Aurora House

Aurora House is a residential counseling center for girls ages 13-20 and certified by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. Aurora House offers short- and long-term community-based treatment to a group of up to 12 girls.

Aurora House provides at-risk females the nurturing, structure, and support necessary to help them through the difficulties they experience, offering the girls and their families the opportunity to make positive changes toward a brighter future.
Aurora House
Aurora House opened in 1991 as part of the City of Falls Church Human Services Department (with Court Services and Housing and Human Services), and operates under the direction of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Aurora House serves Arlington County, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church, and Fairfax County.



Program Components

The Aurora House program offers a comprehensive, therapeutic experience to girls served by the group home. While at Aurora House, residents examine their behavior and attitudes toward themselves, family members, peers, and authority figures. The following components of the Aurora House program offer each girl the opportunity to make changes in these relationships:
  • Educational Support
  • Family Counseling
  • Group Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Recreation

Parent Contributions

Parents contribute to the financial support of their daughters while they are residents at Aurora House. A monthly contribution amount is calculated according to a sliding scale, which can be viewed here

Admission Information

Formal referral to Aurora House is made through the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court or the Department of Human Services. Informal inquiries from interested persons or professionals may be made by contacting Aurora House or the Juvenile Court intake office in Arlington County, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church, or Fairfax County. We are listed on the CSA Service Directory for Arlington County, City of Alexandria, and Fairfax County.
  
Aurora House does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, sexual orientation or national origin in the admission, access to, or treatment in its services of youth. 

Goals

As a community-based program, Aurora House seeks to help residents participate more effectively in their families, schools, and communities. The primary objective for most Aurora House residents is to return home and successfully live with parent(s) or family members. Whenever possible, girls entering Aurora House continue to attend their school of origin, receive regular home visits, and participate in local employment and recreational opportunities.

With the intensive structure and support provided by Aurora House counselors, residents learn to accept responsibility for themselves and their actions and to appropriately respond to the problems they face in these environments. The involvement of a girl's family in the change process is extremely important.
 

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed in 2003 with unanimous support from both parties in Congress. The purpose of the act was to "provide for the analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in Federal, State, and local institutions and to provide information, resources, recommendations and funding to protect individuals from prison rape." (Prison Rape Elimination Act, 2003). In addition to creating a mandate for significant research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and through the National Institute of Justice, funding through the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute of Corrections supported major efforts in many state correctional, juvenile detention, community corrections, and jail systems.

Aurora House is committed to ensuring a safe and humane environment for all residents, which includes zero tolerance for any form of sexual misconduct. To this end, Aurora House has partnered with the following entities:

Falls Church Police Department, who will investigate all allegations of sexual abuse and sexual harassment.

Falls Church Police Department
300 Park Avenue, G2 Level East Wing
Falls Church, VA 22046
703-241-5053

Doorways For Women and Families, who provide a reporting hotline, as well as survivor support services.

Doorways For Women and Families
Attn: REVIVE Counseling Program
P.O. Box 100185
Arlington, VA 22210
703-237-0881

Click here to view the formal agreements with both entities.

Third party and anonymous reports of sexual misconduct can be submitted in any of the following manners:
  • Call the reporting hotline: 703-237-0881 (any time, 24/7)
  • Call Aurora House and speak to the PREA Coordinator
  • Mail a letter to Doorways (address provided above)