May 2017 DVOMB Monthly Minute
Board Updates
 
DVOMB Sunset Reauthorization Bill (SB 17-201)
Over the past year, the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) has been undergoing a process called Sunset Review that is facilitated by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). According to DORA, a "sunset review is a periodic assessment of state boards, programs, and functions to determine whether they should be continued by the legislature. Sunset reviews focus on creating the least restrictive form of consistent with protecting the public. In formulating recommendations, sunset reviews consider the public's right to consistent, high quality professional or occupational services and the ability of businesses to exist and thrive in a competitive market, free from unnecessary regulation."
 
Following a lengthy review, DORA can recommend changes in a report that is submitted and presented to the legislature. Legislative members may then sponsor a bill to seek the continuance of the board. The DORA report regarding the DVOMB ( click here ) recommended it's continuation for another five years along with several other statutory changes. Senators Cooke and Fields along with Representative Lee sponsored Senate Bill 17-201 ( click here ) that carries forward the DORA recommendations. The current bill is expected to pass and makes the following statutory changes:
 
  • The bill extends the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) until September 1, 2022;
  • Changes the appointment authority for 5 members of the board from the executive director of the department of regulatory agencies (DORA) to the executive director of the department of public safety (director);
  • Changes the qualifications for 5 members of the board to require all to have experience in the field of domestic violence, at least 3 members to be licensed mental health professionals, and at least 3 to be on the list of approved providers published by the board;
  • Repeals language concerning staggered terms for members of the initial board;
  • Authorizes the board to elect a presiding officer rather than having the director appoint the presiding officer;
  • Changes the responsibility for the review of providers' applications and review of mandatory continuing education course requirements from DORA to the board; and;
  • Makes the board solely responsible for publishing the list of approved providers and relieves DORA from this responsibility.
 
DVOMB staff, DV Treatment Providers and stakeholders testified before the House Judiciary Committee on May 2nd, 2017, regarding the reauthorization of the DVOMB. We would like to thank all those who were able to attend and testify, specifically Lynnette Cunningham, Peter Di Leo and Lydia Waligorski. At this hearing, the SB 17-201 received a 10-1 vote and is expected to pass before the end of the legislative session.

Note: In this photo from right to left, Representative Lee, Carolina Thomasson, Lynette Cunningham and Jesse Hansen.

DVOMB May Meeting Agenda
The DVOMB is meeting this Friday, May 12, and will be discussing a number of items. Here is the agenda in case any of you are interested in attending (click here). The Board's Department of Corrections representative, Sara Phelps, will be providing a one hour lunch-and-learn training on Victim Centeredness in Community Corrections. Training certificates will be made available for those who attend. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Adrienne Nuanes at 303-239-4528 or 1-800-201-1325.
 
DVOMB Approved Provider Renewal Season for 2017
Last month the DVOMB gave notice that Renewal Season is here. This is another friendly reminder that if you are currently approved as a DVOMB Treatment Provider (including those in a "not currently practicing" status) and would like to continue to be listed, you will need to submit your renewal application to the DVOMB no later than  July 31st, 2017 . DVOMB staff have sent letters so you should be receiving a notification in the mail. As always, please feel free to contact the DVOMB staff for assistance or any questions you may have about the process or requirements.
 
Click here for the new application:  2017 DVOMB Renewal Application
                                
Reminder about Treatment Victim Advocate Qualifications for Provider Renewals
 
  • Providers submitting their renewal packet must have Treatment Victim Advocate pursuant to Section 7.0 (click here) of the Standards that meets the Entry Level qualifications (see 7.03). The renewal application will ask for this documentation.
  • Treatment Victim Advocates do NOT have to be Fully Qualified at the time of renewal.
  • There are a variety of free trainings available for Treatment Victim Advocates (click here).
  • For Treatment Victim Advocates who are looking to become Fully Qualified, only the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance (COVA) or National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) certification is required. COVA's certification is called Colorado Advocate Certification Program (CACP) and costs $75 dollars for new applicants (click here for more information). This certification program is different than the Colorado Victim Assistance Academy (CVAA) which is not what is required for Treatment Victim Advocates. The CVAA is a great training opportunity, but there are other free trainings available to Treatment Victim Advocates.
 
