Last updated: May 20, 2026
Urgent help if you are in danger now
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 911. If it is not safe to speak, follow the dispatcher’s questions as best you can.
For confidential help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or use The Hotline chat from a safer device. A Kentucky advocate can help you think through shelter, court, children, pets, money, and next steps.
If you think your phone, email, car, or online accounts are being watched, use a safer phone or computer when possible. A public library, school, clinic, workplace, or trusted person’s phone may be safer than a shared device.
Bottom line
Kentucky has local domestic violence programs for every county. They can help with crisis support, shelter, court advocacy, children’s needs, and housing or benefits referrals. Start with the ZeroV locator or ask The Hotline to connect you.
This guide is general information. It is not legal advice or a personal safety plan. Domestic violence situations can change fast, so a local advocate, legal aid lawyer, court clerk, or emergency responder should be your next contact when safety is at risk.
Where to start in Kentucky
Start with the step that matches your biggest risk today. You do not have to fix everything today.
You need to leave today
Call 911 if there is danger now. If you need a safe place, call The Hotline or your nearest Kentucky domestic violence program. Kentucky’s state information page says local programs may provide crisis lines, shelter, food and clothing support, legal advocacy, transportation, case management, counseling, children’s services, and housing help through the CHFS shelter page.
You need court protection
Ask the circuit court clerk about a protective order. Kentucky has Domestic Violence Orders and Interpersonal Protective Orders. The court form is the same for both, and Kentucky Justice Online explains the basics on Kentucky Justice.
You need housing help
If you are homeless, at risk, or fleeing violence, ask about domestic violence shelter first. For longer-term housing referrals, Kentucky Housing Corporation lists Any Door KY coordinated entry and other resources for Any Door KY.
You need food, cash, or care
Apply for SNAP, Medicaid, KTAP, child care assistance, or other benefits through kynect benefits. If child support cooperation could make things unsafe, tell the worker you need to ask about good cause or a domestic violence exemption.
Quick reference table
| Need | Start here | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Danger right now | 911 | Tell the dispatcher you need police, medical help, or both. |
| Confidential DV support | The Hotline | Ask for a nearby Kentucky program. |
| Local shelter or advocacy | ZeroV locator | Ask for shelter, court, child, and safety help. |
| Protective order | Court self-help | Ask where to file and whether you can use the guided form. |
| Address privacy | Safe at Home | Ask how to apply and use a substitute address. |
| Crime-related costs | claim documents | Ask what documents are needed and if emergency help is possible. |
| Food, rent, utilities | Kentucky 211 | Ask for county and ZIP code referrals. |
Kentucky domestic violence programs
For most single mothers, the best first call is a local domestic violence program. These programs know the shelters, courts, schools, child care options, legal aid offices, and housing systems in your part of Kentucky.
ZeroV is the statewide coalition formerly known as the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It supports 15 regional programs that serve all 120 Kentucky counties, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Use the ZeroV locator early in the process so you do not spend hours calling the wrong office.
What an advocate may help with
- Making a safer plan for tonight or this week.
- Checking shelter space or safe alternatives.
- Going with you to court or helping with forms.
- Talking through school, child care, job, and transportation concerns.
- Connecting you to legal aid, counseling, food, benefits, and housing help.
A shelter bed is not always open right away. If a program is full, ask whether they can check partner programs, help with transportation, connect you to Any Door KY, or talk through a safer short-term option. Do not assume one full shelter means no help exists.
Protective orders in Kentucky
Kentucky protective order cases are civil court cases. They are separate from any criminal case. A protective order may tell the other person not to contact you, not to come near you or your children, leave a shared home, or follow other court rules. The judge decides what to include.
Kentucky uses Domestic Violence Orders, often called DVOs, for certain family and household relationships. Interpersonal Protective Orders, often called IPOs, may apply to dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault. The petition form is the same. Search by topic on the Kentucky Court of Justice court forms page or ask the circuit court clerk for the Petition/Motion for Order of Protection.
| Court step | Plain meaning | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| File the petition | You tell the court what happened and what protection you are asking for. | Be specific. Include recent events, threats, injuries, stalking, strangulation, weapons, and child safety concerns if they apply. |
| Temporary order | A judge may issue an emergency or temporary order before the hearing. | The order must be served or the other person must be notified before it can be enforced. |
| Hearing | The court decides whether a longer order should be entered. | Plan to attend. If the other person has a lawyer and you do not, ask about a continuance and legal aid. |
| After the order | Keep a copy and ask how to report violations. | Register with VINE protective orders to get updates about service, hearings, and expiration. |
There is no cost to file for a protective order, according to Kentucky Justice Online. You can file in the county where you live or a county where you went to get away. If you moved to get away, ask the clerk or an advocate how address information is handled in the court file.
