Journey of Hope, Inc. is an IRS-Approved 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization that was founded by Shannon Miller-Cox in 2014. We have helped THOUSANDS of Women, Girls, & Affected Youth Since Our Opening. Shannon Miller-Cox, through her work as Executive Director, worked to flatten JOH into a Worker Self-Directed Non-Profit to create a truly equitable space for Workers of Color, Survivors, and Returning Citizens to have equal power. Journey of Hope, Inc. is diverse, truly inclusive, and is now completely Egalitarian Led, Self Directed, & Equitable. Shannon is a client advocate, policy and procedure specialist, programming specialist, National Best Practices/Gender Responsive Trauma Responsive Evidence-Based Practice instructor, and Lethal Assessment Protocol (LAP) Trainer. She also hold many awards for her work within the Community, and Nation, as a whole.
Journey of Hope focuses on trauma-informed care with our Case Management Services, and advocates for mental health public awareness. Our certified domestic violence advocates and peer support specialists provide optimal care and services for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse, & Human Trafficking, as well as other deeply traumatic situations.
Our Founder, Shannon Miller-Cox (Ph.D.), started Journey of Hope, Inc. in 2016. Throughout the evolution of the organization, Journey of Hope now serve's previously harmed women and girls aging out of state services and members of the LGBTQIIA+ community. One hundred percent of this population falls below the federal poverty level and includes those who are on probation, on parole, homeless, fleeing domestic violence and sex trafficking.
Shannon Miller-Cox (Ph.D.) attended Brigham Young University and then the University of Utah when she started her career with the Utah Department of Corrections in 1994. A survivor of Sexual and Domestic Violence, she was trying to find a career that would insulate her from future violence. What she found was so many other human beings that had not had the opportunity to survive the way she had. The first half of her law enforcement career was filled with drug investigations working with the Metro Drug Task Force, the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, and the DEA Drug Task Force, just to name a few. She worked counter-surveillance for the FBI during the 2000 Winter Olympics. She served as an instructor in a multitude of correctional curriculum, Firearms Instruction being her favorite.
The second half of her career was spent as a Supervisor for Adult Probation and Parole creating Gender Responsive programs for women. She created a Gender Responsive supervision center, the Women’s Treatment, and Resource Center, starting in a double-wide trailer and eventually building a half million dollar facility full of agents who supervised women through a trauma-informed lens. She was the co-creator of the Utah Women’s Summit, a multi-disciplinary team utilizing over 85 local, state, federal, non-profit, religious partners to support harmed women living in the community under criminal justice supervision and those incarcerated in our prison. The program is now called the Female Offender Success Initiative (FOSI) with over 100 officer’s statewide supervising females utilizing a Gender Responsive Trauma Informed evidence-based model. She became a trainer for the National Institute of Corrections in the Model, the premier evidence-based model for women and girls involved in criminal justice systems. She has trained this model in several other states and is considered a Utah Expert in Gender Responsive
Trauma Informed programming and case management services.
She was presented with the Utah Governor’s Award for Excellence – FOSI Committee – Innovation and Efficiency before retiring in 2014 to fulfill the dream of creating a non-profit for the women and girls she had endeavored to serve. Journey of Hope, Inc (JOH) incorporated in 2014, started mentoring women from the prison in July 2014 and to date has assisted over 200 women transitioning into the community from the Utah State Prison. The recidivism rates are very low for this program, less than 20% in three years.
JOH opened their doors to community clients in 2016, and have worked with over 1,800 women, girls, and LGBTQIIA+ from the community (homeless, trafficked, fleeing domestic violence, from jail and prison.) These survivors are the poorest in our community, vulnerable to ongoing harm living in extreme poverty. JOH has moved 100’s of these families into Low Income Housing with powerful community partners. Our community partners have swelled to over 100 community partners for Journey of Hope, and this is just the beginning. Our collaboration with powerful partners like UCASA, 4th Street Clinic, VOA, the LDS Humanitarian Effort/Transient Service Office, Refugee and Immigration, and Homeless Resource Partners show the collaborative power of Journey of Hope.
Not one agency can do this work on their own. Shannon’s leadership engages all levels of partnership with a common goal: “Harmed girls do not have to grow into or remain harmed women! We can INTERUPT the Sexual Assault to Prison Pipeline in UTAH!” Shannon also knows engaging systems that work with these girls long before they begin to self- medicate, self- sabotage, and find themselves caught in criminal justice systems, could allow thousands of children in this state to find healing and self- love long before their lives spiral away from them. Beyond the on the ground level work, she is a Social Justice, Racial Justice, Female Justice advocate. Shannon knows we can’t continue to just help women repair their lives at the back end of the criminal justice system.
