Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning This
curriculum is intended to be a tool to assist domestic violence
service providers offering victim services (such as those outlined
in California Penal Code 13823.15-13823.16) for the purpose of
ensuring advocates working with survivors meet the requirements of
a Domestic Violence Counselor pursuant to Evidence Code
1037.1(a)(1).
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Objectives To develop the skills necessary to provide an
accurate assessment of the clients needs and safety. To develop
skills necessary to assist clients with developing appropriate
safety plans. To ensure the safety and confidentiality of clients.
To increase participants understanding of the benefits and dangers
of technology related to a clients safety. Module 4 Assessment,
Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 2
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Incorporating the Empowerment Model Module 4 Assessment,
Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 3
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Empowerment Definition Empowerment is a multi-dimensional,
social process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups
to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions
and outcomes. This process creates the power to use these choices
in his or her own life, community and society, with individuals
acting on issues that they define as important. Module 4
Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide
4
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Using the Empowerment Model When Working with Victims the
individual is not blamed for his or her problems but is responsible
for generating a solution. Module 4 Assessment, Screening &
Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 5
What is a needs assessment? Needs assessment is a systematic
process for determining and addressing needs, or "gaps" between
current conditions and desired conditions or "wants". A needs
assessment is an important part of the planning process, and is an
excellent tool for clarifying problems and identifying appropriate
solutions or interventions. Module 4 Assessment, Screening &
Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 7
Danger Assessment Definition Domestic Violence danger
assessments help to determine the level of danger a victim has of
being killed by his or her intimate partner. Module 4 Assessment,
Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 9
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Assessment Tools The Danger Assessment (Johns Hopkins
University, School of Nursing; Jacquelyn C. Campbell, PhD, RN,
FAAN) MOSAIC Threat Assessment (Gavin de Becker and Associates,
Incorporated) Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning
Published 2012 Slide 10
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Suicide and Domestic Violence Module 4 Assessment, Screening
& Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 11
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Risk Factors for Suicide A combination of individual,
relational, community, and societal factors contribute to the risk
of suicide. Risk factors are those characteristics associated with
suicide they may or may not be direct causes. Family history of
suicide Family history of child maltreatment Previous suicide
attempt(s) History of mental disorders, particularly clinical
depression History of alcohol and substance abuse Feelings of
hopelessness Impulsive or aggressive tendencies Cultural and
religious beliefs (e.g., belief that suicide is noble resolution of
a personal dilemma) Local epidemics of suicide Isolation, a feeling
of being cut off from other people Barriers to accessing mental
health treatment Loss (relational, social, work, or financial)
Physical illness Easy access to lethal methods Unwillingness to
seek help because of the stigma attached to mental health and
substance abuse disorders or to suicidal thoughts SOURCE: Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention,
http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/riskprotectivefactors.html
Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012
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Identifying Warning Signs: PLAID PALS Plan: Is there a plan?
How specific is the plan? Lethality: Is it lethal? Can they die?
Availability: Do they have the means to carry it out? Illness: Do
they have a mental or physical illness? Depression: Chronic or
specific incident(s)? San Francisco Suicide Prevention
http//www.sfsuicide.org/html/plaid.html, La Casa de Las Madres, 40
Hr. Domestic Violence Training, February 2007. Module 4 Assessment,
Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 13
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Previous attempts: How many? How recent? Alone: Are they alone?
Do they have a support system? Are they alone right now? Loss: Have
they suffered a loss? Death, job, relationship, self-esteem?
Substance Abuse (or use): Drugs, alcohol, medicine? Current,
chronic? San Francisco Suicide Prevention
http//www.sfsuicide.org/html/plaid.html, La Casa de Las Madres, 40
Hr. Domestic Violence Training, February 2007. Identifying Warning
Signs: PLAID PALS Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety
Planning Published 2012 Slide 14
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Suicide Prevention Tips Speak up if youre worried: Its okay to
talk to the person about your concerns. Respond quickly in a
crisis. Offer help and support: Refer the person to local
resources, and let them know you are available to support them
whenever they need it. DO NOT leave the person alone: if they are
in immediate danger. Never keep a suicidal plan secret: Call 911 if
you have to. Remember that its not your decision: Ultimately, you
have no control over the persons decision, and if they do attempt
(or commit) suicide it is not your fault. Module 4 Assessment,
Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 15
What is a Safety Plan? Written plan that outlines what
survivors will do to maintain safety for themselves and their
children. Safety Plans should be flexible and individualized, based
on each persons situation. Module 4 Assessment, Screening &
Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 17
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When To Use a Safety Plan Can be used in a variety of
situations: Dealing with an emergency Continuing to live with or
date an abusive partner Protecting yourself and your children after
you have ended a relationship with an abusive partner. The Nature
and Dynamics of Domestic Violence, March 2005, Missouri Coalition
Against Domestic Violence. Module 4 Assessment, Screening &
Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 18
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Assess Safety Is either the woman or her children in immediate
danger? Has the violence escalated recently? Are there weapons in
the home? If the woman is not safe, does she have a safety plan?
Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012
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Domestic Violence Safety Plan Plan should: Consider a variety
of circumstances Contain concrete/practical considerations Contain
local resource numbers Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety
Planning Published 2012 Slide 20
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Components of a Safety Plan Pack a bag in advance. Have
personal documents ready. Hide extra sets of house and car keys.
Establish a code with family or friends. Plan where to go. Module 4
Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide
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Review Safety Plan Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety
Planning Published 2012 Slide 22
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Safety Planning and Culture Role of Women in her culture Access
to financial resources Ability to drive Connection to extended
family Religion Module 4 Assessment, Screening & Safety
Planning Published 2012 Slide 23
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Safety Planning Practice Module 4 Assessment, Screening &
Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 24
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Technology Safety and Relocation Information Module 4
Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide
25
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Why Dont We Publish this Information on the Web?! Its vital to
get tech safety information to victims! But we need to do it in
ways that do not give ideas or explicit instructions to abusers and
perpetrators. Example: There are cell phone settings that can be
used to monitor you so it may be safer to turn cell phones off when
not in use. We dont publish details about silent mode + auto
answer. Please do NOT post explicit tech information on the web, or
publish in newsletters that will be posted on websites. See NNEDV
website: www.nnedv.org/SafetyNet or contact Safety Net Team
[email protected] to discuss further. Module 4 Assessment,
Screening & Safety Planning Published 2012 Slide 26
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This project was supported by Grant Number G-1101CAFVPS from
the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and
Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) through the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA).
The opinions, findings, and conclusions in this publication are
those of the author and not necessarily those of HHS nor Cal EMA.
Cal EMA reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable
license to reproduce, publish, and use these materials and to
authorize others to do so.