Mosaic Georgia: Support and Hope for Survivors of Violence
Compiled by Amanda Makrogianis Mickelsen
Marketing Project Manager
A Univision Interview with Mayra Rodas and María Herrera
A transcript in English:
Mayra Rodas speaks with María Herrera, Forensic Interview Supervisor at Mosaic Georgia, about the resources and services available to survivors of violence and their families. The organization offers comprehensive support, guidance, community education, and access to free and confidential help for those facing difficult situations in Georgia.
Thank you for tuning in. Seeking help after experiencing violence or trauma can be a difficult process. There are organizations dedicated to providing support and guidance to survivors.
It’s important that people facing violence know they’re not alone. To talk more about the resources available at Mosaic Georgia, I welcome Maria Herrera. Welcome. Thank you for joining us.
Hello, thank you so much for inviting us.
Okay, to begin with. What is Mosaic Georgia? How did this organization come about and what need does it seek to address in our community?
Mosaic Georgia is a child advocacy center and a center for victims of abuse. We are a private, non-profit organization, and we are dedicated to survivors. Victims of assault who are survivors.
What services, programs, and resources are available for survivors and their families? Mosaic Georgia has many services under one roof. We have advocacy services and live forensic interviews. We also have a medical department, a legal department, and a counseling department. We provide educational resources too. And everything is offered free of charge.
When people are in crisis we have people in place to support them with their needs. We have a crisis line open 24/7.
If you have any questions, this is for you. When you come to our center, it could be for direct services or it could be for the crisis line we have available. If we don’t have the service you need, we can connect you with another organization or resource that might be right for you.
Having experienced a difficult situation, people often feel fear, shame, or uncertainty when it comes to asking for help. What would you say to someone who is suffering in silence and doesn’t know where to turn?
That they are not alone. What happened to them is not their fault. To call us, and we can help them with their needs.
If you have any questions, we are here to give you the options, explain them to you, offer support, and let you know you are not alone. Many people don’t know about our center, but we are here to help.
There are concerns that receiving assistance may require presenting a specific immigration status. What should people know about this?
Well, not for adults. They can come to our center for medical services, and this would be evidence collection. They do not need to report to law enforcement. All of that stays here, at our center. Safe. And in the future it can be processed if they decide to report.
For children it is different. If abuse is suspected, it needs to be reported to the police. You need to file a police report and come here to our center for services. If you are in a county that we assist, or if you have any questions, we can connect you with the appropriate county.
For the Hispanic community in Georgia – what message would you like to share with those who are watching us today?
If you have any questions, we have a free, 24-hour crisis line, which is 866-900-6019. We also have a website, which is www.mosaicga.org. We mostly serve Gwinnett County and Rockdale, but we have also helped people in the nearby communities.
If you have any questions or want to see our services there is more information on our website.
You can call our crisis line and someone will answer. We have bilingual staff in our office who can assist with each of the departments.
Is there anyone there who speaks Spanish in the legal department or direct services counseling?
Yes we have Spanish speaking staff members in the legal and counseling departments who can assist clients who do not speak English.