Victim Services - Howard County

Domestic Violence Center of Howard County, Inc.
5457 Twin Knolls Road, Suite 310
Columbia, MD 21045
410-997-0304 phone
410-997-2272 hotline (24 hour)
800-752-0191 hotline (toll-free 24 hour)

Provides 24-hour Crisis Intervention Hotline, confidential shelter and counseling for battered women; licensed social worker, individual family and couple counseling, weekly support group for battered women. Counseling for women's, men's, and elderly groups. Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Family Life Center
10451 Twin Rivers Road
Columbia, Md 21044
410-997-3557
Washington line : 301-596-4568

Provides information, referral service, and counseling for individuals, families, and couples on a sliding fee. Administration hours 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, counseling 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Grassroots Hotline
6700 Freetown Road
Columbia, Md 21044
410-531-6677
Hearing Impaired TDD : 410-531-6080

Provides walk-in and 24 hour phone counseling; short term emergency shelter, and referral service.

Health Department Community Mental Health Center
7101 Riverwood Drive
Columbia, Md 21046
410-313-6200

Growth Center - Psycho Social Day Program
7101 Riverwood Drive
Columbia, Md 21046
410-313-6200

Provides individual and group psychological counseling by staff of psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric social workers. Open 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.

Office of Public Information
3430 Courthouse Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043
410-313-2022 or 410-313-3000

Provides information and referral to all Howard County services. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Juvenile Justice, Department of
District Court Multi-Service Center
3451 Courthouse Drive
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-461-0345

Provides case status information and monitors collection and disbursement of restitution in juvenile cases. Open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Lawyer Referral
Howard County Bar Association
Circuit Courthouse
8360 Court Avenue
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-465-2721

Provides client referrals to lawyers who charge $25.00 for a half-hour consultation. Further fees are negotiated between lawyer and client.

Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.
3525 Ellicott Mills Drive, Suite N
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-992-0660

Private non-profit law firm providing legal services to qualifying low income people specializing in poverty law; provides legal services to qualifying low income people in civil matters, juvenile matters and domestic relations. Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; intake Tuesday and Thursday by appointment only.

Metro Crime Stoppers
P.O. Box 23713
Baltimore, Md 21203
410-396-2104
Confidential Hotline :410-276-8888

Serves: Baltimore City, Baltimore, Howard and Anne Arundel Counties. Private organization which raises funds to pay rewards for solving serious crimes. Provides Confidential Hotline to accept calls on crime tips which are then forwarded to the police. If the tip results in arrest and indictment, a reward of up to $1,000 may be paid.

National Organization for Victim Assistance (Nova)
www.try-nova.org
Capitol Area Crisis Response Team
www.cacrt.org
1730 Park Road, N.W.
Washington, DC 20010
202-232-6682
202-462-2255 fax

This organization can be reached 24 hours a day. Volunteer crisis counselors/intervenors can assist any victim or witness of major crime or crisis at no cost via one-on-one crisis intervention or group crisis intervention sessions.

Personal Alternatives
3355 Saint John's Lane, Suite F
Ellicott City, Md 21042
410-608-7998

Provides abuser intervention, anger management training, and a full range of long term counseling services for victims of violence in the post crisis stage.

Sexual Assault Center
10015 Old Columbia Road, #G-118
Columbia, Md 21046
24 hour Hotline : 410-997-3292

Provides advocacy/accompaniment to hospital, police and court proceedings. Provides individual counseling for children and adult sexual assault/abuse victims and support groups for adult rape and incest victims. Counseling hours 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Social Services
3451 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2400
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-461-0282
Child Protective Services : 410-461-0268
Adult Protective Services : 410-461-0324
Child Support : 410-461-0310   1-800-723-9937
District Court Division : 410-313-2108
Victim/Witness Assistance Unit : 410-313-3153

Provides child and adult protective services. Accepts and investigates reports of suspected child abuse. Provides services and referrals for abused children, adults and their families. Provides financial and placement services as well as counseling services.

State's Attorney's Office
Circuit Court Division
8360 Court Avenue
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-313-2109
Victim/Witness Assistance Unit : 410-313-2108   410-313-3153

Provides advice and accompaniment for witnesses and victims through court proceedings and gives referrals to outside service providers. Provides notification of court dates, times, and any changes. Provides court orientation and accompaniment. Makes referrals to other support agencies. Assists with restitution and property return. Provides post conviction services pertaining to dispositions, inmate tracking and appeals notifications. Offers emotional support and sensitivity to concerns of victims or witnesses. Provides a nightly recorded message as to case status for the following court day.

Urban Rural Transportation Alliance (URTA, Inc.)
9150 Rumsey Road, Suite B3
Columbia, Md 21045
410-997-7433

Provides transportation to a physician or to social services in Howard County for elderly, low income, or handicapped/disabled citizens of Howard County. Open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Voices for Children
5550 Sterrett Place, Suite 215
Columbia, Md 21046
410-740-0933

Court appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children. Open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Howard County Police Department
3410 Courthouse Drive
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-313-3200
Victim/Witness Assistance Unit : 410-313-2929
Youth Services Section
3427 Rogers Avenue
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-313-2612

Provides a First Offender Program, Project D.A.R.E., Explorers, Bear Trax Youth programing, counseling and crisis intervention. Summer camp also offered.

Howard County Sheriff's Department
Howard County Courthouse
8360 Court Avenue
Ellicott City, Md 21043
410-313-2150

Maryland State Police
"A" Waterloo Barrack
7777 Washington Boulevard
Jessup, Md 20794
410-799-2101   410-799-2103
Howard County : 410-489-4600
Washington suburbs : 301-596-5072

Hospital

Howard County General Hospital
5755 Cedar Lane
Columbia, Md 21044
410-740-7890

Provides Emergency Services; Rape Crisis Center and Social Services.