Integrated Service Model for Domestic Violence Survivors

Catherine Shugrue dos Santos, MSWDeputy Clinical Director

Presented at the National Conference to End Family Homelessness

Seattle, WA, February 2008

Sanctuary for Families Defines Domestic Violence as:

A pattern of gender-based intimate partner, dating, or family violence with a central dynamic of power and control

Sanctuary for Families

The largest provider of clinical and legal services exclusively to survivors of domestic violence and their children in New York.

In FY 06/07, we provided legal, clinical, shelter, and hotline services to over 8,000 adults and children.

Services Must Be:

Holistic: Comprehensive and integrated

Culturally and linguistically competent

Fully sensitive to the unique needs of domestic violence survivors

Services Must Address All Forms of Abuse

Physical & Sexual– Safety planning– Counseling – Case Management– Shelter – Legal Services

Emotional/Psychological– Counseling

Economic – Case Management– Legal Services

Safety Planning

Immediate physical safety– Do you need to call 911?

Planning for safety– Home – Work– School– Church

Tools

Case Management

Service Coordination Information Referral Advocacy Follow-Up

Clinical Issues for Survivors of DV

Understanding the dynamics of domestic violence– Power and Control Wheel– Cycle of abuse

Trauma– Trauma associated with the domestic violence– Other trauma (childhood abuse, traumatic migration experiences, etc.)

Grief and Loss Relationships with children and family that have suffered from the abuse Co-Occurring Issues

– Substance Abuse– Mental Illness– Oppression (culture, immigration, bias)

Clinical and Service Issues for Children Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence

Child abuse co-occurs with domestic violence at a high rate, in over 60% of cases

Cognitive, psychological and developmental effects of the trauma of experiencing or witnessing abuse over the lifespan

Relationship with the abuser Insensitive systems (education, medical, legal, etc.)

Clinical and Service Issues for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence in the cultural context (e.g. FGM, honor killing)

Co-occurring trauma (e.g. political torture; traumatic migration experiences; anti-immigrant abuse)

Distrust in systems or lack of awareness of resources and local laws regarding domestic violence

Limited English proficiency as a barrier to services and resources

Possible legal remedies

Clinical and Service Issues for LGBTQ Survivors of Domestic Violence

Accessibility and availability of sensitive services

Lack of legal protections Oppression: societal and internalized

homophobia, transphobia, heteronormativity

Clinical Work with Survivors for Adults and Children

Healing and Recovery from Trauma

Psychoeducation

Empowerment

Counseling: Adults, Children and Families

Hotline Crisis Intervention Individual Counseling Group Counseling Creative Arts Therapy

Psychiatric/Psychological Consult

Augmentation of counseling services Particularly useful for co-occurring mental

health issues Essential to ensure sensitivity to domestic

violence is present in assessment of survivors and children, which can prevent misdiagnosis or pathologizing and further ensure appropriate services are received

Shelter and Housing

A safe place to be can be the one thing that helps a victim survive

50% of families in the homeless system are fleeing domestic violence

Domestic Violence Shelter Homeless Shelter Alternatives to Shelter

Economic Dependence vs. Independence

Economic Abuse and the Power of the Trap (Jody Raphael’s “Trapped by Poverty, Trapped by Abuse”)

Economic Independence as a Tool For Independence from Domestic Violence

Economic Justice and the Shrinking Safety Net

Services that Promote Economic Stability

Direct Financial and Material Assistance Public Benefits Advocacy Financial Planning Credit Counseling Tax Preparation and Education Job Preparation, Training and Placement

Legal Services

Orders of Protection Divorce (contested and uncontested) Custody and Visitation Child Welfare Immigration Housing Public Benefits Advocacy Other Criminal Law

Social Supports, Recreation and Education

Recreational, Educational and Cultural Activities

Positive Socialization Experiences

Networking

The Mentors Program

Victim Survivor Survivor Survivor Advocate Sharing Stories Raising Awareness and Educating Public Advocating for Policy Change to Help Victims Standing Up as Role Models for Others

Sanctuary for Families Integrated Service Models 1

Community Law Project attorneys partnering with dedicated Clinical staff, promoting collaborative practice with linguistic and cultural competencies:

African Domestic Violence Initiative Latina Domestic Violence Initiative South Asian Community Outreach Initiative The LGBTQ Initiative

Sanctuary for Families Integrated Service Models 2

The FamilySafe Initiative

The New York Family Justice Center (Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens)

Bronx Community Office

Catherine Shugrue dos Santos, MSWDeputy Clinical Director

csdossantos@sffny.org