Help leaving domestic violence in Michigan
We've found 10 places in Michigan for people leaving an abuser, mostly in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing, and 7 that serve the whole state. Our volunteers haven't confirmed these yet, so a quick call ahead is worth it. Most of them help with shelter & housing (5), legal help (4) and food (3).
Places in Michigan
Michigan 211
Free statewide information line that connects anyone in Michigan to local help with housing, food, utility bills, transportation, and clothing. Dial 211 or text your ZIP code to be matched with programs near you.
Voices4 Hotline
Michigan's statewide 24/7 line for anyone affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking. Advocates answer calls, texts, and online chat and can connect you to a local program.
Alternatives For Girls
Detroit agency for homeless and at-risk girls and young women, including trafficking and domestic violence survivors. Street outreach teams offer food, clothing, and hygiene kits; the Crisis Resource Center connects survivors to shelter, health care, and workforce programs.
YWCA West Central Michigan
Grand Rapids provider for survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Runs the confidential Sojourner emergency shelter, Project HEAL transitional housing, legal advocacy for protection orders, and counseling, all at no cost.
Advent House Ministries
Lansing's lead Coordinated Entry agency for Ingham County. Screens unhoused people for shelter and housing referrals, runs a weekend day shelter with meals, provides eviction diversion and rapid rehousing case management, and does street outreach across Ingham, Clinton, and Eaton counties.
Lakeshore Legal Aid
Free civil legal aid for low-income people, older adults, and survivors of domestic and sexual violence in southeast Michigan. Handles protection orders, eviction and subsidized housing, public benefits denials, driver's license restoration, and setting aside adult and juvenile criminal records.
Michigan Legal Help
Statewide self-help website with plain-language guides and court forms for people handling their own legal problems, including clearing criminal records, eviction, family law, and personal protection orders. Its Guide to Legal Help points you to a legal aid office or lawyer.
MI Bridges
Michigan's online portal for applying for food assistance (SNAP), Medicaid, cash assistance, child care, and emergency relief, and for reporting changes on an open case. A help desk supports the website; Medicaid questions go to the beneficiary help line.
Michigan Vital Records Office
Issues certified copies of Michigan birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. Order online or by phone through VitalChek, drop an application in the Lansing lobby drop box, or book an in-person appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Michigan State ID Card
A standard Michigan state ID costs $10 and must be issued in person at a Secretary of State office; some residents qualify for a no-fee card. Pre-apply online, then schedule an office visit, which averages about 20 minutes.
National lines that work in Michigan
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for any mental health or substance use crisis. Available to anyone in any program.
Lifeline free phone program
Free or discounted phone and service for people on Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or low income. Apply online or through a carrier.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
24/7 confidential help for anyone affected by domestic violence. Advocates connect you to local shelters and legal help.