COLLABORATIVE MODELS FOR WORKING
WITH
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
IN CALGARY
PRESENTATION TO 2011 PAN CANADIAN CONGRESS OF
THE CANADIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATION
October 28, 2011
• HomeFront
• Safe Communities Innovation Fund –
Alberta Justice
• Session Format
• Specific Questions
COLLABORATIVE MODELS FOR WORKING WITH
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
IN CALGARY
• CONNECT
• Domestic Conflict Response Team
• High Risk Management Initiative
Responding to a Need
• There are many barriers for individuals who access services related to
domestic violence and sexual assault
• Barriers related to language, culture, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, age,
sexual orientation
• We identified 11 different systems, 15 services and 24 social issues that
present along-side domestic violence and sexual assault
• People have the most difficulty when they try to access service within the
“big systems”
• Failed attempts to access service result in “giving up”
Responding to a Need
• Individuals don’t experience domestic violence and sexual assault in
isolation
• Women and children who stay in shelters are believed to constitute only
10% of those who are abused at any given time (Canadian Centre for
Justice Statistics June 2007).
• Fewer than 3 in 10 victims of spousal violence in Canada report domestic
abuse to the police (2004 General Social Survey).
• 8% of sexual assault victims report to police (Statistics Canada, 2004)
Purpose – Why Connect?
• To increase access to essential services for any
individual affected by any type of domestic violence
and/or sexual assault
• This includes victims, aggressors, family, friends,
support people and professionals
• Creating a welcoming gateway to service – no wrong
door!
• An opportunity for a new “low threshold entry
point”
What is Connect?
• 24 Hour Support and
Information Line
• Sexual Assault
Follow-up Clinic
• In-person Support
(weekdays at Sheldon • Connect Police
Chumir Health
Liaison
Centre in downtown
Calgary)
• Domestic Violence
Education and
• 24 Hour Sexual
Assault Response
Awareness
Team
Domestic Violence and Sexual
Abuse/Assault
WHO
Clients
People who have been
affected by domestic
violence and/or sexual
assault (past and/or
present) or who are at
risk *
People who are
supporting those who
have experienced
domestic violence and/or
sexual assault (friends,
family, co-workers)
Offenders
Allied Professionals
WHAT
GATEWAY
24 Hour
Telephone Line
FEEDBACK LOOPS
CLIENT REFERRALS AND SUPPORTS
FOLLOW-UP
 Needs assessment
 Screening
In-Person Support
Website
 Was the referral accessed?
 Safety planning/risk assessment
 Did the client experience any barriers in
accessing the referral?
 Emotional/psychosocial support and referrals
Clients are connected to programs,
information, case-management and
support, as needed
 Legal support and referrals
 Health and Mental Health referrals
OPENING DOORS WITHIN MAINSTREAM
SYSTEMS
Professionals access agency referrals &
support on behalf of their clients
Leverage relationships developed through colocation to help allied professionals navigate†:
 Calgary Police Services
 Legal (Civil)
unlikely to contact crisis services and/or those who are not accessing services
 Was the referral helpful?
 Are further supports needed?
Iterative process to address barriers and ensure clients are
able to access the most appropriate supports and services
ONGOING FEEDBACK & LEARNING
Share information and learnings around identified
gaps, limitations and opportunities to relevant
systems, agencies, and community groups
 Health
Professionals access mainstream
systems on behalf of their clients
*While Connect is open to all, our marketing efforts focus on those people who are
Phone call(s) to the client to determine the
following:
 Information and support
 Basic needs referrals
Community agencies
Mainstream systems
(e.g., health)
SYSTEM NAVIGATION
†
Over time, we would hope to add Alberta Works and CFSA
Ongoing process to build capacity for 1) service providers
to navigate large systems, and 2) systems to be
responsive to the needs and realities of people who have
experienced DV
Our Biggest Challenges
• Communication and outreach to this invisible majority
• Collaboration with limited co-location
• Building an integrated service response to both domestic violence and
sexual assault
• Collaborative human resource management
• Perceived risks or threats associated with collaboration
• Resources required for sustainability
Spin-offs and Unexpected Outcomes
• Domestic Violence Response Team
• Partners Guide to Collaborative Management
• Collaborative Model of Legal Services Delivery
• Third Option for Victims of Sexual Assault
• Analysis of Prosecution Files for Sexual Assault
• New Provincial Urgent Care Policy
Domestic Conflict Response Team
DCRT - Commitment
Police Chief Rick Hanson:
“This program is not only about
saving people, it’s about breaking the
cycle, and I think we’ve done that for a
lot of families. But we also know that
we’ve only scratched the surface.
