Elizabeth Crawford, M.S., MPH, HES, Domestic Violence Counselor and Therapist

In 1995, Elizabeth Crawford founded the Domestic Violence Counseling Center (DVCC) which is a non-profit outpatient behavioral health counseling center licensed by the State of West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of Health Facilities, Licensure and Certification.   DVCC focuses on and provides treatment for the violence-related emotional trauma experienced by domestic violence victims and domestic violence offenders.

DVCC welcomes and serves any victim or offender of domestic violence regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

Ms. Crawford received a Masters of Science Degree in Public Health and a Masters of Science in Community Health Education from West Virginia University.  She is member of the Public Health honorary Gamma Mu Chapter of Delta Omega. This honor was bestowed on Ms. Crawford due to her innovative and pioneering work in the development of a behavioral health model utilizing evidence-based approaches in the prevention and intervention of domestic violence.  DVCC is one of few domestic violence programs in the nation utilizing a behavioral health approach for the treatment of domestic violence.

During her career, Ms. Crawford has provided numerous national, regional and local television, radio and newspaper interviews on the behavioral health issues experienced by those suffering from violence-related emotional trauma.   Ms. Crawford serves as a national expert on domestic violence in the African-American community and on the subject of domestic violence-related emotional trauma.

Crawford co-authored an article titled “Violence Against Women Act Mandatory Arrest Policies Are Harmful to African-American Communities”.  This article was written for and presented to the Congressional Black Caucus of the United States Congress.

Other articles written and presented by Ms. Crawford include:

• “The Behavioral Health Issues Faced by Domestic Violence Victims and Domestic Violence Offenders”
• “Domestic Violence in the African-American Community”
• “Domestic Violence Programs Lacking Cultural-Appropriateness and Cultural –Sensitivity Are Harming African-American Communities”