THE HOPI ELDERS | JUNE 8TH, 2000
The Staff at Journey of Hope, Inc. Is Egalitarian Led & Self Directed, Making Our Team & The Direction of Journey of Hope, Truly Equitable. Our Team Is Made Up of Survivors of Harm, Trauma, & Violence, Which Is Necessary To Providing The Trauma-Informed Care That Women, Girls Aging Out Of State Services, & Affected Youth Truly Deserve. The Compassion & Empathy Our Team Provides Is UNMATCHED, & We Have Watched Recidivism Rates Drop To 17% Through Our Prison Mentoring Program.
The Board of Directors at Journey of Hope, Inc. Consists of Experts & Educated Individuals Who Specialize In Providing Their Expertise & Assistance To The Overall Direction & "Big Picture" Perspective of the Organization, itself. Our Board of Directors Consists of Luciane Fangalua (Ph.D.), Jason Groth (J.D. American Bar Association), Kelly Nabors (B.A.), & Megan Bennett (B.A.). All Board Members Are Passionate About Trauma-Informed, Evidence-Based Care, & Social Advocacy For Survivors of Violence.
Shannon Cox, is the founder of Journey of Hope. She is a nationally recognized trainer in the Women's Case Management Model under the direction of the National Institute of Corrections. During the last 14 years of her law enforcement career, Cox helped the Utah Department of Corrections set up that model for women transitioning out of prison. Utilizing the same evidence principles and practices, she trains volunteers from the community and Journey of Hope staff to deliver the Women's Case Management Model.
Starsha Vario Is the Executive Director at Journey of Hope, Inc. and is a powerful client advocate, triage specialist, case manager, and Certified Peer Support Specialist. Starsha is a survivor of poly-trauma and poverty as a child. She asked to go to prison for her safety, opportunities for treatment and school, and to hold a job away from the dangers of the street. Her studies included Salt Lake Community College. She has an amazing heart for the homeless youth in our community.
A Certified Peer Support Specialist, Renee LaGrant is a survivor leader of human trafficking and is co-chair of the Utah Attorney General’s Trafficking in Persons Task Force (UTIP) sub-committee on survivor supports. She is also JOH’s Peer Support Leader, supervising JOH’s peer support team, managing role assignments, promoting teamwork, and self-care. Renee is our expert using holistic services geared toward our clients’ healing and self-sufficiency.
(SSW) Sherry Long started volunteering for JOH and is now a full-time case manager and Program Specialist, creating aftercare programming for the community we serve. After retiring from Valley Behavioral Health with 30 years in social work, she still wanted to serve our clients; women, girls, and LBGTQ+ in our community. She also volunteers with Sojourner, a local partner, to facilitate a monthly talking circle for Women of African Diaspora who have survived abuse.
Sue Weaver is the lead grant writer and development specialist. Sue has 17 years of successful experience in the Utah nonprofit development world, advocating for K-12 education, humanitarian services, mental health, and the environment. Sue holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in Business, Organizational Behavior and Management. She currently represents Journey of Hope as a member of the Bank On Advisory Council and also sits on its Marketing Committee.
Ashley Robinson Directs The Administration Department & Is The Creative Director at Journey of Hope, Inc. Certified As A HIPAA Privacy & Security Officer, As Well As Certifications In Quickbooks. Ashley Also Assists The Case Management Team With Client Services & Processes. She is an excellent addition to the Journey of Hope staff. She is also a part-time Case Manager, with the utmost respect and dedication to the safety and well-being of our clients. Additionally, she manages our website, and directs the creative department.
Mary Serawop Is A Member Of The Northern Ute Tribe in Utah, & Is A Survivor of Systemic Racism & Violence. Mary Focuses On Case Management Services For Indigenous Women & Girls, Specifically, & Is A Certified Domestic Violence Advocate.
Mary is culturally responsive to a Rural Community Health Grant for the Tooele and Grantsville area; Offering support to the Skull Valley Goshute Tribe, including the Warrior Heart & Warrior Spirit Substance Abuse Treatment Centers, and NAT-SU Healthcare Services Focusing On Trauma Responsive Services.
