Womanspace still providing all services, hotline numbers to victims of domestic violence
The following information was provided by Womanspace Inc., a nonprofit agency in Mercer County that provides a comprehensive array of services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence and that is dedicated to improving the quality of life for adults and their families.
While the world shelters in place, children learn from home and parents may or may not be working from home, the incidents of domestic violence in our community and across the country have skyrocketed. Calls to law enforcement about domestic disputes are up, yet calls and referrals to domestic violence programs are down. This can only be attributed to fear.
Womanspace, Mercer County’s domestic violence provider, wants you to know that it is open for business and still providing all services and the hotline numbers. Womanspace operates both the county and statewide domestic violence hotline and the county sexual assault line. The statewide sexual assault hotline is operated by the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
New Jersey and many states around the country are reporting a decline in calls to domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines since the beginning of March. Victims may not be able to safely reach out to police or agencies for assistance.
Womanspace continues to serve victims and survivors here in Mercer County. The Safe House provides safe, short-term emergency housing for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in a confidential location.
• Mercer County 24-Hour Bilingual Hotline for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault crisis assistance and information: 609-394-9000
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals can text Womanspace 24/7: 609-619-1888
• Counselors are doing screening, counseling and support by phone and secure video until the counseling office reopens. Barbara and Herb Goodfriend Counseling Center: 609-394-2532
• Administrative Office, Crisis Intervention Teams, Education, Outreach & Training: 609-394-0136
• 24-Hour Bilingual Hotlines for Domestic Violence and- Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-572-SAFE (7233)
• Statewide Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800- 601-7200
• Visit the Womanspace website: www.womanspace.org
Mercer County offers free, appointment-only COVID-19 testing
Mercer County offers free COVID-19 testing to any adult resident who has a doctor’s prescription and schedules an appointment, even those who are asymptomatic. Previously, testing was open only to individuals who presented COVID-19 symptoms.
The County, in collaboration with health care and municipal partners, is operating an appointment-only, drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in the parking lot across from 640 South Broad St., Trenton, where the County Administration Building is located, two-tenths of a mile south of CURE Insurance Arena. The County also operates appointment-only, walk-up testing sites in Trenton and Hightstown.
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Testing will be provided for Mercer County residents age 18 or older who have an appointment. If you want to be tested, contact your primary health care practitioner. If a test is needed, your doctor will fax a prescription to the Mercer County health call center at 609-630-4031, and the center will contact you to schedule an appointment.
If you lack transportation to get to the drive-up testing site, you will be offered an appointment at a walk-up site along with instructions on when and where to go. The Trenton walk-up sites are open in each city ward one day a week. The Hightstown site is open Fridays at 12 noon in the parking lot of St. Anthony of Padua Church, 156 Maxwell Ave.
If you do not have a doctor, call the Henry J. Austin Health Center at 609-278-5900 to see if you need testing. They can help you to talk with a doctor by phone or video. Henry J. Austin will serve all patients, including those without health insurance. There is no charge for the test at Mercer County testing sites.
You must have an appointment to be tested. Those who show up at a testing site without an appointment will not be able to be tested.
If you have questions about the testing process, call 609-337-4081 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Español, call 609-436-5038 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The testing sites are collaborative efforts between the County of Mercer, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, Capital Health System, St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, the Trenton Health Team, Henry J. Austin Health Center and the City of Trenton.
HAVE GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19?
The NJ Poison Control Center and 211 have partnered with the State to provide information to the public on COVID-19:
Call: 2-1-1
Call (24/7): 1-800-962-1253
Text: NJCOVID to 898-211
Visit https://covid19.nj.gov/ or nj.gov/health for additional information
COPING WITH STRESS
If you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed due to COVID-19, please call New Jersey's MentalHealthCares Helpline at 866-202-HELP (4357) or visit njmentalhealthcares.org for emotional support, guidance, and mental health referrals as needed. You also may call the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 (TTY 1-800-846-8517). Listing of additional resources.
PREVENTION
To ensure the lowest chance of obtaining the virus, and spreading the virus to others:
- Practice social distancing.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when you have to go out in public; for example, to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities. Do not use a facemask meant for a health care worker. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
- If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash and wash your hands or clean them with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
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SYMPTOMS
Symptoms can appear between 2-14 days after exposure, though some people may not have any symptoms while still being contagious. It's also important to consider whether you've been in contact with an infected person, as well as any symptoms you may be experiencing. In addition to fever, cough and shortness of breath, symptoms can include chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.
If you believe you've been infected and you are not in immediate danger, you should contact your doctor by phone. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911, and notify the dispatch personnel that you may have COVID-19.
COVID-19 Symptom Checker.
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JOBS AND HIRING
Did you lose your job or have your hours reduced as a result of COVID-19? The State of New Jersey has created a resource page to help you connect to benefits and resources you need while you are trying to safely get back to work, as well as some tips for coping with the stress of losing a job. covid19.nj.gov/work
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
For information on COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus and its impact on businesses – including resources, assistance and regulations -- visit the State of New Jersey business portal and the Mercer County Office of Economic Development.
CENSUS 2020
It’s not too late to complete your 2020 Census form! It's safe and easy, and it’s your opportunity to bring education, health care, housing and political power to your community.
People across America are keeping their families and communities safe and healthy by staying home, or serving the public by providing essential services. Responding to the Census yourself — is another way to do your part and help keep your community strong.
If the paper form you received in the mail doesn’t work for you, you can respond online or by phone. There are so many ways to count yourself in the 2020 Census -- don’t wait! To respond online, visit https://my2020census.gov/login; to respond by phone, call 844-330-2020 (English) or 844-468-2020 (Spanish).
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RUMOR CONTROL AND DISINFORMATION
A joint effort between New Jersey law enforcement and various emergency preparedness entities created the COVID-19 Rumor Control and Disinformation page as a fact-checking resource for the general public.
CURRENT STATUS
The New Jersey Department of Health on June 3 announced 652 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the state to 162,068 with 11,880 deaths. Mercer County has had 7,033 positive cases, with 485 deaths. To view Mercer County data by municipality, please visit the Mercer County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://arcg.is/1y1eHO. Please note that municipal data lags behind the state data and will update as information becomes available. Visit the New Jersey Department of Health's COVID-19 Dashboard for more statewide information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 3 announced 24,955 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the United States to 1,827,425 with 106,202 deaths, with 55 locations (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, North Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands) reporting cases. For more information, visit cdc.gov.
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