Multidimensional Advocacy: Working at the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Behavioral Health Program Profiles

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1 Multidimensional Advocacy: Working at the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Behavioral Health Program Profiles The Children s Domestic Violence Response Team The Children s Domestic Violence Response Team (CDVRT) is a specialized collaboration formed to help survivors and their children heal from the trauma of domestic violence (DV). The program brings together therapists from Sound Mental Health (SMH) and community based advocates (from Domestic Abuse Women s Network (DAWN), LifeWire, and New Beginnings) to meet the needs of families in a compassionate wrap around service. We value the supportive parent as the expert on the family and we trust the supportive parent to identify the family s needs. Thus, services to families are based on their unique strengths, needs and priorities. The program utilizes a team model to offer integrated advocacy and mental health services. The focus of any child s therapy is to increase that child s sense of safety, trust and self confidence. SMH therapists use a range of approaches to work with children exposed to DV, including Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF CBT), Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), play therapy, and Kids Club DV groups for children. Domestic violence advocates provide expert safety planning strategies, referrals to community resources and resiliency based services designed to help children and the referring parent recover from trauma and live safely and free from emotional or physical harm. Goals of the program include: Decrease trauma symptoms experienced by children who have been exposed to DV Build upon protective and resiliency factors in both children and their supportive parent Reduce children s behavioral problems occurring in school, community, or family settings Help children assign adult responsibility for DV, lessening the belief that the child is at fault Improve social and relationship skills to encourage children to access social supports in the future To access the CDVRT, please contact: Domestic Abuse Women s Network (South King County) LifeWire (East Side) New Beginnings (Seattle) September 7 & 8, 2017 Page 1 of 5

2 Coalition Ending Gender Based Violence Trauma and Behavioral Health Systems Coordinator The Coalition s Trauma and Behavioral Health Systems Coordinator works to foster communication, consultation and collaboration between agencies and individuals in the domestic violence, sexual assault, mental health and substance use disciplines, so that survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with behavioral health concerns have greater access to informed and integrated services. Created in 2009 and funded by the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Plan (MIDD), the Systems Coordinator position addresses the systems and services gaps facing the significant number of survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault with behavioral health concerns. Survivors often experience ongoing trauma, which can prolong and exacerbate their behavioral health concerns, increase their vulnerability, and compromise their safety. Without identifying and appropriately responding to a survivor s experiences of trauma and behavioral health, practitioners are not as able to address safety needs, connect survivors to appropriate resources, or to incorporate trauma and/or behavioral health in their work. Current system coordination efforts include, but are not limited to: Interdisciplinary relationship building Staff education and training Program and policy review Case staffing and consultation To work with the Systems Coordinator, please contact Alicia Glenwell at alicia@endgv.org or September 7 & 8, 2017 Page 2 of 5

3 Therapy Services Co Located at Community Based Domestic Violence Agencies Four King County community based DV agencies offer free, brief therapy services to survivors of domestic violence. Funded by the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD), these programs utilize a variety of therapeutic and evidence based techniques to support survivors understanding of, coping with, and healing from trauma and domestic abuse. These therapy services are more accessible and appropriate for survivors of domestic violence than many existing mental health service options in King County; they enable survivors without Medicaid, insurance, or private means of payment to access therapists who have an expertise in trauma informed, DV appropriate services. One of the four agencies specializes in the provision of services to immigrant and refugee survivors of DV. The advocates in this program are specially trained to offer enhanced advocacy focused on the survivor s mental health needs, building this support into services that are already culturally and linguistically accessible. In addition to therapy, therapists work with survivors to get them access to a range of community behavioral health services, including referrals to specialized mental health and/or substance use services. They offer consultation to their agency s advocacy staff and staff of community mental health or substance use treatment agencies. To access therapy services at community based DV agencies, please contact: Domestic Abuse Women s Network (South King County) LifeWire (East Side) New Beginnings (Seattle) Refugee Women s Alliance September 7 & 8, 2017 Page 3 of 5

4 Behavioral Health Focused Advocacy at LifeWire LifeWire provides community based domestic violence advocacy for survivors and their children. Since 1982, we have been committed to serving all survivors, with a particular focus on survivors who are struggling with addiction and/or mental health issues. Through My Friend s Place, LifeWire s transitional housing program, survivors in need of chemical dependency support can live with their children for up to two years. Survivors must be parenting, but the child does not need to be in parent s custody. Ten families are able to be served at one time. Through a partnership with Therapeutic Health Services, survivors can engage in substance abuse support group on site, meet with a Chemical Dependency Professional, and see LifeWire s therapist. LifeWire s commitment to serving survivors who are dealing with substance abuse extends beyond our transitional housing program. We view substance abuse and mental health concerns as key factors in a survivor s safety, and prioritize services for survivors dealing with addiction. Substance abuse can greatly affect how a survivor can leave an abusive relationship, and LifeWire is committed to serving survivors regardless of their alcohol and drug use. To access LifeWire s advocacy and housing services, please call LifeWire s 24 hour Helpline: September 7 & 8, 2017 Page 4 of 5

5 Multidimensional Advocacy: Working at the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Behavioral Health Resources for Further Learning National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health Coalition Ending Gender Based Violence DV/MH Collaboration Project violence mental healthcollaboration project/ Coalition Ending Gender Based Violence Trauma and Behavioral Health Systems Coordination health andtrauma systems coordination/ Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence health substanceabuse\ Real Tools: Responding to Multi Abuse Trauma tools/ Ohio Domestic Violence Network: Trauma Informed Care for DV Programs content/uploads/2013/06/odvn_trauma InformedCareBestPracticesAndProtocols.pdf September 7 & 8, 2017 Page 5 of 5