Hope House's Guardian Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program (Byrne Discretionary Program) helps local communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and provides for national support efforts. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 08 Congressional Budget. Funds should be used for purposes recommended by Congress.

The Hope House Inc. will implement the Guardian Program to enhance local courts' ability to provide a safe option for supervised visitation and custody exchanges. It will offer a secure environment in which supervised visitation and custody exchanges can take place. All children and custodial parents will remain safe during monitored exchanges of custody and on-site supervised visits. The program provides three categories of services: 1) monitored exchange, the safe exchange of children between custodial and non-custodial parents for off-site visitation with no contact between the custodial and non-custodial parents, monitored by Guardian Program staff and police officers; 2) group supervised visitation, sessions between non-custodial parents and their children at the visitation center, monitored by visitation supervisors and police officers; and 3) therapeutic visitation, one-on-one sessions between non-custodial parents and their children with a licensed therapist or masters level therapy intern, intended to provide immediate professional support for children during visitation if needed.

NCA/NCF