Jacey Thornton Is A Part Time Staff Member at Journey of Hope, Inc. She is also the Executive Director at Project Rainbow, & Is Currently In School at Weber State University To Receive Her Trauma Therapist Credentials. Jacey Assists Our Organization With Development & Fund-Raising, & Also Specializes In LGBTQIIA+ Case Management Services. A Survivor of Systemic Abuse & Transphobia, Jacey Provides Life-changing support & services to LGBTQIIA+ Individuals, As Well As Social Advocacy for LGBTQIIA+ Communities.
(Ph.D). Durham University, England, (BA) Anthropology, University of Utah, (Masters) International Security Studies, University of St. Andrews, Scotland.
Luciane has worked internationally on trafficking mitigation, internationally, and with the United Nations. Dr. Fangalua offers her unique background in political violence, corruption and human trafficking. She immigrated from Tonga to the U.S. as a child, and received her BA in Anthropology from the University of Utah. She also received her Master of Letters in International Security Studies from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) and PhD from Durham University (England) in Middle East Politics & Islamic Studies. Working with an NGO, her expertise included democratization process, political violence, corruption, and human trafficking.
BA, Business Administration, Ashford University
Kelly is an accomplished Human Resources Professional with 26+ years of leadership and HR experience in investigations, compliance, employee relations, organizational development, safety and security and outstanding customer service. Ms. Nabors has a proven track record of partnering with all levels of management in aligning policies and programs with business strategy. She has been with Delta Airlines since 1995, and a Delta Program Manager in Equal Opportunity since 2010. She is currently a Senior HR Manager for Delta Air Lines at the SLC Airport, with oversight of the West, Mountain West, and Mid-west regions, leading a team of three HR Managers.
BA (University of Utah) Business Administration, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Her own life experiences have taught her that it doesn’t matter where you came from, it is up to you to decide your own path. She has been with Edward Jones (Riverton) since 2019, focusing on Business Retirement Plans, LGBT Finances, Entrepreneurs, and Business Owners, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah. Her personal interests include home improvement, her dogs and cat and social responsibility.
Trial Attorney, American Bar Association, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, Deputy Legal Director
Mr. Groth has represented indigent clients in felony cases in Utah’s Third Judicial District and is a member of the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee. His career includes five years with the ACLU of Utah. As Deputy Legal Director, he represented clients in civil rights cases that include Eighth Amendment conditions of confinement and First Amendment claims. As Deputy Legal Director, Mr. Groth developed and implemented policy advocacy strategies at the state and municipal levels to protect civil rights of individuals impacted by the criminal legal system.
We Can't Do This Without Support From Our Community. We Are Able To Assist & Intervene Within The Lives of Women, Girls, & LGBTQIIA+ Fleeing Violence + Harm Due To Monetary Donations, Sponsors, & Grantors, As Well As Corporations Who Want To Give Back & Make A Difference.
Journey of Hope, INC.'s Founder, Shannon Miller-Cox (Ph.D.), Talks About The Work That Journey of Hope Does For And On Behalf Of Women, Girls Aging Out Of State Services, & LBGTQIIA+, In Salt Lake City, Utah.
Our Trauma-Informed Methods & Models + the Disruption of the Sexual Abuse, Harm, & Trauma to Prison Pipelines Is IMPACTFUL. Our Work In The Utah State Prison From 2014 to 2019 Led To A Decrease in Recidivism To Just 17%.
The Evidence Is In; Shame + Blame Does Not Produce Viable Or Meaningful Healing. Support, Nurturing, Friendship, & Compassion Is What Makes The Biggest Difference.
There Isn't "One Way" or "One Size Fits All", When It Comes To Healing Trauma. BUT Combining Trauma-Informed Care + Holistic Healing Modalities, Like Building A Strong Support System, Focusing On Our "Strengths" & Giving Ourselves + Others COMPASSION and Room To Grow & Learn, Spending Time In Nature, Doing Yoga, Meditating, & Changing Our Habits & Caring For Our Physical Bodies, Along With Therapeutic Aspects- Either EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Plant Medicine Therapy And/Or Treatment, Or INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT OR INPATIENT CARE That Focuses On Processing Trauma & Re-Learning What Healthy Boundaries, Communication, and Self Care Is, PLUS Getting Down To The ROOT CAUSES OF OUR TRAUMA Is Essential To Healing Our Minds, Bodies, & Spirits, As A Whole.
LEARN ABOUT THESE PIPELINES THAT LEAD TO PRISON & DOWNLOAD THE PDF'S BELOW.
Journey of Hope, Inc.
9690 S. 300 W. #B-10, Sandy, Utah, 84070
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