Do not rely on court papers alone
A protective order can be an important tool, but it is not the same as a complete safety plan. Ask an advocate what steps may be safer for service, hearings, transportation, school pickup, work, and communication with the other parent.
Housing, shelter, and address safety
If you need to leave tonight, call a local domestic violence program first. Domestic violence shelters are built for safety and may help with children, court, counseling, food, transportation, and housing referrals. If no bed is open, ask whether the advocate can help you contact another regional program or a local coordinated entry contact.
For homelessness or housing instability outside a shelter, Kentucky Housing Corporation lists Any Door KY coordinated entry for most Kentucky counties. Jefferson and Fayette counties use their own coordinated entry systems. Any Door KY can assess need and make referrals, but the state page is clear that access does not guarantee a housing referral.
If you live in federally assisted housing, the federal Violence Against Women Act may protect you from being denied housing, evicted, or terminated from assistance because of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. HUD’s HUD VAWA page has forms and survivor information. Ask your housing provider for the VAWA notice, self-certification form, and emergency transfer plan.
Kentucky’s Safe at Home program can help eligible survivors use a substitute address on public records and have mail forwarded. The program is at no cost. The Secretary of State says a protective order is not required; applicants provide a statement under penalty of perjury. Start with the Safe at Home enrollment page or ask a local domestic violence program for an application assistant.
Address safety caution
Address privacy tools help, but they do not erase every record everywhere. Before changing schools, benefits, court cases, leases, licenses, or child support records, ask an advocate or legal aid office how to avoid creating a new public trail.
Money, benefits, medical care, and recovery costs
Leaving abuse can create fast money problems. You may need food, a phone, gas, child care, medication, new locks, documents, counseling, or help replacing items. Start with a domestic violence advocate, then add public benefits and local programs.
Crime Victims Compensation
Kentucky’s Crime Victims Compensation Board may help with certain crime-related costs when no other resource can pay. Its claim page lists help for medical, funeral, mental health counseling, dental or corrective lens expenses, lost wages, and loss of support. You can use the online claim portal or call 502-782-8255 for help with forms, paper copies, or language access.
Sexual assault support
If the abuse included sexual assault, the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs says Kentucky has 13 regional sexual assault centers with free, confidential support. Use KASAP to find services for crisis support, advocacy, and referrals.
Food, cash, medical, and child care benefits
Through kynect, you may be able to apply for SNAP food help, Medicaid, KTAP cash help, child care assistance, and other programs. Kentucky’s KTAP page says KTAP is cash assistance for needy dependent children and the parents or relatives with whom they live.
If you receive KTAP or other benefits and you are told to cooperate with child support, tell the worker if cooperation could put you or your children at risk. Ask about good cause, family violence options, or a safe way to handle child support. Do not share unsafe contact information just to finish a form quickly.
| Need | Possible path | Ask this |
|---|---|---|
| Food | SNAP, WIC, food pantries | Can I get expedited food help or emergency pantry referrals? |
| Cash or basic needs | KTAP, local charities, 211 | Is there help for families leaving violence? |
| Medical care | Medicaid, clinics, crisis centers | Can I apply now and get help with prescriptions or counseling? |
| Child care | Child care assistance | Can safety, job search, court, or housing appointments affect priority? |
| Utilities or rent | Community Action, 211, housing agencies | What programs are open in my county today? |
For local referrals by ZIP code, call 211, text your ZIP code to 898211, or search Kentucky 211. Ask for food, rent, utility, counseling, transportation, diapers, school supplies, and legal referrals in your county.
Children, custody, school, and child support
Domestic violence can affect school pickup, child care, custody, support, benefits, and medical care. Ask an advocate and legal aid before changing custody plans, moving counties, withholding visitation, or sharing your new address.
A protective order may include temporary rules about children, contact, or the home. If there is already a custody, divorce, juvenile, or child support case, tell legal aid and the court clerk.
If child support is part of your next step, ASMOM’s child support guide explains the regular process. In a safety case, ask first how to protect your address and handle cooperation rules safely.
School and child care tip
If you have a protective order or custody order, ask the school or child care center how to provide a copy, how pickup lists are handled, and who can see your contact information. Use a calm, simple request and avoid giving more details than the school needs.
