February 2017 DVOMB Monthly Minute
Board Updates
 
Strategic Planning Survey 
 
Hello Everyone,
 
The DVOMB would like to thank all of the stakeholders who participated in the DVOMB Strategic Planning survey. At the January DVOMB meeting, the board expressed interest in soliciting input from stakeholders (e.g. Approved Providers, victim advocates, probation, etc.) for consideration by the DVOMB as it develops a three-year strategic plan. While we received a total of 97 responses, roughly 70% of participants completed the survey in its entirety. Many of you provided comments to the questions. We sincerely appreciate your honesty and interest in sharing your perspective.
 
What About the Results?
 
The results of this survey will be considered by the DVOMB as it prioritizes its work moving forward. The data collected here will be analyzed and presented to the DVOMB at the March 10th meeting for possible consideration. Because no identifying information of respondents were collected, none will be shared. Additionally, any possible identifiers of participants to this survey will be removed in the final analysis given to the board.
 
What Happens Next?
 
Decisions made regarding the direction of the DVOMB will be shared once there is consensus by the board about its priorities over the next three years. The DVOMB staff will share this information at a number of its planned events in 2017, along with information included here in future DVOMB Monthly Minute publications. Of importance to this planning process is that these priorities are really only the beginning. The DVOMB is seeking to increase its engagement and inclusion of affected stakeholders and community partners statewide as it moves forwards. This survey serves as a simple measure of these efforts. There will be many opportunities along the way for those of you who are interested in getting involved, so look for those announcements. 
 
Notice about the DVOMB Website
 
Over the next few months many of you should notice some changes to the DVOMB website. We are working toward making information contained on our website clearer, more accessible and relevant to users. This effort is being done in conjunction with other offices housed in the Division of Criminal Justice. If you have comments, feedback or need assistance finding a document during this change, please contact us for help. We appreciated your understanding and patience in advance of these changes. 

  DV Treatment Provider Interstate Compact Requirements
 
In 2000, the Colorado legislature passed C.R.S 14-24.1-101 regarding out-of-state offenders that directly affect programs that treat domestic violence offenders. The statue requires any residential or outpatient treatment program to notify the Colorado Interstate Compact Office whenever an out-of-state offender enrolls in a domestic violence offender treatment program.
 
This affects all domestic violence offender treatment programs because in order to identify clients who are out-of-state offenders, treatment program will have to ask all potential clients whether they have been convicted of or have agreed to a deferred judgment, deferred sentence, or deferred prosecution for a crime in another state.
 
It is important to note that failure to comply with this process as required by statute can result in fines. To find out more information about this process, requirements and resources, please review the links below:
 
Form A:  Notification Form

  Attention Treatment Victim Advocates - New VOCA Emergency Fund Program
 
COVA has partnered with the Division of Criminal Justice, Office for Victims Programs (DCJ, OVP) to launch of the new VOCA Emergency Fund on January 16th. This program is intended to make life easier for crime victims in Colorado and for the advocates who work so tirelessly on their behalf. If you have any questions or need help submitting an application, please contact us!
 
Nuts & Bolts
 
Some of the most important things to remember about the VOCA Emergency Fund are:
 
  • Emergency fund applications MUST BE submitted to COVA by a crime victim advocate on the behalf of a crime victim. We will not accept applications directly from crime victims/survivors or from agencies whose primary function is something other than serving victims of crime (i.e. homeless shelters, therapists, substance abuse programs, etc).
  • Applications must be filled out COMPLETELY AND CORRECTLY. 
  • Every crime victim/survivor is unique and decisions on applications will be made on a case-by-case basis. 
  • The financial need must have a connection to a recent crime victimization or a recent emergency connected to a crime victimization (ex. perpetrator is being released from jail or prison and there are needs related to safety concerns). Crimes do not have to have been reported to law enforcement. 
  • Expenses must be reasonable and limitations will be set on a case-by-case basis.
  • COVA will not pay for past due bills that pre-date the Crime Victimization. We also cannot pay for security deposits or mortgage payments.
  • No itemized receipts - no reimbursement. In most cases, COVA can pay vendors (landlords, utility companies, airlines, etc) directly. Sometimes, advocacy agencies will need to purchase items for their clients and be reimbursed by COVA. It is best to submit an application to COVA and have it approved prior to purchasing items. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee that your program will be reimbursed. We also must receive itemized receipts in order to reimburse your program!
  • This is a fund of last resort. COVA will not pay for needs that can be met through other sources, such as Victim Compensation.
 
What will the VOCA Emergency Fund pay for?
The list below shows some of the most common expenses that will be paid by the VOCA Emergency Fund. If you are an advocate and a crime victim needs something that is not on this list, please call COVA at 303-861-1160 and run the situation by us.
 
Contact Mandee McLane, Emergency Fund Program Manager, at 303-861-1160 with questions or to receive a copy of the Emergency Fund Application. You may also email her at [email protected]
 
Emergency Fund Webinar Slides
 
If you missed the webinar hosted by the Division of Criminal Justice, you can now view the slides below.
 