There’s more work to be done.”
DCRT Structure
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Phase l DCRT CPS District 5 in the northeast of Calgary
Partners with the local CFSA office
Phase l - two police officer/HomeFront Caseworker teams co-located
A CFSA Intake Worker screens cases teams may/may not work together
The Phase ll Team is a CFSA driven model
Phase ll DCR Team meet twice weekly to triage all domestic conflict files
Phase ll Team - two CFSA Intake Workers, a Team Leader, Assessor, Closer
to Home Outreach Worker
• CPS is available to consult for criminal/risk information when required.
• An informal partnership with a keen officer in District 8 has supported the
DCRT Outreach Worker
• Phase lll proposes the best of both worlds
Mission & Vision – A Clear Path
Mission:
Together, the Calgary and Area
Child and Family Services, the
Calgary Police Service and
HomeFront have created the
Domestic Conflict Response
Team – a seamless integrated
response interrupting patterns
of abuse and violence in
families through quick and
compassionate action.
Vision:
As a result of our integrated,
collaborative and proactive
intervention, the major
systems experience a
measurable reduction in
chronic calls for service. We
have built internal and
external capacity to respond to
domestic violence in a
seamless and timely manner.
Challenges
• Large systems with entrenched ways of
responding to DV
• Differing views and practices within the
participant sub-cultures
• Existing ways of operating have created
stress and heavy workloads – limiting
adaptability
Victory is possible when we are…
• Willing to look beyond our own perspective (We vs. I)
• Recognizing that we are not the best/only organization to
meet every community need
• Coming together for the greater good to create the
greatest good
• asking them “How we can help?”, instead of telling people
how we are going to help them
• Believing that anything is possible
• Having an unyielding commitment to our overall mission
and vision, and then giving people the room to make it
happen
• Evaluating our impacts and learning from our mistakes
The Future Beyond the Pilot
CPS Pre-Screen
CFSA Pre-Screen
1
- DCU
- Major Crimes
- HRMI
- Not
applicable
- To open file*
- Urgent direct to invest.
- No action required
- Not applicable to DCRT
If DCRT potential, file is
assigned direct to
appropriate pod
* once crisis contained, may come back for review
East
2
North
West
South
Each pod has senior officers to triage and assign files
The DCRT Sgt. is located in DCU & manages the Officers
Police + CFSA
2
Police + Community
Tiered response
CFSA + Community
Community
Pod Members:
▪ Police officers including 1 TL
▪ CFSA Officer
▪ Community
HomeFront
Closer to Home
North of McKnight
Other?
High Risk Management Initiative
(HRMI)
CCJA Conference
October 28th, 2011
Working with
specialized agency
partners to
increase
community safety
by reducing the
perpetration of
high-risk domestic
violence offences
• PURPOSE
• HOW IS THE
COLLABORATIVE
ORGANIZED?
• WHO ARE THE
PARTNERS?
