MONROE - Alice Franks-Gray thinks her new role fits her life and her personality.
The Green Haven Family Advocates, Inc., Board of Directors announced Friday that Franks-Gray will be Green Haven's executive director, after serving the past year as interim executive director.
"All my life experiences lead me to be here. Somebody pointed me in this direction," Franks-Gray said. "And I'm not a good widget maker; I need to be someplace where what I'm doing impacts the lives of others."
The Search and Screen Committee, comprised of Green County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Jeff Skatrud, attorney Timm Burns and Green Haven board members, selected Franks-Gray after a lengthy process.
"We looked for the best candidate for the position, and Alice was our choice," Board President Tom Porter said.
Franks-Gray began her commitment to Green Haven in April 2007 as a board member. She later was asked to serve as the interim director during a restructuring of the organization.
During that time, Green Haven doubled its staff to eight, and began several new programs, including Transitional Living Space and the pilot program, Initial Response, with the Brodhead Police Department.
The United Way of Green County increased its funding allocation to Green Haven by $10,000 this year, for a total of $35,000, partly because of the pilot program.
"United Way wants us to do more preventative work with youth and to work more closely with Initial Response in Brodhead," Franks-Gray said Monday.
Initial Response, started in February, is an immediate opportunity for victims of abuse to be in contact with a Green Haven staff member through the Crisis Hotline. Brodhead police officers at the scene of a domestic disturbance make the offer and provide the victim with the means to make the call.
It still is too early to determine how the program is faring, but the relationship between Green Haven and the police department has solidified, Franks-Gray said. Eventually, she hopes to have the same relationship with all local police departments.
A youth program, Healthy Choices, Healthy Relationships, is directed toward teens and taught in schools by Green Haven's youth program coordinator. The program is three years old, and has grown from 20 to more than 100 students in the Monroe and Albany school districts.
"Our long-range goal is to expand the program," Franks-Gray said. "We're excited about its growth potential."
The program has had dramatic and lasting effects. Green Haven had two cases of students bringing their parents to the center during the 2006-07 school year. Six girls, who attended the program but since have graduated, have come to the center seeking help with their relationships, and one underage girl reported her sexual assault.
"The way to break the cycle of violence in homes is by educating our children. They learn that (the violence they live with at home) is not the only way to solve problems," Franks-Gray said.
But the "over-riding priority" is meeting direct client needs, Franks-Gray said. Those include housing, education and possibly childcare.
"Besides the emotional and other damage, there's financial damage to having to change homes, sometimes without warning," Franks-Gray said. "And sometimes, the abuser was the sole support."
In order to move an abuse victim to a survivor of abuse, the Transitional Living Space program, with its own staff specialist, was designed in January. In its first two months, the TLS program had seven participants begin the 18- to 24-month program toward financial stability.
Green Haven saw 474 clients in 2007 - 328 women, 24 men, and 122 youths in the preventative program. More than 200 were men and women from Monroe.
Green Haven is in phase one of a capital campaign to move its offices from the present location at 1811 11th St. to another building. Phase two is the development of six to eight housing units for clients in need of emergency shelter, in the vicinity of the to-be-built Green County Justice Center.
"We'd like to be in not too long after the justice center is finished," Franks-Gray said. Being near the center will alleviate transportation problems for clients and staff who often need to be in court.
Franks-Gray is a graduate of UW-Superior with a degree in trauma/crisis response and recovery and is pursuing a graduate degree in mental health counseling, specializing in psychological trauma.
As a community relations staff member with the American Cancer Society (ACS), Franks-Gray led the Relay For Life and other events within eight Green and Rock County communities, raising more than $3 million for the organization during her tenure and winning several awards from ACS for her fundraising efforts.
Franks-Gray served as a death investigator for five years and in emergency medical services for 15 years.
"She has seen first-hand the worst outcomes of violence and abuse and brings much energy to ending family and intimate partner violence and abuse in Green County," Porter said.
