Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

DVHTAC COVID-19 Special Topic Series:.

Housing Programs Serving FamiliesMay 7, 2020

PresentersTien Ung, Futures Without ViolenceAmy Torchia, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

ModeratorsSuzanne Marcus, National Alliance for Safe HousingDebbie Fox, National Network to End Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

DV & Housing TA Consortium (DVHTAC) Federal Partners

• Family Violence Prevention & Services Program/HHS• Office on Violence Against Women/DOJ• Office for Victims of Crime/DOJ• Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs/HUD• US Interagency Council on Homelessness

Technical Assistance Providers• National Alliance for Safe Housing (NASH)• Collaborative Solutions, Inc. (CSI)• National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)• Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)

Supporting Children & Families Burdened by Housing Insecurity & Homelessness during COVID -19

Tien Ung, PhD, LICSWProgram Director, Learning & Impacthttps://www.futureswithoutviolence.org

Source: Center on the Developing Child

Impact

Biological

Psychological

Social

Source: Futures Without Violence

6

Source: Futures Without Violence

Resilience

Emotional Intelligence

Energy

Relation-ships

Perspective

Priorities

Agency

Source: Futures Without Violence

Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise

Mindfulness, self awareness, empathy,patience, self compassion

Meaning making, gratitude, hope, growth mindset

Support & maintain all connections: family, friends, spiritual, identity

Setting goals, making plans, ranking what’s important, weighing outcomes

Belief in your capabilities, confidence in decision making

8

How to support families in providing structure and routines to children who are being homeschooled

in shelter?

§ Wide Open School§ Realistic goals – aim for 2 – 4 hours of learning based activities§ Make learning a part of every day routines focused on:

Ø Problem solvingØ CountingØ ReadingØ Vocabulary

§ Make it funØ Family storyboardØ Write poetryØ Draw

− Family squiggle

§ Don’t forget physical healthØ Family exercise challenge: squats, jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, walk

9

How to support families if a caregiver gets ill?

§ Learn about families’ social networks to proactively co-create alternative childcare plans with parents

§ Work closely with medical professionals to determine the severity of illness and act accordingly

§ Identify partners who can provide alternative housing options for the person who is COVID positive:Ø ChurchesØ HotelsØ Airbnb - like

§ Proactively develop and implement a communication plan for children and their loved one who is sick

§ Proactively find & coordinate resources to help the person who is sick access medical care (e.g. – transportation, legal advocacy, etc.)

§ For states where COVID has not yet exploded: Stock up on supplies (thermometers, fever reducing medications, etc.)

10

How to address the specific needs of children and families during a pandemic?

§ Enable service & resource access – Identify & collaborate with local service providersØ Help families access free food resourcesØ Virtual substance treatment servicesØ Virtual mental health serviceØ Virtual advocacy services

§ Foster connections with family and friendsØ Find technology for families to use to connect with friends and familyØ Find ways for families to participate in spiritual practices and communities that are

virtual§ Promote fun and joy

Ø Get toys and learning supplies to familiesØ Have shelter game nights with proper distancing

− Charades− Have you ever− Sofa Singers

§ Encourage mutual aid

11

Engagement Strategies: Agency, Perspective, Priorities

• Take youth seriously• Get youth input in creating safety protocols• Ask young people who the important people in their lives

are and how they define those relationships• Listen and validate their concerns and fears

• Be proactive• Check in with young people regularly• Anticipate the need for trigger warnings with breaking news

and public health recommendations & plan communication accordingly

• Help youth with self care & physical distancing (e.g., problem solve, explain, don’t blame or judge etc.)

12

Trauma-informed Strategies:Emotional Intelligence, Energy, Relationships

• Know yourself and your triggers, blind spots, & biases• Identify your pronouns when you introduce yourself

and invite others to do the same• Make a life journey map with a young person – identify

critical moments & moments of their resilience & growth

• Promote harm reduction to support youth coping (e.g. sobriety, self harm, etc.)

• Design fun physical activity challenges

13Resources

• Domestic violence agencies & shelters: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/SSC_DomesticViolenceAgenciesAndShelters_5_2012.pdf

• National Center for Homeless Education – COVID 19 Resources: https://nche.ed.gov/covid-19-coronavirus-information/

• USDA Meals for Kids Site Finder: https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids

• COVID-19 Resources for DV Survivors and Service Providers: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/get-updates-information-covid-19/

• Coronavirus Resource Kit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rcan4C_e6OBFBI5bUn7MtYK74Ab-WarxyJmDvZUI_YA/preview

• COVID-19 Resources for Kids and Families: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/resources+for+kids+and+families

• Support for Working Families: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/Support-for-Working-Families

• Protecting Your Health: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/protecting-your-health/

• Safer Sex Practices for COVID-19: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/imm/covid-sex-guidance.pdf

• Harm Reduction for People Who Use Drugs during COVID-19: https://harmreduction.org/miscellaneous/covid-19-guidance-for-people-who-use-drugs-and-harm-reduction-programs/

14Resources

• Effective Communication With Loved Ones during COVID-19: https://www.restorativejusticepartners.org/covid-19-rj-resources.html

