Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
If you are a single mother in Minnesota and abuse is happening, start with safety support before paperwork. Minnesota Day One is the statewide crisis line for domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking, and other crime victim support. You can call 1-866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995. Advocates can help you think through shelter, a safer place to go, legal help, and local programs.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you are in a mental health crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 Lifeline. This guide is general information, not legal or safety-plan advice. A domestic violence advocate or attorney can help you decide what is safest for your situation.
Urgent help in Minnesota
- Immediate danger: Call 911.
- Domestic violence shelter and advocacy: Call Day One at 1-866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995.
- National backup hotline: The National Hotline is 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
- Local resources: United Way 211 can connect you to food, rent help, diapers, transportation, and local agencies. Call 211, call 800-543-7709, or text your ZIP code to 898-211.
- Address safety: Minnesota Safe at Home can help some survivors use a substitute mailing address.
Where to start
You do not need to fix everything in one day. Pick the safest first step for your situation.
You need a safe place tonight
Call or text Day One and ask about shelter, hotel options, transportation, and an advocate near your county.
You need court protection
Read the Minnesota courts page about Orders for Protection and Harassment Restraining Orders. An advocate can help with forms.
You need food or rent help
Use MNbenefits to apply for food, cash, emergency help, housing support, and child care assistance.
You need legal help
LawHelp Minnesota can help you find free legal information, forms, and civil legal aid.
Quick contacts
| Need | Where to start | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic violence shelter or advocate | Day One, 1-866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995 | Ask for a confidential advocate, shelter options, and help with safe next steps. |
| Nearby domestic violence program | Violence Free Minnesota | Use the statewide information and then check the program directory for county-based help. |
| Court order help | Minnesota Judicial Branch | Ask about an Order for Protection, Harassment Restraining Order, interpreter, and address privacy. |
| Crime victim expenses | crime reimbursement | Ask if medical bills, counseling, lost wages, funeral costs, or other crime-related costs may be covered. |
| Offender release notice | Minnesota VINE | Ask how to register for custody status and release notifications. |
Shelter and advocacy
Day One is usually the fastest statewide starting point because it can connect you to programs across Minnesota. It serves people dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, general crime, or unsafe relationships. You can also ask for interpreter help.
A local advocate may help you talk through shelter, transportation, court forms, school changes, child needs, and what to do if your phone or online activity may be watched. If using your own phone or computer does not feel safe, consider reaching out from a safer device or a trusted location.
Reality check
Shelter space can change by the hour. If the first option is full, ask the advocate about another county, hotel help, transportation, pet safety, culturally specific programs, or mobile advocacy while you stay somewhere else.
For related help on the site, see ASMOM’s national domestic violence help page and the broader Minnesota help guide.
Court protection in Minnesota
Minnesota courts explain two common civil orders: an Order for Protection, often called an OFP, and a Harassment Restraining Order, often called an HRO. An OFP is for domestic abuse by a family or household member under Minnesota law. An HRO may be used for harassment even when there is no family or household relationship.
You can get official court forms from the Minnesota Judicial Branch. The court page says you may use Minnesota Guide & File to create forms for an OFP or HRO and file electronically or print them. You can also ask the court about interpreters, fee waivers where allowed, and how to keep your address out of the public court file.
A Domestic Abuse No Contact Order, or DANCO, is different. It is usually part of a criminal case, not something you file on your own. Minnesota law describes a DANCO order as a court order issued against a defendant in certain criminal or juvenile cases. If there is a criminal case, ask the prosecutor or victim advocate what orders are already in place.
| Protection path | May help when | Where to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Order for Protection | The abuse is from a family or household member, current or former partner, or someone covered by Minnesota domestic abuse law. | Ask the court, a local advocate, or legal aid. |
| Harassment Restraining Order | The person is harassing you, stalking you, or using unwanted acts that affect your safety or privacy. | Ask the court about HRO forms and fees. |
| DANCO | There is a criminal case involving domestic abuse or a related offense. | Ask the prosecutor, victim advocate, or court clerk. |
| ERPO | There is concern about firearm danger to self or others. | Review court firearm information, including ERPO questions. |
Common court mistakes to avoid
- Do not assume the court knows about your children, pets, school, workplace, or address concerns unless you ask clearly on the forms.
