This article was originally published on May 12th, 2022 by MontcoToday
By: David Bjorkgren
Heather Woodward, a mobile counselor at The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC), was a positive force in the lives of so many people struggling with addiction. During her time at TLC, Heather was more than just a counselor to her clients. She went above and beyond for them—taking clients in need of food security to food banks, finding clients the rent rebates, walking them through government paperwork, and removing any other barriers she could that clients encountered.
“She made sure they weren’t going to go back to patterns that would be destructive. She stayed on top of them and worked with them to ensure they had everything they needed,” says Rob D’Alonzo, Chief Clinical Officer at TLC. Heather genuinely cared about her clients and was dedicated to transforming their lives for the better. “She made a fundamental change for the better in the lives of those she served. She was passionate about her work and is missed by her clients and her TLC family.”
Victim Services
TLC provides free counseling and case management services to children and adults living in Montgomery County who have been affected by crime in the past or present, whether the crime went reported or unreported. The program is grant-funded and provides free mobile counseling for victims of crime of all ages. TLC’s Certified Clinical Trauma Professional therapists travel to their clients, providing individual and group therapy, crisis and trauma-informed therapy, as well as creative arts therapy. The counselors also provide transportation to victimization services and offer education on victim’s rights, compensation, and the criminal justice system. In addition, clients have access to case management services, including assistance with filing compensation claims.
A Name Change
Heather passed away suddenly in 2018. In honor of Heather’s memory, The Lincoln Center is naming its crime victim services program in remembrance of her life, work, and everlasting impact.
TLC’s crime victim services program is now known as “Heather’s Hope: A Center for Victims of Crime”, carrying on her spirit and compassion, instilling hope in victims of crime the way Heather did.
If you or someone you know is a victim of crime and needs assistance, visit The Lincoln Center to find out more about how Heather’s Hope can help.
About TLC
The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth is a social enterprise company serving the Greater Philadelphia Area. Founded in 1970 by a behavioral health hospital, TLC is an entrepreneurial nonprofit providing innovative education, coaching, and counseling services to individuals and families, as well as grant writing and management services for school districts and universities.