The program’s goal is to break the cycle of violence and create independence
The House of Hope on the New Beginnings campus provides a safe place for survivors to begin rebuilding. (Delshelley Gladden/Journal)
New Beginnings provides transitional living for survivors and families of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in Farmington.
“We’re just trying to rebuild (sic) the entirety of San Juan County while helping survivors,” community specialist Devin Long said.
A lifelong Farmington resident, Long graduated from San Juan College with a degree in the liberal arts. She is pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Western New Mexico University.
Located on the grounds of the Navajo Mission School, New Beginnings offers families a safe, community-based living environment rent-free for up to one year. Their mission is to help survivors and their families learn to heal and thrive.
Long said the criteria for acceptance are based primarily on helping “survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.”
“We are trying to help people who have experienced some form of violence within the last six months,” Long said in a phone interview.
She said all program participation is handled on a case-by-case basis. It was allowed.
New Beginnings Counseling Centers serve program members and the community. (Delshelley Gladden/Tricity Records)
Long emphasizes breaking the cycle of violence, safety and self-reliance as program service priorities. The support services offered by New Beginnings include helping residents find and secure permanent housing and employment while providing life skills and independent living assistance.
Currently, there are 3 condominiums and 2 detached houses. The studio space is being renovated and the program says he will open another home in July through a grant awarded in 2023.
All single-family homes are fully occupied, but some apartment complexes have empty spaces, Long said. “So if you have a single person or a mother with a small baby, we can accommodate them. We are always accepting applications,” she said.
Residents can stay in the program for up to one year. Long said a handful of families completed the program in his six months.
The program will adapt to the applicant’s situation as much as possible. Long said some are going through legal processes that lengthen the process, while others are completing the program at a faster pace.
“I can think of a mother who actually joined our program last year. She had a small child and was born and raised in a homeless shelter all her life,” Long said.
According to Long, the woman had an abusive parent and an abusive partner, and also dealt with her abusive son’s stepfather. Her previous shelters doubted whether she would make it.
Instead, she completed the New Beginnings program in six months. She secured her job in New Mexico, attended school, and got her own transportation.
“She totally took off that freedom. So it’s interesting to see different types of personalities and people and where they go,” Long said. We seek to help them develop strong life skills and self-confidence so they can live a fulfilling life in their communities.”
Residents are encouraged to attend school, get good jobs and be sustainable, Long said.
New Beginnings Child Care Centers serve program members and the general public. (Delshelley Gladden/Journal)
“Some people are battling addiction, so they try not to go back to addiction or another violent relationship,” Long said. Some people think it’s a good thing in theory, but they don’t want it.”
To comply with funding standards, programs cannot mandate conditions of treatment or counseling, Long said. It’s like watching,” Long said.
“We are one of only four programs statewide, which means we serve all of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Texas. We also have people from the East Coast.” said Long.
“So those people trickle in through various connections, referrals, jobs, etc.,” Long said. “Demographically speaking, 85% of her clients are Native American,” she says.
New Beginnings recently established its own non-profit status, separate from the Navajo United Methodist Center on the Navajo Prep campus.
“But it’s still a work in progress. Since 1994, we’ve been DBAs for the New Beginnings/Navajo United Methodist Center,” says Long.
