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What are the Different Types of Programs?

Survivors need different levels of care at different points in their healing journey. These program types help identify what each shelter offers so we can match survivors with the setting that best supports their Immediate needs and long-term stability.

How do shelters define their faith alignment?

On the Institute’s annual survey, residential programs Identified themselves using one of the following categories. These distinctions help clarify how faith practices, values, and environments shape each program’s approach to care.

Religious

The agency is aligned with a specific religion/denomination. Faith practices are integral, and faith formation is a primary goal of the program.

Faith-Based

The agency’s core values, policies, and practices are grounded in a shared belief system. While voluntary for residents, the agency’s faith conviction is evident in programming, staffing, and decision making.

Faith-Friendly

The agency does not align with a particular belief system but makes provisions for residents to participate in faith formation and religious activities if desired.

Secular

The agency is not aligned with any belief system and may not include any provision for faith-based expression in its programming.

What are the Different Types of Programs?

Survivors need different levels of care at different points in their healing journey. These program types help identify what each shelter offers so we can match survivors with the setting that best supports their Immediate needs and
long-term stability.

Outreach

What is it?
Awareness; street/club/online outreach; community education

What this type means:

  • You likely have no building
  • You often rely heavily on volunteers
  • Victims are found in a specific geographic area
Resource Center

What is it?
Therapy; legal aid; services to the community outside of the residential program

What this type means:

  • You have a building of some kind where victims can go to receive services
Emergency

What is it?
(also called Safe House, Crisis, or Stabilization)
Not to be confused with a phase of care. Program is low- or nobarrier; secure safe house for survivors immediately exiting exploitation; provision of basic needs and safety; triagelevel care and case management; nonpermanent housing; referral support; high to moderate security; fulltime supervision; referrals to restorative shelter or other programs; usually 0–30 days, sometimes longer.

What this type means:

  • You accept intakes without an application.
  • You have very few reasons to NOT accept
    an intake.
  • You provide minimal care, mostly basic needs.  No therapies.
  • You expect the survivor to move onto another program or independence within 90 days
Restorative

What is it?
Application process required; goalsoriented program of care with case management; counseling, sobriety supports, and life skills. Longterm; usually 12–24 months or longer, often organized into phases of care (stabilization, growth, and transition). High to moderate security; fulltime staff/volunteers; goal is to complete program requirements and move on to independent living.

What this type means:

  • You have a thoughtful application process to assess for “right fit”
  • You expect the resident to stay 12+ months
  • Your goal is to move the resident to independent care or social re-entry.
Independent

What is it?
(also called Transitional)
Generally positioned as the next step after Restorative care. Typically 12–24 months (or more); focus on employment and/or education; moderate to low security; no fulltime supervision; may include checkins. Goal is to maintain stability and acclimate socially.

What this type means:

  • Survivors live in independent or shared housing
  • There’s no full-time staff or supervision
  • The focus is on giving survivors a “bridge” to full independence
Housing

What is it?
Subsidized housing; housing assistance; no case management

What this type means:

  • You provide little-to-no case management
  • This is primarily financial support to survivors to help them maintain housing

How do shelters define their faith alignment?

On the Institute’s annual survey, residential programs Identified themselves using one of the following categories. These distinctions help clarify how faith practices, values, and environments shape each program’s approach to care.

Religious

The agency is aligned with a specific religion/denomination. Faith practices are integral, and faith formation is a primary goal of the program.

Faith-Based

The agency’s core values, policies, and practices are grounded in a shared belief system. While voluntary for residents, the agency’s faith conviction is evident in programming, staffing, and decision making.

Faith-Friendly

The agency does not align with a particular belief system but makes provisions for residents to participate in faith formation and religious activities if desired.

Secular

The agency is not aligned with any belief system and may not include any provision for faith-based expression in its programming.

Program Type Definitions

*On the Institute’s annual survey of programs, respondents described their program as one of the following:

  • Religious: aligned with a specific religion/denomination. Faith practices are integral and faith formation is a primary goal of the program
  • Faith-based: core values, policies, and practices are grounded in a shared belief system. While voluntary for residents, the agency’s faith conviction is evident in programming, staffing, and decision making
  • Faith-friendly: agency does not align with a particular belief system but makes provisions for residents to participate in faith formation and religious activities, if desired
  • Secular: agency is not aligned with any belief system and may not include any provision for faith-based expression in its programming