What to gather if it is safe
Do not risk your safety to collect paperwork. If you cannot get documents now, tell the advocate, court clerk, benefits worker, or legal aid office what is missing.
| Item | Why it may help | If you cannot get it |
|---|---|---|
| ID, birth certificates, Social Security cards | Benefits, school, shelter, housing, medical care | Ask about replacement documents and emergency intake options. |
| Protective order papers or court dates | Court, school, employer, housing provider | Ask the circuit court clerk how to get a copy. |
| Lease, eviction papers, utility bills | Housing help, VAWA rights, emergency aid | Ask the landlord or utility for copies only if it is safe. |
| Pay stubs, benefit letters, bank records | SNAP, KTAP, Medicaid, child care, legal aid screening | Tell the office what income you have and ask for other proof options. |
| Messages, photos, medical papers, police reports | Protective order, crime compensation, legal help | Ask an advocate how to save evidence without increasing risk. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Posting your plans online. Even private accounts can be seen or shared.
- Using shared devices for safety research. Use a safer device if possible.
- Assuming a shelter is the only help. Many programs also help people who do not stay in shelter.
- Missing the court hearing. A temporary order can expire if you do not attend.
- Giving a new address too quickly. Ask about Safe at Home and address protection first.
- Ignoring benefits rules. If child support cooperation is unsafe, ask about good cause before you sign forms.
If you are denied, delayed, or overwhelmed
If a program says no, ask why and what other option fits your county. If shelter is full, ask for another domestic violence referral. If housing help has a waitlist, ask about coordinated entry, VAWA rights, legal aid, and 211 referrals. If benefits are delayed, ask for a supervisor, written notice, and appeal rights.
If you cannot safely explain everything by phone, ask if the office can work with an advocate. Many offices can receive documents from an advocate or legal aid worker with your permission.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling a local domestic violence program
“I am a single mother in Kentucky and I need help with domestic violence. I may need shelter, court advocacy, and help planning for my children. Can I speak with an advocate privately?”
Calling the circuit court clerk
“I need to ask about filing a protective order. Where do I go, what hours can I file, and what should I bring? I also need to know how my address is protected.”
Calling legal aid
“I need legal help related to domestic violence, custody, housing, or benefits. I have children and I am worried about safety. Can you screen me for urgent help or refer me to the right office?”
Calling a benefits worker
“I need help applying for benefits, but child support cooperation or sharing my address may create a safety risk. How do I ask for good cause or a domestic violence exemption?”
Resumen en espanol
Si usted o sus hijos estan en peligro inmediato, llame al 911. Para ayuda confidencial, puede llamar a la Linea Nacional contra la Violencia Domestica al 800-799-7233 o enviar START al 88788. En Kentucky, los programas locales de violencia domestica pueden ayudar con refugio, planificacion de seguridad, corte, ninos, vivienda y referencias.
Si necesita una orden de proteccion, pregunte en la oficina del secretario del circuito del condado. Si necesita ocultar su direccion en registros publicos, pregunte por Safe at Home. Si necesita comida, vivienda, servicios publicos o cuidado infantil, llame al 211 o aplique por beneficios en kynect.
FAQ
Who should I call first for domestic violence help in Kentucky?
If there is immediate danger, call 911. If you need confidential planning, shelter, or local referrals, call The Hotline or use the ZeroV locator to find the Kentucky domestic violence program for your county.
Can a Kentucky domestic violence program help if I do not stay in shelter?
Yes. Many programs help survivors who are not staying in shelter. Services may include safety planning, court advocacy, support groups, children’s services, benefits referrals, and housing referrals, depending on the program and your situation.
How do I ask for a protective order in Kentucky?
Contact the circuit court clerk in the county where you live or where you went to get away. Ask for the Petition/Motion for Order of Protection. You can also review Kentucky Court of Justice self-help resources and Kentucky Justice Online before filing.
Can I keep my address private in Kentucky?
Kentucky’s Safe at Home program may help eligible survivors use a substitute address on public records and receive mail forwarding. Ask a domestic violence advocate or the Secretary of State’s office how to apply.
What if child support cooperation is unsafe?
Tell your benefits worker, child support worker, advocate, or legal aid office that cooperation may create a safety risk. Ask about good cause or domestic violence exemptions before sharing unsafe information.
Can I get help with crime-related costs?
Kentucky’s Crime Victims Compensation Board may help with certain crime-related expenses when no other resource can pay. Ask an advocate to help with the claim if documents are hard to gather.
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.