BRASS, Inc. Mobile Advocacy Response Unit Featured in Regional News Coverage

We are excited to share that the launch of BRASS, Inc.'s Domestic Violence Mobile Advocacy Response Unit drew significant regional media attention this week, with coverage from WBKO, Spectrum News 1, and WNKY News 40 highlighting the impact this new program will have for survivors across south-central Kentucky.

Bringing Services to Where Survivors Are

For many survivors of domestic violence, geography is a barrier that can feel impossible to overcome. BRASS, Inc.'s service area covers nearly 4,000 square miles — one of the largest districts in the state — creating real challenges for survivors trying to access help. Six of the ten counties in our region do not currently have a BRASS field office.

The new Domestic Violence Mobile Advocacy Response Unit is designed to change that. Director of Community Operations Aleasha Martin explained that the unit will bring crisis intervention, safety planning, legal advocacy, and community referrals directly to survivors — reducing the barriers that have long stood between people in crisis and the support they need.

Transportation is one of those barriers. As Martin told Spectrum News 1, survivors in rural counties may not have their own vehicle, or may have a vehicle their abuser is monitoring — making the 45-minute drive to Warren County risky. The mobile unit addresses those concerns by coming to survivors rather than requiring survivors to come to us.

CEO Tori Henninger described the broader vision to WNKY News 40: "Across our ten-county service region, geography is one of the most significant barriers survivors face. Many survivors live in rural communities far from our shelter, our offices, and the services they need to rebuild their lives. This mobile unit will allow our trained advocates to bring trauma-informed support directly to those survivors — meeting them where they are, in their own communities, on their own terms."

Privacy by Design

One of the most important features of the unit is the privacy it provides. In many of the communities BRASS, Inc. serves, finding a confidential space to talk is genuinely difficult. Henninger noted that the current option is often to meet in a corner of a hallway or in a public space like a library or park bench — far from ideal for conversations involving sensitive and private topics.

The mobile unit solves that problem in a creative way. "Our intention is to park in well public locations for safety, but who pays attention to a parking lot?" Henninger said. "We get to hide in plain sight."

Survivors will have access to safety, and the opportunity to talk through what has happened to them and how to move forward — and they won't leave empty-handed. Martin noted that staff will ensure clients have access to BRASS Inc.'s crisis line and materials they can take with them discreetly.

Funded by Community Support

The mobile unit was made possible through a $68,000 Growth Grant awarded by the Women's Fund of the Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky, along with a large vehicle discount provided by Camping World. As Henninger put it, "This isn't just a vehicle. It's an extension of our mission — and it would not have been possible without the extraordinary generosity of the Women's Fund and Camping World."

What's Next

The mobile unit is expected to begin services by mid-June. To celebrate the launch, BRASS, Inc. is partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to host ribbon-cutting events in each of the ten counties it serves: Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren. The first ribbon cutting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, at the downtown square/Franklin Public Concert Hall and Park in Franklin.

We are grateful to WBKO, Spectrum News 1, and WNKY News 40 for helping us share this story with the region. To learn more about BRASS, Inc. and our services, visit brassinc.org or call our 24/7 crisis line at 1-800-928-1183.