• Youth Project of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: https://youmatter.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• LGBTQ Inclusion in Remote Services: https://rainbowhealthvic.org.au/media/pages/research-resources/tip-sheet-lgbtiq-inclusion-for-covid-19-remote-services/1967894898-1585197992/tip-sheet-lgbtiq-inclusion-for-covid-19-remote-services.pdf

• Supporting Children in Domestic Violence Shelters: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/SSC_DomesticViolenceAgenciesAndShelters_5_2012.pdf

• “Hanging Out or Hooking Up” safety card: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/hanging-out-or-hooking-up-teen-safety-card/

• “Caring Relationships, Healthy You” safety card: https://web.archive.org/web/20170310024813/https://secure3.convio.net/fvpf/site/Ecommerce/567623699?FOLDER=1101&store_id=1241

• Promising Futures: Best Practices for Serving Children, Youth and Parents Experiencing Domestic Violence: http://promising.futureswithoutviolence.org/

15Hotlines & Organizations

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: www.thehotline.org | 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)• National Sexual Assault Hotline: www.rainn.org | 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

• Love Is Respect: www.loveisrespect.org | 1-866-331-9474

• StrongHearts Native Helpline: www.strongheartshelpline.org | 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483)

• ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline: www.childhelp.org | 1-800-4A CHILD (422-4453)

• Anti-Violence Project (LGBTQ) Hotline: 1-212-714-1141 • Casa de Esperanza: www.casadeesperanza.org | 1-651-772-1611

• Crisis Text Line: www.crisistextline.org | Text home to 741741

• The Northwest Network: www.nwnetwork.org

• The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org | 1-866-488-7386

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org | 1-800-273-8255For a list of state/territory/tribal domestic violence coalitions, please visit: https://ncadv.org/state-coalitions

For a list of national technical assistance providers in the Domestic Violence Resource Network, please visit: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/programs/family-violence-prevention-services/programs/centers

Supporting Children and Families in Shelters during Covid-19

Amy Torchia, Children’s Advocacy CoordinatorVermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

(802) 223-1302 X 1117atorchia1965@yahoo.com

www.vtnetwork.org

Supporting Families

§Parenting can be hard even in the best of circumstances

§Families in shelters are already feeling stress and crisis + pandemic = more stress and uncertainty

§Stress responses are heightened and it is harder to regulate emotions

The 4 Rs§ Reassure

§ Adults are handling this and available to talk about it. All feelings are ok.

§ Routine (predictability, structure)§ Anchors to count on even during times of crisis.

§Regulate§ Opportunities to regulate emotions, calm, steady

§ Relationships§ Consistent strong relationships = resilience and healing

COVID-19 Response – kids & families

§DV / SV Shelters § Contingency planning with parents and families.

§Hotel stays for “hyper-vulnerable”§ To prevent transmission.

§Help people shelter in place safely§ Hotels - no new shelter intakes.§ Suspend time / eligibility limits.

§Congregate Recovery & Isolation sites

Resources

• Child Trends Supporting children’s emotional well-being: https://www.childtrends.org/publications/resources-for-supporting-childrens-emotional-well-being-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

• Sesame Street Caring for Each Other: https://www.sesamestreet.org/caring• Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus (3 minute podcast

NPR story & comic just for kids!): https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus

• Futures resources for kids and families: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/resources+for+kids+and+families

• A Window Between Worlds free art workshop series: https://awbw.org/art-community/window-of-time-workshop-series/

• Vermont Network Askable Adult Campaign: https://vtnetwork.org/askableadult

Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

•Safe Housing Partnerships: https://safehousingpartnerships.org/news/

•NASH: DV and Housing-Related Coronavirus Resources

•NNEDV: COVID-19: Coalition Guidance for Programs by the National Network to End Domestic Violence

•NRCDV: Preventing & Managing the Spread of COVID-19 Within Domestic Violence Programs

•NSVRC: Resources for Covid-19 Response

•CSI: HUD and DV Resources -Covid-19

Consortium COVID-19 Resources

Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

Discussion/ Questions

The Domestic Violence and Housing Assistance Technical Consortium (DVHTAC) is asking all of our Special Topic Series participants to complete a short survey about survivor and staff needs during the COVID crisis. The survey will take about 5-7 minutes to complete. We will be using this information to better advocate for what programs need right now.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PP5SHXB

Take a Short Survey: What survivor and/or staff needs are you seeing during COVID?

Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

Questions and Discussion

Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

This project was supported by Grant No. 2018-SI-AX-K005 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The

opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium www.safehousingpartnerships.org

SAFE HOUSING PARTNERSHIPSThe website for the Domestic Violence and Housing

Technical Assistance Consortium

• Data, infographics, literature reviews, and reports that describe the intersections between domestic violence, sexual assault, homelessness, and housing

• Strategies for building effective and sustainable partnerships across systems and case studies of successful collaborations

• In-depth resource collections organized around four key approaches to addressing and preventing housing instability among survivors

• Access to relevant federal laws, regulations, and polices

Have questions? Need TA? Want training?Contact the Consortium directly through the site!