home. The shelter provides housing and job search assistance, medical and mental health referrals and other services. You can contact the shelter 24/7 by calling 816-931-0602.
Our Spot KC is a nonprofit group that coordinates housing assistance, hosts events and distributes meals and personal care items to those in need. It includes Lion House, a transitional housing program for LGBTQ youth. You can contact the organization by calling 913-303-8664.
Synergy Services is a domestic violence and youth crisis resource center based in Parkville. Teens and young adults can call its youth crisis hotline at 816-741-8700 or 888-233-1639 to learn about its services, which include a shelter for runaway and homeless youth.
Newhouse is a domestic violence shelter in Kansas City that also provides therapy services, court advocacy and transitional housing. You can call the shelter at 816-471-5800.
Safehome is a domestic violence shelter and nonprofit located in Overland Park. You can call its 24-hour hotline at 913-262-2868.
For more organizations and resources that support Kansas City’s LGBTQ community, and especially youth, check out this guide.
Do you have more questions about crisis resources in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
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