Our Mission:
Arkansas Visitation and Exchange Center facilitates safe exchanges and supervised visitation, while collaborating with community partners to serve families who have been affected by divorce, separation, abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
What is Arkansas Visitation and Exchange Center?
AVEC was established in 2005. In 2009, a federal grant was awarded to Benton County from the Office on Violence Against Women, US Department of Justice Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Exchange. This three year grant was awarded to a core team of partners including:
- Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter in Benton County
- Peace at Home Family Shelter in Washington County
- Benton County Circuit Courts
From these partners, the Benton County Safe Havens Community Collaborative has grown and continues to strengthen and protect victims of domestic violence and their children. AVEC allows for children to have access to their parents through the provision of supervised visitation and monitored exchanges in a child-friendly environment that emphasizes parent and child safety. Parents are typically referred to the center with a court order or agreement between both parents.
Our top priority at AVEC is to protect victims from further abuse and hurt. We have policies in place allowing AVEC to develop safety plans for your individual family needs, in addition to connecting you with the resources you need.
Our goal in providing these services is to eliminate further abuse to the victim and the emotional hardship that children frequently have to endure as a result of custody litigation. AVEC will do this by supporting the family with the needed resources, a zero –tolerance policy on battering tactics, and creating an environment for children to have safe contact with both parents.
While there may be many allegations made between parents, AVEC strives to provide a safe and respectful environment.
We provide referral services for issues related to domestic violence, substance abuse, and other difficulties, which might impair a parent’s relationship with their children.