- Do not list an unsafe address in a public form if the court gives a safer way to provide it.
- Do not rely on verbal promises from the other person. Ask the court, advocate, or attorney what the written order says.
- Do not skip a hearing without asking for help. If you cannot attend, ask the court what options exist.
For more legal topics, read ASMOM’s Minnesota legal help page.
Housing and address safety
If you need to leave your home, call Day One first when it is safe to do so. If you are in subsidized housing, public housing, or a Housing Choice Voucher program, federal VAWA rules may protect you from being denied housing, evicted, or terminated because of violence against you. Minnesota Housing explains VAWA housing rights, including emergency transfer and lease bifurcation rights in covered housing.
Minnesota also has a rental law for some survivors who need to end a lease because of safety. The state lease law says a tenant may terminate a residential lease without penalty when the required steps and documents apply after domestic abuse, criminal sexual conduct, sexual extortion, or harassment. Talk with legal aid or an advocate before using this if you are unsure what notice or proof is required.
Safe at Home is Minnesota’s address confidentiality program. It can give eligible participants a substitute PO Box and mail forwarding to help keep a real home address private. It is not a shelter and does not replace a safety plan, but it may help with schools, records, and mail after a move.
If housing help is delayed
Ask 211 about Coordinated Entry, Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program contacts, county emergency help, Community Action agencies, and local charities. You can also review ASMOM’s Minnesota housing help guides.
Money, food, child care, and work
Abuse often affects money, food, work, and transportation. Minnesota’s online benefit application is MNbenefits. You can use it for several programs, but your county or Tribal Nation usually reviews the case.
- Food: The SNAP program can help low-income households buy groceries. It will not cover every food cost, so also ask 211 about food shelves.
- Pregnancy and young children: Minnesota WIC helps pregnant women, postpartum mothers, infants, and children under 5 with nutrition support and referrals.
- Emergency cash: Minnesota Emergency Assistance may help with some emergencies, but counties and Tribal Nations can have their own rules.
- Cash assistance: MFIP helps families with children meet basic needs. If abuse affects work rules, ask about the MFIP waiver for family violence.
- Child care: The child care program may help pay for care so you can work, look for work, or go to school. Some local agencies have waiting lists.
- Work leave: Minnesota sick and safe time may be used for certain domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking needs.
- Job loss: Minnesota unemployment rules list some situations where domestic abuse of you or your minor child required quitting. See unemployment separations for the state’s wording.
Related ASMOM pages can help you go deeper: Minnesota food help, Minnesota TANF, Minnesota child care, Minnesota WIC, and Minnesota utility help.
Benefit tip
If a benefits worker asks for information that is unsafe or hard to get, tell the worker you are dealing with domestic violence and ask what safe verification options exist. If you get MFIP, ask directly about family violence provisions.
Children, school, health care, and counseling
If your child’s school or child care setting needs to know about custody, pickup rules, or court orders, give them only what is needed and ask how they protect private records. If your address must stay private, ask about Safe at Home and court address privacy first.
For health coverage, Medical Assistance is Minnesota’s Medicaid program for people with low income, including families with children and pregnant women. You can also use MNsure’s page on MA and MinnesotaCare to apply with financial help.
If you need counseling, trauma support, or crisis support, ask Day One, your clinic, county human services, or 988 for options. Local programs may know providers who understand domestic abuse, sexual assault, child trauma, or culturally specific needs.
ASMOM has related guides on Minnesota health coverage, Minnesota mental health, and Minnesota child support. If pursuing child support could increase danger, ask a benefits worker or legal aid about good-cause rules before taking action.