The Green Haven Family Advocates, Inc., Board of Directors announced Friday that Franks-Gray will be Green Haven's executive director, after serving the past year as interim executive director.
"All my life experiences lead me to be here. Somebody pointed me in this direction," Franks-Gray said. "And I'm not a good widget maker; I need to be someplace where what I'm doing impacts the lives of others."
The Search and Screen Committee, comprised of Green County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Jeff Skatrud, attorney Timm Burns and Green Haven board members, selected Franks-Gray after a lengthy process.
"We looked for the best candidate for the position, and Alice was our choice," Board President Tom Porter said.
Franks-Gray began her commitment to Green Haven in April 2007 as a board member. She later was asked to serve as the interim director during a restructuring of the organization.
During that time, Green Haven doubled its staff to eight, and began several new programs, including Transitional Living Space and the pilot program, Initial Response, with the Brodhead Police Department.
The United Way of Green County increased its funding allocation to Green Haven by $10,000 this year, for a total of $35,000, partly because of the pilot program.
"United Way wants us to do more preventative work with youth and to work more closely with Initial Response in Brodhead," Franks-Gray said Monday.
Initial Response, started in February, is an immediate opportunity for victims of abuse to be in contact with a Green Haven staff member through the Crisis Hotline. Brodhead police officers at the scene of a domestic disturbance make the offer and provide the victim with the means to make the call.
It still is too early to determine how the program is faring, but the relationship between Green Haven and the police department has solidified, Franks-Gray said. Eventually, she hopes to have the same relationship with all local police departments.
A youth program, Healthy Choices, Healthy Relationships, is directed toward teens and taught in schools by Green Haven's youth program coordinator. The program is three years old, and has grown from 20 to more than 100 students in the Monroe and Albany school districts.
"Our long-range goal is to expand the program," Franks-Gray said. "We're excited about its growth potential."
The program has had dramatic and lasting effects. Green Haven had two cases of students bringing their parents to the center during the 2006-07 school year. Six girls, who attended the program but since have graduated, have come to the center seeking help with their relationships, and one underage girl reported her sexual assault.
"The way to break the cycle of violence in homes is by educating our children. They learn that (the violence they live with at home) is not the only way to solve problems," Franks-Gray said.
But the "over-riding priority" is meeting direct client needs, Franks-Gray said. Those include housing, education and possibly childcare.
"Besides the emotional and other damage, there's financial damage to having to change homes, sometimes without warning," Franks-Gray said. "And sometimes, the abuser was the sole support."
In order to move an abuse victim to a survivor of abuse, the Transitional Living Space program, with its own staff specialist, was designed in January. In its first two months, the TLS program had seven participants begin the 18- to 24-month program toward financial stability.
Green Haven saw 474 clients in 2007 - 328 women, 24 men, and 122 youths in the preventative program. More than 200 were men and women from Monroe.
Green Haven is in phase one of a capital campaign to move its offices from the present location at 1811 11th St. to another building. Phase two is the development of six to eight housing units for clients in need of emergency shelter, in the vicinity of the to-be-built Green County Justice Center.
"We'd like to be in not too long after the justice center is finished," Franks-Gray said. Being near the center will alleviate transportation problems for clients and staff who often need to be in court.
Franks-Gray is a graduate of UW-Superior with a degree in trauma/crisis response and recovery and is pursuing a graduate degree in mental health counseling, specializing in psychological trauma.
As a community relations staff member with the American Cancer Society (ACS), Franks-Gray led the Relay For Life and other events within eight Green and Rock County communities, raising more than $3 million for the organization during her tenure and winning several awards from ACS for her fundraising efforts.
Franks-Gray served as a death investigator for five years and in emergency medical services for 15 years.
"She has seen first-hand the worst outcomes of violence and abuse and brings much energy to ending family and intimate partner violence and abuse in Green County," Porter said.