December 2016 DVOMB Monthly Minute
Hi Everyone,
 
Please see the December 2016 Monthly Minute Updates below. For questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact any of the DVOMB staff for technical assistance.
Board Updates
 
Sunset Review by DORA
  Over the last year, the DVOMB has been in the process of undergoing Sunset Review by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). A sunset review is a periodic assessment of state boards, programs, and functions to determine whether they should be continued by the legislature. The last Sunset Review of the DVOMB occurred in 2007. In the coming months, the Colorado Legislature will review the 2016 DVOMB Sunset Report and determine if DVOMB should be reauthorized to continue for another period of time. The 2016 DVOMB Sunset Report ( click here )  for access to the report) recommended the DVOMB continue for five years, until 2022. The report makes several other statutory and administrative recommendations starting on page 33.
 
Law Enforcement Board Appointment Application
The Domestic Violence Offender Management Board is seeking nominations for the board appointment representing law enforcement. Current law enforcement officers who have some experience with domestic violence cases (e.g. investigations) are encouraged to apply. In addition to these criteria, the Board would like to encourage those who represent rural and/or underserved communities to apply.
 
If you or someone you know may be interested in applying, please fill out the application and return to the DVOMB no later than JANUARY 6th, 2017, 5:00PM.
 
Policy Updates

 
Here are some friendly reminders about the new Section 7.0 revisions of the Standards that went into effect in October 2016. Approved DV Treatment Providers will need to submit documentation that their Treatment Victim Advocate meets at least the Entry Level qualifications during Renewals in July of 2017. Here are some important things to remember:
 
What are the Qualifications for Treatment Victim Advocates (TVAs)?
 
Section 7.0 outlines two new qualification levels for TVAs: Fully Qualified and Entry Level. The requirements for each of these levels are provided below.
 
II. Fully Qualified Treatment Victim Advocate Requirements
A. Basic Certification from the Colorado Advocate Certification Program (CACP) or National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) National Advocate Credentialing Program is required. These programs are administered through the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance (COVA) and (NOVA): (  http://www.coloradocrimevictims.org/colorado-advocate-certification-prgram-cacp.html) or ( http://www.tryNOVA.org/) 
B. Training hours per COVA or NOVA program with focus on the following as electives: Confidentiality, safety planning, co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse, sexual assault, elder abuse, DVRNA, MTT, DVOMB Standards, domestic violence offender issues, domestic violence offender treatment competencies, risk/lethality assessment, and special victim and offender populations. 
C. Experiential hours according to COVA or NOVA requirements
D. Peer consultation is strongly encouraged with other fully qualified Treatment Victim Advocates, or consultation with local victim services. Peer consultation may include:
1. Sharing information about training opportunities
2.Sharing information regarding resources
3. Confidentiality issues
4. Advocacy on behalf of a specific population
5. Technical assistance, safety planning, brainstorming difficult cases

III. Entry Level Treatment Victim Advocates

A provider may utilize and "Entry Level Treatment Victim Advocate" who meets the following qualifications:
A. Training Hours:
1. A minimum of 30 initial hours of training in domestic violence to include: victim advocacy, domestic violence dynamics, victimization and safety planning.
2.The remaining 30 hours of training required for Fully Qualified Treatment Victim Advocate shall be achieved within the first year of work as a domestic violence Entry Level Treatment Victim Advocate 
B. Experiential Hours:
1. 70 hours of experience working with domestic violence victims. These hours may be achieved through any combination of employment, volunteer work, or internships. 
2. The remaining 70 experiential hours required for a Fully Qualified Treatment Victim Advocate shall be achieved within two years.
C. Peer Consultation: is strongly encouraged with other Fully Qualified Treatment Victim Advocates, or consultation with local victim services. Peer Consultation may include:
1. Sharing information about training opportunities
2. Sharing information regarding resources
3. Confidentiality issues
4. Advocacy on behalf of specific population
5. Technical assistance, safety planning, brainstorming difficult cases
D. The COVA CACP basic certification shall be applied for by the end of the second year of working as an Entry Level Advocate. (NOVA certification is also accepted.) 

