The History of Transition House

In 1975, Transition House opened the second battered women's shelter in the United States, and the first on the east coast. Two survivors of intimate partner violence opened their tiny apartment to homeless battered women. Within weeks, the floors of the apartment were covered with sleeping bags and mattresses. Understanding the enormous need for refuge for homeless battered women and children, these two women joined with other community activists in Cambridge to purchase a site for Transition House. Over the years, Transition House has sheltered over 5,000 battered women and children.

Timeline

1975 - Transition House opens.

1976 - Transition House opens the Legal Advocacy Program in the Arlington Street Church in downtown Boston. This is the first legal services program for battered women.

1979 - Transition House introduces the Foster Grandparent Program into homeless shelters.

1983 - Transition House establishes the first daily update of shelter bed availability between 7 greater Boston area shelters. This system is now computerized by the Jane Doe organization, and has been adopted by the entire state.

1986 - Transition House establishes the first school-based teen dating violence prevention and counseling program in Massachusetts.

1991 - Transition House expands its program to serve women with complex medical and emotional needs.

1992 - Transition House develops an economic literacy program for women in shelter.

1993 - Transition House initiates the Children's Program which provides counseling support and violence prevention education to preschool-aged and school-aged children of women in residence.

1998 - The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence rates the Dating Violence Intervention Program the most comprehensive youth-oriented domestic violence program in the United States.

1999 - Transition House develops a Haitian immigrant outreach and services program which is certified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Batterer Intervention Program.

2000 - Transition House launches a 24-hour crisis line for teens.

2001 - Transition House completes renovations on its 11-room facility.

2001 - Working in partnership with the Cambridge YWCA, Transition House opens Transitional Living Program to provide housing and services to domestic violence survivors for up to 18 months.

2002 - Transition House commences a collaborative effort with Harvard School of Public Health to provide outcome measurements of the effectiveness of the Dating Violence Intervention Program.

2003-Present - Transition House continues to provide services and support to those individuals or families impacted by domestic violence. Development of Permanent Supportive Housing and services to tenants at Kent Street Housing Development.