Off the Streets

The mission of Off the Streets is to assist women involved in prostitution move towards safety, recovery, empowerment, and community reintegration.

Off the Streets a program specifically for women who are involved in prostitution.  It is a program to help women explore positive changes.

• We provide a safe, welcoming, and nonjudgmental environment.  Each woman is treated with dignity and respect regardless of her individual circumstances.  The program will honor what women have done to survive and will help each woman create a healthier and safer future for herself.

• We are a peer-driven program.  By peer-driven, we mean that our staff have similar life experiences to the clients we serve.  They too have experienced prostitution, trauma, substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, and/or other related problems

What services are offered?

We work with clients to coordinate the many services needed to work on their recovery.  All services are coordinated on an individual basis to fit each woman’s unique needs.  Clients participate in some services at our location, which help foster a sense of community and self esteem.  These may include:

• Creative writing class
• Knitting circle
• Journaling
• Employment and life coaching

Our staff also makes referrals to other community-based programs such as:

• Housing
• Emergency needs
• Trauma recovery
• Mental health services
• Substance abuse treatment
• Healthcare
• Education
• Employment
• Family Services

How can I participate in the program?

We will work with any woman who has experienced prostitution and wants to make life changes.  The program accepts referrals from many sources including:

• Self-referrals
• The criminal justice system
• Other treatment programs

How long is the program?

There is no set time for the program.  Each woman makes progress in her recovery at her own pace.  If a woman is referred by the Court or Probation, she may be required to participate in a specified amount of services.  However, the program will work with women as log as is needed.  Most women participate for about one year.

Where is the program located?

Off the Streets is located in downtown Cincinnati and is near Metro bus lines.

When is the program?

The program occurs Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Want more information?
For referral information, contact an Outreach and Intake Coordinator    513-378-2534

For general information, contact:

            Mary Carol Melton, Program director                                       513-768-6905

            Kari Kester, Program Manager                                                 513-768-6924

Off the Streets has also been recognized...
with the 2007 Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations' Nonprofit Excellence Award
with the 2007 Outstandig Community Efforts in CPOP Award
in the book "Last Look" by Mariah Stewart    
with the 2008 "Non-Profit of the Year" awarded by Over-The-Rhine Chamber