Victim Services Center: https://www.victimservicescenter.org
SUMMARY:
In this episode of TLC Connections, host Julie Knudsen speaks with Erin Milbourne Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Direct Services Supervisor at the Victim Services Center of Montgomery County (VSC). Erin shares her 18-year journey in victim services, her deep sense of purpose, and what keeps her committed to such emotionally demanding work. She describes VSC’s free, confidential, trauma-informed services—including counseling, 24/7 crisis hotline support, police/hospital/court accompaniment, and specialized support groups for survivors of sexual assault, childhood abuse, gun violence, homicide, and grief.
Erin explains how VSC ensures zero barriers to care: no insurance needed, no requirement to report to police, no immigration questions, and free interpretation for any language. She also highlights the agency’s proactive outreach model, strong collaborations with police departments, hospitals, schools, and courts, and the critical role of advocacy in helping victims navigate complex legal processes. Additional topics include the rise of elder fraud, the importance of language access, and the emotional rewards and challenges of the work. The conversation illuminates how VSC’s small but mighty team supports thousands of survivors and why community awareness, partnerships, and financial support remain vital.
GUEST BIO:
Erin Milbourne, LCSW, is the Direct Services Supervisor at the Victim Services Center of Montgomery County, the county’s only nonprofit providing comprehensive, free, and confidential support to survivors of crime and their loved ones. With nearly two decades at VSC, Erin oversees clinical services, advocacy programs, crisis response, and multiple specialized support groups offered both in person and virtually.
A trauma-informed clinician and longtime social worker, Erin is recognized for her leadership in expanding language access, strengthening partnerships with law enforcement and courts, and improving service pathways for survivors of sexual violence, homicide, gun violence, and elder fraud. She has been instrumental in implementing outreach initiatives such as countywide bilingual awareness campaigns and innovative virtual support groups. Motivated by her own lived experience as a survivor, Erin brings deep empathy, expertise, and purpose to her work supporting victims across Montgomery County and throughout Pennsylvania.
SPONSOR:
The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC) is a social enterprise company based in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Founded in 1970 by a behavioral health hospital, TLC is an entrepreneurial nonprofit providing innovative education, coaching, and counseling services to individuals and families, as well as grant writing and management services for school districts and universities.
