Inspiring the Community to Inspiring the Community to Respond: Shelter Work Respond: Shelter Work with Partners to Resolve with Partners to Resolve Child Exposure to Family Child Exposure to Family

ViolenceViolence

SafeHaven of Tarrant CountySafeHaven of Tarrant County

Ashley Lind, Ph.D.Ashley Lind, Ph.D.

Project GoalsProject Goals

• Early intervention for Child Witnesses Early intervention for Child Witnesses of Family Violence of Family Violence

• System change throughout Tarrant System change throughout Tarrant CountyCounty

Community CollaboratorsCommunity Collaborators

• SafeHaven of Tarrant CountySafeHaven of Tarrant County

• Police DepartmentPolice Department

• School DistrictSchool District

• Child Protective Service Child Protective Service

• United WayUnited Way

Project DescriptionProject Description

• Police Department-Police Department-– Identify if children were present during the Identify if children were present during the

domestic disturbancedomestic disturbance– Identify if children reside in the home who were Identify if children reside in the home who were

not present during the domestic disturbancenot present during the domestic disturbance– Safety plan with children on the sceneSafety plan with children on the scene– Call SHTC from the scene with information for Call SHTC from the scene with information for

immediate follow up careimmediate follow up care

Project Description Con’tProject Description Con’t

• Child Protective ServicesChild Protective Services– Inform SHTC of new CPS with a domestic Inform SHTC of new CPS with a domestic

violence priorityviolence priority– Allow SHTC employee to accompany Allow SHTC employee to accompany

CPS case worker on the family home CPS case worker on the family home visit to develop a relationship, conduct a visit to develop a relationship, conduct a needs assessment, safety plan and needs assessment, safety plan and enroll client in services or make referralsenroll client in services or make referrals

Program Description Program Description Con’tCon’t

• School DistrictSchool District– Allow children exposed to Domestic Allow children exposed to Domestic

Violence to receive interventions during Violence to receive interventions during non-academic times in school.non-academic times in school.

Keys to Successful Keys to Successful CollaborationCollaboration• Narrowly define the issue to be addressedNarrowly define the issue to be addressed• Identify partners who have influence over Identify partners who have influence over

a successful resolutiona successful resolution• Discuss current practices and flow of Discuss current practices and flow of

services between systemsservices between systems• Identify gaps in existing service flowIdentify gaps in existing service flow

– Ex) police didn’t acknowledge children in the Ex) police didn’t acknowledge children in the home when responding to a domestic home when responding to a domestic disturbancedisturbance

Collaboration Con’t:Collaboration Con’t:

• Consider solutions to service gapsConsider solutions to service gaps• Ensure that each partner has buy in for Ensure that each partner has buy in for

their portion of the projecttheir portion of the project– Look at whether the proposed change will Look at whether the proposed change will

benefit THEIR agency (not just the project)?benefit THEIR agency (not just the project)?– Does it fit with THEIR agency’s long range plan Does it fit with THEIR agency’s long range plan

(prior to participation in the project)?(prior to participation in the project)?– Do they have the man power to carry out the Do they have the man power to carry out the

commitment?commitment?– Will there be a lead agency?Will there be a lead agency?

Proceeding with Your Proceeding with Your CollaborationCollaboration

• Be very clear about what the process will Be very clear about what the process will be for: staff training, agency oversight, be for: staff training, agency oversight, referrals, report submission-by all referrals, report submission-by all agencies, who promotes the project (to the agencies, who promotes the project (to the community and within each collaborative community and within each collaborative agency).agency).

• Clearly assign accountability systems to Clearly assign accountability systems to ALL collaborative partnersALL collaborative partners– How will staff turn over be addressed?How will staff turn over be addressed?

Consider Appropriate Consider Appropriate TimeframesTimeframes

• System change is a lengthy process System change is a lengthy process and often tied to individuals vs. and often tied to individuals vs. organizations in the initial phasesorganizations in the initial phases

• Consider a graduated plan for staff Consider a graduated plan for staff additionsadditions

• Recognize the potential for slow Recognize the potential for slow progress when dealing with large progress when dealing with large bureaucratic systemsbureaucratic systems