 *APPROXIMATELY ¼ OF HOMICIDES IN CALGARY HAVE A
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMPONENT
 ALL PARTNERS ARE WORKING WITH IDENTIFIED
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LETHALITY
 PROACTIVE MONITORING OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRES
EFFICIENT AND TIMELY INFORMATION SHARING
 RISK FACTORS CAN BE BETTER IDENTIFIED WITH
COLABORATION
 TO IDENTIFY AND CASE MANAGE THE HIGHEST RISK FOR
LETHALITY RELATIONSHIPS IN CALGARY
A NEED IDENTIFIED
To address the unique needs in a high risk relationship and create:
 MEASURABLE
STABILIZATION
 PROACTIVE OFFENDER
MANAGEMENT /
ACCOUNTABILITY
 VICTIM SAFETY
To reduce/prevent chronic and
severe incidents of domestic
violence (HOMICIDE
PREVENTION)
 HRMI IS COMPRISED OF:
 STEERING COMMITTEE
 OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
 CASE MANAGEMENT TEAM
 BRINGING TOGETHER PARTNER ADMINISTRATION AND
FRONTLINE WORKERS
• AHS – Mental Health and Addictions (Adult Addictions and
Forensic Assessment Outpatient Services)
• Alberta Justice – Crown Prosecutor’s Office
• ASG Community Corrections – Calgary Central Probation
• Calgary and Area Child and Family Services Authority
• Calgary Counselling Centre
• CPS Domestic Conflict Unit – H.O.M.E Team
• HomeFront
• YWCA Sheriff King Home
Steering Committee
Committee providing expert support with representatives from Treatment, Mental Health, CFSA, Police, Legal, Victim Support, Housing & Employment, and Corrections.
Conducts quarterly meetings to develop policy, system advocacy, resourcing and consultation. (See attached staffing table.)
Operations/Oversight Committee
Committee comprised of representatives from Police, Probation, Treatment, Mental Health, and Victim. Conducts monthly meetings to identifying, screening and
accepting/declining proposed HRMI files. Conducts monthly meetings to identifying, screen/assess and accepting/decline proposed HRMI files
Case Management Team
Team consisting of service providers, treatment providers and support services who will create a risk reduction and rehabilitation plan for the offender. Conducts weekly
meetings to perform file reviews, ensure client stability, safety and accountability. (See attached staffing table.)
Probation
•1 Probation Officers with
specialized training in
high-risk domestic violence
cases.
•Monitor and contain high
risk offenders
•Create well structured
service plans that address
the needs of the offender
and build protective
factors for victims
Mental Health
Consultant
•.
Breach Response
• 2 person Calgary Police
Service Domestic Conflict
Unit Team
•Provide surveillance,
enforcement and critical
risk and domestic violence
expertise to the initiative.
Victim Supports
•HomeFront Court
Casework and Partner
Support Programs (PSP)
•Prioritize/increase contact
with victims
•Provide ongoing risk
assessment, safety
planning, referrals to
shelters, community crisis
counselling, income
supports, legal supports
and housing alternatives
Schedule 3: Staffing Table/Org Chart (Part 2 of 2)
• Partners involved adhere to conflicting
information sharing legislation i.e. FOIP,
PIPPA, and the HIA
• Resolving differences in opinion as to what
cases are suitable for HRMI i.e. high-risk,
high-conflict, difficult to manage
• Risk Factors are better identified with
Collaboration “Getting the full picture”
• Efficient and Timely Information Sharing =
Proactive Case Management
• Proactive Victim Supports
• Proactive Offender Supports
• Proactive Enforcement Capabilities for
Both Probation and Police
Importance of Evaluation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Monitor program implementation
Monitor target population demographics
Survey collaborative partners
Feedback from clients
Client outcomes & project results
Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Key Findings - CONNECT
• Collaboration takes time
• Looking for system level outcomes
• Mandatory Training and Screening
for DV implemented in Urgent Care
& Public Health
• Third Option for sexual assault
victims – first pilot in Alberta
Key Findings - DCRT
• 79% reduced recidivism for chronic cases
• Front line police use DCRT for consults
• EPO training increased confidence/tools for
front line police
• Reduced EPO Court time to ZERO Court time
Key Findings - DCRT
• CFSA – new screening procedures result in
better assessment of child’s risk
• CFSA – procedural changes across Calgary
• Developmental evaluation of two models has
resulted in ideas for the final model
Key Findings - HRMI
• Partners find communication and open
referral process vital to family safety
• Circle of Security being implemented
• Two Offender Profiles
– 75% respond to treatment interventions
– 25% respond to increased enforcement
• 75% had no further incidents of violence