Impact of Family Violence Work Group
Charge
In July, 2002, CCF members agreed to address the impact of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect on children, based on the findings of the Children Needing Extensive Services Work Group, data in the Juvenile Offenders report, and trends in Stepping Stones. These issues were also identified as areas where additional community visibility and improvement initiatives would be helpful and would not be duplicative of existing efforts
As a result, CCF established a work group on the Impact of Family Violence on Children.
Planning Phase (completed 9/03)
The work group initially had two subcommittees which worked separately, but in partnership, to address the impact of domestic violence on children and to enhance coordination of child abuse and neglect strategies. (See Archived Subcommittee Recommendations.)
Implementation Phase:
In order to implement the recommendations developed in the Planning Phase, the Family Violence Work Group has dissolved the planning subcommittees and created four implementation committees.
The Four Implementation Committees
The KidsWatch Committee
KidsWatch is a comprehensive approach to intervening with children exposed to domestic violence. It incorporates the following components.
a. A community awareness and outreach campaign that is neighborhood focused and includes presentations to community groups, distribution of outreach materials, and fostering of neighborly responsibility.
b. Enhanced police protocols to identify children exposed to domestic violence and offer them access to KidsWatch services.
c. In-school presentations to help children to self-identify exposure and subsequent group counseling to ameliorate the effects.
d. Assessment of service needs of exposed children.
e. Provision of appropriate services and interventions for exposed children.
(link to KidsWatch documents)
The Multidisciplinary Team
The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) committee was piloted for one year starting in April, 2004. At the end of the pilot phase, members agreed to continue the MDT. The MDT provides coordinated investigation, intervention, and case management for abused children and child victims of violent crime. The MDT is a group of professionals who work together in a coordinated and collaborative manner to ensure an effective response to reports of child victimization.
(Link to MDT documents)
The
Child
Advocacy
Center
(CAC) Team
The
Child
Advocacy
Center
(CAC) team has conducted a needs assessment and feasibility study to determine whether local need and capacity is sufficient to develop a CAC. A CAC is a child-focused, facility-based program where representatives from many disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse and child victimization cases. A Task Force has been created to carry through an implementation plan. (link to CAC documents)
Family Violence Prevention Committee:
The subcommittee focuses on the prevention of family violence. It has sponsored two forums on the importance of talking about “tough topics”, including domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as depression and substance abuse. The subcommittee sponsored a number of events in April 2005 for Child Abuse Prevention month.
(Link to subcommittee documents)
Impact of Family Violence Work Group Members
Sandri Abbott,
Albemarle
Victim Witness
Sarah Anderson, University of Virginia Medical Center
Dyan Aretakis, Teen Health center, University of Virginia
Jacki Bryant, Partnership for Children
Ross Carew, OAR-JACC
Cyndi Casey, Albemarle Department of Social Services
Dave Chapman, Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney
Paul Davis, Charlottesville Police Department
Brian Dublirer, Clark School
David Dyer, Charlottesville Department of Social Services
Gretchen Ellis, Charlottesville Albemarle Commission on Children and Families
John Freeman, Albemarle Department of Social Services
Gregory Jenkins, Albemarle Police
Libby Killeen, Commonwealth Attorney's Office
Cartie Lominack, Shelter for Help in Emergency
Tim Longo, Charlottesville Police
Cherri Murphy, Charlottesville Victim Witness
Cynthia Murray, Albemarle Assistant Commonwealth Attorney
Pat O'Donnell, Charlottesville Victim Witness
Susan Painter, Albemarle County Victim Witness
Kelly Rogers, Albemarle Department of Social Services
Shawn Schwertfeger,
Albemarle
County Department of
Police
Chalarra Sessoms, Charlottesville City Schools
Beth Smith, Region Ten Community Services Board
Ruth Stone, Piedmont CASA
Antoinette Thomas, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Bradley Wentz, Charlottesville Department of Social Services
Roxanne White, County Executive's Office
John Zug, Albemarle Commonwealth Attorney's Office
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