Partners
- Josephine County Community Corrections’ relationship with advocacy programs goes back to 1999 when another Rural Program grant supported the Domestic Violence Intervention Team (DVIT). DVIT brought together advocates from Women’s Crisis Support Team, probation officers, a deputy district attorney, child welfare, representatives the county’s law enforcement agencies and batterer intervention providers to improve the systemic response to victims and to hold batterers accountable. The Alliance and Community Corrections strengthened their relationship when the Alliance placed an advocate in the probation office to work closely with the probation officer assigned to the domestic violence caseload. The success of this project informs the relationship between the Alliance and probation today; as does the learning from the project inform how victims’ are served today by both organizations. The relationship is currently limited to phone consultation and meetings one time per month, although the collaboration continues to translate to victims who are safer and have access to services that would not be possible without the Rural Program’s support. The Alliance and Josephine County Corrections meet each month to review victim services and evaluate programs. In addition to monthly reviews, an advocate will be placed in the Probation department one day per week to work directly with victims.
- Department of Human Services Self-Sufficiency and Child Welfare has been an active partner since 2000. The Alliance’s partnership with the Department of Human Services began when they were a member of the advisory committee that led to the formation of the organization. From 2001 to 2007 the Alliance was located in the same building, which made referrals back and forth very convenient. When the Alliance moved to its own facility, we continued the partnership by having an advocate either at the DHS office or on-call. Approximately 70% of the survivors served by the Alliance have some connection with DHS and their services. In addition to services to DHS clients, advocates provide training on domestic and sexual violence and vicarious trauma for DHS workers. The Alliance meets with DHS representatives weekly and in some cases communicates daily.
- On Track has partnered with the Alliance since 2006. Currently, advocates visit On Track’s women only substance abuse support groups at least six times per year to increase awareness of domestic and sexual violence and inform participants about our services. A high percentage of the women accessing services through On Track or the Alliance, also need the others services. This partnership means more victims receive more of the services they need and eliminates the need to prioritize one issue over the other. The Alliance meets with On Track staff every other month.
- Head Start and Early Head Start invites advocates to train their family advocates annually and has advocates in to talk with their parent groups about Alliance services and increase awareness about domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. This proposal will formalize that partnership and expand interactions to more of their parent groups, add ride-a-longs on their home visits and increase the number of trainings to their family advocates. The Alliance has provided training for family advocates and visited parent groups of Head Start and Early Head Start since 2004. The proposal will allow advocates to visit Head Start and Early Head start to conduct trainings with them a minimum of 12 times per year. We meet with Head Start and Early Head Start representatives once a month.
- Illinois Valley Counseling Support Passages Program invites advocates into their support groups for at risk girls at the middle and high schools. Over the years, as staff levels rose and fell, support for this valuable service fluctuated. The Alliance has partnered with the Passages Program since 2004. With the Rural Program funds, this support will continue with an advocate available to attend the Passages group weekly and be available to train Illinois Valley Counseling Support staff bi-annually. The Alliance meets with Passages Program representatives once a month.
- Illinois Valley High School has invited advocates to present information on domestic and sexual violence, stalking and teen dating violence to their health class students, ensuring that advocates present information to nearly every student in the high school. In 2011 prevention efforts increased, including the leadership group and after school activities. In 2012 the Alliance organized a theater group for teens that performed skits to the high school and the community to increase awareness about domestic violence. The Alliance has provided education on teen dating and sexual assault to students of the high school since 2004. Since 2008 the Alliance has presented information to the health classes six times annually.
- The Pregnancy Center invites advocates to their support groups at least twice a year and advocates have provided training on “Helping Children Who Have Been Exposed to Batterers” and DV 101 classes for the mothers. The Alliance has been in partnership with the Pregnancy Center since 2002. Alliance staff meet with The Pregnancy Center a minimum of 6 times per year, with additional referrals and consultations as needed.
- Project Baby Check invites advocates to provide domestic and sexual violence classes to the mothers, present curriculum from “Helping Children Exposed to Batterers” and work with the women to create safety plans for themselves and their children. In 2013, advocates will also begin accompanying Project Baby Check staff on home visits to increase the number of victims who access services. Advocates have worked with Project Baby Check since 2004. The Alliance meets with Project Baby Check staff a minimum of 6 times per year with additional presentations to support groups, consultations and home visits with identified victims as needed.