Dual Role Relationships

Treatment Providers shall not have a dual role with her/his advocate as defined in Section 7.03.

VIII. Dual Roles
A. Treatment Victim Advocates shall not have a dual role with her/his Treatment Provider, the offender or the victim. Discussion Point: It is the expectation of the DVOMB that individuals also governed under the Mental Health Practice act (Title 12, Article 43 of the Colorado Revised Statutes) will also comply with the statutes, rules, and policies of their Governing Board.
B. The Treatment Victim Advocate cannot be in another relationship with the Provider (such as a spouse or relative). 
C. The Treatment Victim Advocate cannot also be working in other therapeutic or case management capacities with the domestic violence Offenders or victims within the same treatment agency
D. The Treatment Victim Advocate shall not also be the therapist for the victim. Discussion point: Dual relationships can create barriers to an open and honest dialogue. The advocate may be concerned about raising issues that may potentially impact the personal or other relationship with the Provider. Dual roles may be confusing to ta victim and impact their ability to trust the advocate. 
Training Resources
 
The DVOMB staff has received several inquiries about where TVA's or individual's looking to become TVA's can finding training resources. Please see the Training Resource List below that identifies organizations that offer trainings that can be utilized by TVAs. Please note that this list is only designed to be a resource. The Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) has no statutory authority to approve trainers or pre-approve classes.

For more information, please click here.
DVOMB Upcoming Trainings
Title
Date
Time
Location
DVRNA Training February 21, 2017 8:30 - 4:30
700 Kipling Street.
Denver, CO 80215
7Hr. Current Standards Training February 27, 2017 8:30 - 4:30
 710 Kipling Street.
Denver, CO 80215
Offender Evaluation Training March 14, 2017 8:30 - 4:30
700 Kipling Street.
Denver, CO 80215
7Hr. Current Standards Training April 17, 2017
 8:30 - 4:30
710 Kipling Street.
Denver, CO 80215
DVRNA Training April 25, 2017 8:30 - 4:30
710 Kipling St.
Denver, CO 80215
 
Please look for more DVOMB Trainings in upcoming editions of the Monthly Minute. The staff are in the process of scheduling trainings for 2017 and will provide notification of future training dates when finalized.
DVOMB and Committee Meeting Dates

Reminder: 
All DVOMB meetings are open to the public. We encourage you to participate if you have an interest in any of the current projects of the DVOMB.
Title
Date
Time
Location
Staff
Implementation Committee  January 6, 2017 9:00AM - 11:00AM 700 Kipling, 3rd Floor  Jesse Hansen
Application Review Committee January 12, 2017 10:30AM - 4:30PM 700 Kipling 4th Floor Carolina & Jesse
DVOMB Meeting  January 13, 2017 9:30AM - 3:30PM 710 Kipling 3rd Floor Rm 308 All Staff
Young Adult Committee  January 23, 2017 9:30AM - 11:30AM 710 Kipling 3rd Floor, Rm 308 Jesse & Carolina
Treatment Provider Committee January 24, 2017 11:00AM - 1:00PM Conference Line
Jesse & Carolina
Training Committee February 1, 2017 9:00AM - 11:00AM 700 Kipling 4th Floor Jesse & Carolina

Conference Line: 1-888-740-4219
Enter Pass code: 932451#
Research Corner

Richards, T., & Gover, A. (2016). Domestic violence offender treatment and multidisciplinary treatment teams: The role of "treatment" victim advocates.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1-17.
 
