The OOVC's Lesser Served Counties Initiative

Over the past few months the OOVC has been working to develop its Lesser Served Counties Initiative or LSCI, aimed at improving outreach and services to some of Texas's more rural counties. This is important work because it reaches immigrants and refugees living in areas where services are not as easily accessible, if at all, while also developing collaborative relationships with local service providers.

As a legal service provider PAPA serves approximately 16 Texas counties. The OOVC's objective is to further develop and strengthen ties with service providers in all of these counties, the idea being that in order to develop the sort of service networks that help immigrant victims of crime and domestic violence we, as service providers, need to establish a continuous and reliable interest and personal presence in these areas.

One county at a time, the OOVC is establishing that presence. To date the OOVC has had especially successful meetings with the Dove Project in San Saba, with the Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center in Marble Falls, which services Burnet, Lampasas, Llano, and Blanco counties, and with the Hays-Caldwell Women's Center in San Marcos, which services Hays and Caldwell counties. PAPA is also a member of the Caldwell County Family Violence Task Force (CCFVTF) and of the Austin Travis County Family Violence Task Force (ATC-FVTF). The OOVC has also worked closely with the CCFVTF to put together this year's conference on Domestic Violence and Vulnerable Populations: Immigrants and Juveniles.

Anyone interested in the Lesser Served Counties Initiative (LSCI) or with ideas on how to better serve some of Texas's rural counties should please feel free to contact me directly at 512.478.0546, ext. 214. Over the next few months I will continue to chronicle our efforts in this regard.

BT