Policy Updates

On February 10, 2017, the DVOMB approved two new documents listed below. The DVOMB is interested in public comment related to these documents, and will be reviewing any public comment received at the March 10th meeting for possible modification of these documents.  This is your chance to be able to offer feedback before these documents are included in the Standards.   
 
Appendix K. Guidelines for Young Adult Offenders
 
The purpose of this Appendix is to provide Multi-Disciplinary Treatment Teams (MTTs) with additional guidance on working with domestic violence offenders ages 18-25, who can be classified developmentally as young adults (note, this population is also sometimes referred to as transitioned-aged). This informational document provides MTTs with best practices guidelines, potential risk and protective factors, and suggestions for the treatment and case management of young adults.  Please note that as an Appendix, these guidelines are recommended, but not required, for use by MTTs.
 
Click  HERE  to review
 
 
Treatment Coverage Options
 
The DVOMB, in collaboration with its DVOMB Treatment Provider Committee, worked to develop this implementation document that is intended to give options for DVOMB Approved Treatment Providers to make arrangements for treatment coverage when they are not available due to illness, vacation, or another form of absence. This implementation document outlines new flexibility for DVOMB Standard 5.01(I) regarding alternative options for the coverage of treatment services by a substitute provider when a DVOMB Approved Treatment Provider needs to miss a treatment session.
 
Click  HERE  to review

DVOMB Upcoming Trainings
Title
Date
Time
Location
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 Street.
Denver, CO 80215
Offender Evaluation Training April 17, 2017
8:30 - 4:30
710 Kipling Street.
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.

Conference Line: 1-888-740-4219
Enter Pass code: 932451#
Title
Date
Time
Location
Staff
Implementation Committee 
March 3, 2017
9:00AM - 11:00AM
 700 Kipling 3rd Floor
Jesse Hansen
Training Committee
March 7 , 2017
9:00AM - 11:00AM
700 Kipling 4th Floor
Jesse & Carolina
Application Review Committee
March 9, 2017
10:30AM - 4:30PM
700 Kipling 4th Floor
Carolina & Jesse
DVOMB Meeting 
March 10, 2017
9:30AM - 3:30PM
710 Kipling 3rd Floor Rm 308
All Staff
Treatment Provider Committee
March 28, 2017
11:00AM - 1:00PM
Conference Line
Carolina & Jesse

Research Corner

Babcock, J. et al. (2016). Domestic violence perpetrator programs: A proposal for evidence-based standards in the United States. Partner Abuse, 355-460.
 
Judicial systems across the United States generally mandate a batterer intervention program (BIP) when there is violence amongst intimate partners. Social science and recent studies have found that BIP programs are minimally effective in reducing rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). In a large meta-analysis, Babcock et al. (2016) examined 400 studies in order to investigate the efficacy and characteristics of BIPs. This analysis found that current state standards often limit BIP programs, and the majority of state standards are not based on empirical evidence or evidenced based practices. The Duluth Model is the primary treatment model deployed in state mandated programs, accounting for the primary treatment focus of 35.6% of all programs and the secondary treatment focus of 11.7% of programs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches account for the primary treatment focus of 29% of all programs and the secondary treatment focus of 25% of programs. 45 out of 50 states have state standards written into their legislation, of these 45 states 65% employ representatives from victim programs and other agencies that create a multidisciplinary and cross agency approach to oversight of their states standards, and 23% of states regulate their standards through health and social agencies. 91% of state standards require a 'one size fits all' approach regardless of research regarding the efficacy of such programs.
 
Kelli Reynolds
Staff Researcher and Statistical Analyst
Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management
Committee Spotlight

Over the past two years, the DVOMB underwent a process to identify ways in which to improve its relationships with communities around the state, as well as how to enhance the implementation of the Standards. The DVOMB convened the Implementation Committee in December of 2014 with the intent of exploring how the board could improve its capacity to collaborate, engage, and receive feedback from communities statewide. This process began by working with the Domestic Violence Treatment Team in Pueblo, Colorado. The results of this pilot project are summarized below (Executive Summary and Full Report).
 
The DVOMB is planning to hold Policy Update Roundtables around the state in 2017 as an opportunity to share some best practices learned from this project around creating and maintaining an effective local DV Task Force. These Policy Update Roundtables are intended to be collaborative forums for discussing updates and issues.  DVOMB staff will present any new policy changes that have occurred in the last year and there will also be time for discussion of how to work collaboratively within your community.
 
More details about these events will be communicated in the coming months, so please keep an eye out for the location, date and time of these events. We encourage you to start thinking about topics you would like to discuss at the Policy Update Roundtables. Please feel free to contact us in advance and if your community is interested in more details about this project or has general questions about the work of this committee.
 
Respectfully,
 
Jesse

Pueblo Project - Executive Summary
Pueblo Project - Full Report