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Treatment Victim Advocates (TVAs) in the multidisciplinary treatment teams (MTTs). There have been no studies examining the utility of victim advocates as advisors regarding interventions for domestic violence offenders. In particular, this study sought to identify gaps in the literature around the advisory role of TVAs in domestic violence (DV) offender treatment. Of particular interest to this study was the TVAs ability to provide direct services to victims, the TVAs role in MTT decision making regarding offender treatment, and the frequency and quality of communication with other MTT members. Richards and Gover (2016) created a survey which was sent to 103 TVAs in Colorado. 37 TVA's responded to the study indicating a 36% response rate. This survey focused specifically on services provided to victims from TVAs, MTT communication issues and the MTT decision making process. This study found that victim engagement varied widely across respondents, with TVAs reporting that 30% of victims do not stay involved after their initial contact, and 20% of respondents note that 80% or more of victims choose not to participate in the process at all. MTT decision making was also split, with 66% of respondents noting that decision making was done as a team. 83% of the remaining respondents note that the treatment provider was the main decision maker while 17% noted that the supervising officer was the main decision maker. Although decision making responses appeared to be split by respondents, MTT communication was rated as predominantly inclusive. 31% of respondents noted low levels of exclusion, with the most common forms of communication being email, phone and face to face conversations. This study provides insight into the advisory role of TVAs on MTTs which will be helpful in improving the MTT process and TVA experience on MTTs.

For more information, please  click here .
Committee Spotlight

The Application Review Committee (ARC) serves a critical function to the DVOMB by fulfilling the statutory requirement of §16-11.8-103(4)(a)(III) C.R.S. that has been delegated by the board. The ARC reviews provider applications, processes and reviews complaints about approved providers, and conducts Quality Assurance Reviews (QARs) of selected approved providers. Currently, four members of the board serve on ARC. Here are some historical statistics about the ARCs work. More information related to these statistics can be found in the 2016 DVOMB Sunset Report ( click here ) .
 
The ARC has processed an annual average of 16 new applications (to provisional, entry and full operating levels) over the last five fiscal years. In FY16-17, the ARC processed 12 new applications.
 
New Provider Applications
Fiscal Year
Applications Received
Applications Approved
Applications Denied
10-11
19
18
1
11-12
15
14
1
12-13
11
9
2
13-14
19
16
3
14-15
16
14
2
 
Move-up applications are also processed by the ARC. In total, there have been seven applications received by the ARC, and all but one were approved.
 
Move-Up Applications
Fiscal Year
Applications Received
Applications Approved
Applications Denied
10-11
-
-
-
11-12
-
-
-
12-13
1
0
1
13-14
4
4
4
14-15
2
2
2
Note: * Prior to FY13, applicants used the existing applications and were not counted as "moving up." A Move-up Application was first created in FY13. This clarified and simplified the process by which Providers could request to move-up to higher practice levels.
 
Additionally, the number applications for providers seeking the status of Clinical Supervisor and Specific Offender Populations are shown below. The ARC received a total of 78 applications over the last five fiscal years in which six were denied.
 
Clinical Supervisor and Specific Offender Population Applications
Fiscal Year
Applications Received
Applications Approved
Applications Denied
10-11
18
17
1
11-12
20
20
0
12-13
12
10
2
13-14
14
12
2
14-15
14
13
1
 
Complaints against treatment providers are taken by the DORA board responsible for issuing the individual treatment provider's mental health provider credential. As part of the investigatory process, the DORA board will solicit input from the DVOMB, through the ARC, as to whether the Standards have been violated. The table below summarizes, for the fiscal years indicated, the number of complaints against treatment providers and the outcomes.
 
Summary Statistics of DORA Complaints
Fiscal Year
Number of
Individual
Treatment
Providers
with
Complaints
Number of
DORA Complaint
Cases Pertaining
to the
Standards*
Number of
Cases Dismissed
by DORA
Number of
Cases Resulting
in Discipline by
DORA
Number of
Treatment
Providers
Receiving
Action by the
DVOMB
10-11
9
14
9
5
3
11-12
11
30
18
12
8
12-13
23
47
31
16
7
13-14
7
13
8
3
0
14-15
9
23
14
1
1
Note: * Because an individual treatment provider may hold more than one DORA-issued credential, and each DORA board opens its own case, the total number of cases in the second column exceeds the number of providers indicated in the first column.
 
The 2016 DORA Sunset Report did make an administrative recommendation related to the DVOMB to should revisit the manner in which the ARC approves providers so as to ensure transparency and fairness. This recommendation was based on the results of a survey administered by DORA through its Sunset Review. The DVOMB will be taking a look at the results of this survey and reviewing the issue in the coming year.