Documents and information checklist
Do not delay calling for help because you do not have every paper. Bring or upload what you can safely access.
| Need | Helpful information | Safety note |
|---|---|---|
| Shelter or advocate | County, safe callback method, children’s ages, pets, disability needs, language needs. | Say if calls, texts, email, or mail are unsafe. |
| Court order | Dates or examples of abuse, police report numbers if any, child safety concerns, addresses to keep private. | Ask the court how to protect your address. |
| Benefits | ID, income, rent, utility costs, child care costs, household members, bank information if required. | Ask for safe verification if the abuser controls papers. |
| Housing rights | Lease, notices, subsidy papers, voucher papers, landlord messages, qualifying documents if ending a lease. | Talk to legal aid before sending unsafe notices. |
| Crime reimbursement | Crime date, police or prosecutor information, bills, receipts, insurance information, lost wage proof. | Ask an advocate to help gather records safely. |
Watchouts and common mistakes
- Waiting for proof before calling. Advocates can listen and talk through options even if you do not have police reports or court papers.
- Assuming every program is statewide. Some help is county-based, Tribal Nation-based, or tied to funding.
- Using unsafe contact methods. Tell every agency how they can safely contact you.
- Missing benefits notices. If mail is unsafe or unstable, ask how to get notices online or through a safe mailing address.
- Thinking denial is the end. Many benefits, housing, and court decisions have appeal or review options with deadlines.
If you are denied, delayed, or overwhelmed
If an agency says no, ask for the denial in writing and the appeal deadline. If a county does not respond, call back, write down the date and time, and ask for a supervisor or appeal information.
For legal help, try LawHelp Minnesota, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Central Minnesota Legal Services, or Minnesota Legal Advice Online. legal aid intake through Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid may help with domestic violence, custody, housing, benefits, and other civil legal issues if you qualify. Standpoint also serves Minnesota victims and professionals dealing with domestic and sexual violence legal issues.
Phone scripts
Calling Day One
“Hi, I am a single mom in Minnesota and I do not feel safe at home. I need to talk with an advocate about shelter, transportation, and what to do with my children. Calls or texts may not be safe for me. What are my options?”
Calling the court
“I need information about filing for an Order for Protection or Harassment Restraining Order. I also need to keep my address private. Can you tell me which forms to use and how to ask for address confidentiality?”
Calling county benefits
“I applied through MNbenefits and I am dealing with domestic violence. I need food, emergency help, and child care. What safe verification can I use if I cannot get documents from the other parent?”
Calling a housing office
“I am a survivor in covered housing or voucher housing. I need to ask about VAWA protections, emergency transfer, and keeping my information confidential. Who handles these requests?”
Resumen en español
Si está en peligro inmediato en Minnesota, llame al 911. Para ayuda por violencia doméstica, llame a Minnesota Day One al 1-866-223-1111 o mande texto al 612-399-9995. Puede pedir ayuda para refugio, seguridad, transporte, corte y servicios locales.
Si necesita comida, dinero de emergencia, cuidado infantil o vivienda, puede solicitar varios beneficios en MNbenefits. Si necesita una orden de protección, hable con una defensora o con la corte de Minnesota. Si su dirección no es segura, pregunte sobre Safe at Home.
FAQ
What should I do first if I am not safe in Minnesota?
Call 911 if there is immediate danger. If you can reach out safely, call Minnesota Day One at 1-866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995 for shelter, advocacy, and local support.
Can I get help if I am not ready to file a police report?
Yes. You can call a domestic violence advocate for support and options even if you are not ready to report to police or file in court.
What is an Order for Protection in Minnesota?
An Order for Protection is a civil court order that may help protect someone from domestic abuse by a family or household member. The Minnesota Judicial Branch has official information and forms.
Can I keep my address private?
Maybe. Minnesota Safe at Home may help eligible survivors use a substitute mailing address. Courts may also have ways to keep an address out of the public file. Ask before writing your address on forms.
Can domestic violence affect my benefits case?
It can. If you receive MFIP or are applying for help, tell the worker if domestic violence affects work rules, child support cooperation, paperwork, or safe contact. Ask about family violence provisions and appeal rights.
Where can I get free legal help?
Start with LawHelp Minnesota or a local legal aid office. A domestic violence advocate may also know legal clinics or attorneys that help with OFPs, housing, custody, and benefits.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.