KENTUCKY — Hope’s Wings Domestic Violence Program in Richmond, Kentucky, was established in 2006 to provide domestic violence services for women and children in the Madison County community. This need quickly turned to also providing emergency housing, outreach and education to the community.

Jennifer Lainhart is the executive director of Hope’s Wings and she joins In Focus Kentucky to share the agency's comprehensive, coordinated response to domestic violence that is detailed in the Madison County Blueprint for Safety.

Lainhart also shares feedback on a recent committee hearing in Frankfort where state lawmakers heard testimony and pleas from domestic violence survivors and advocates about proposed legislation that would grant unemployment benefits to domestic violence victims who lose their jobs or are forced out of work by assaults.

"I think that this could be a really good thing for the state of Kentucky and definitely for victims, because sometimes when victims lose their job, you know that source of income could make the difference between them being homeless or being housed. And the last thing we want is for victims to be homeless due to domestic violence. So I think that this law could be really good for victims and we absolutely stand behind that here at Hope's Wings," explained Lainhart