Caring Dads and Working with Child Welfare Survey
Thank you to all of the individuals who responded to the Caring Dads Survey last month. We received a total of 35 responses and will plan to use the information in planning purposes regarding some additional Caring Dads Training events in the future. 
Training Events

NEW FREE TRAININGS!!! DVOMB Core Trainings 
The DVOMB is proud to announce that it has redesigned the trainings that are offered throughout the year. The former 7 Hour Standards training, the DVRNA training, and the Evaluation training have new curricula, material and content. These trainings will be offered for FREE starting in June, 2017. The DVOMB staff will be delivering this content and are excited to begin this process. More dates are being planned for so please look to next month's Monthly Minute for details.
 
To see a description of all the new trainings and the learning objectives for each, please see our DVOMB Course Catalog.

 
Title
Date
Time
Location
 
Community Roundtable Discussion
 
(Click here)   for more information)
 
June 22, 2017
8:30 - 3:00
Camp George West
Bldg 100
15203 W 12th Ave, Golden, CO   80401
Description: The Community Roundtable Discussion (CRD) is an event hosted by the DVOMB that are conducted around the state. The purpose of CRDs is to improve collaboration, engagement, and the exchange of feedback between the board and communities statewide in a safe and constructive manner. This event is for treatment providers, supervision officers, treatment victim advocates and other interested professionals to come together and start a dialogue about challenges, opportunities and ways to work together. At this training, two breakout sessions will be offered in the afternoon on the following topics:
  • DVRNA Booster Training
  • Effective Coordination and Collaboration Among Multi-Disciplinary Treatment Teams (MTTs) and Task Forces
DV100 - DVOMB and Standards Training
June 23, 2017
8:30 - 4:30
710 Kipling Street.
Denver, CO 80215
Description: This introductory training will provide an overview of the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) including its role, functions, and the Standards of practice for offender services. The history, impact, and need for a coordinated community response model is presented by looking at the research and case studies regarding domestic violence dynamics and interventions. Using group-based discussions and videos, this training will outline the important aspects to the DVOMB Standards and Guidelines. This includes the philosophy of offender treatment as it relates to victim and community safety, Multi-Disciplinary Treatment Teams, and an introduction to assessing risk using the Domestic Violence Offender Risk and Needs Assessment (DVRNA). Participants will become more knowledgeable about the evidence-based practices of the Risk, Need, Responsivity (RNR) Principles and how the Standards prescribe a differential treatment model. Finally, this training will offer a brief overview of the application requirements to become listed with the DVOMB and the grievance process.

Continuing Education: Participants will receive a DVOMB training certificate for 2 hours.


Advanced Series Trainings
 
Advanced Series Trainings are offered by the Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management (ODVSOM) for audiences who work with both domestic violence and sexual offender populations. These trainings are more in-depth, topic specific that are designed to enhance practices and skill development. These trainings are offered periodically throughout the year and can be uses for ODVSOM training credits.
 
Please visit the DVOMB Training Page to find out more information about these trainings.
 
Upcoming Training Events

    Title
Date 
Time 
Location   
Trauma Informed Care

(Registration Closed)
May 18, 2017
9:00 - 4:30
2105 Decatur St.
Denver, CO 80211
Description: A large body of research has revealed staggering evidence of the pervasive and enduring nature of adverse childhood experiences. Research clearly indicates that as the number of early adverse experiences increases, the risk for a wide range of health, mental health, and behavioral problems in adulthood also increases in a robust and cumulative fashion. Trauma-informed practitioners recognize the role of early adversity in the development of high-risk and criminal behavior. Maladaptive coping and thinking often result from child maltreatment and family dysfunction experiences that distort one's view of self, others, and the world. By exploring and understanding aggression, violence, and criminal behavior through the lens of early trauma, clinicians and correctional supervisors can infuse trauma-informed practices into existing evidence-based cognitive behavioral interventions. Staff working with offenders will learn how to incorporate treatment and supervision methods that mitigate future potential to re-offend by facilitating a strengths-based and trauma-informed model of service delivery. Participants will increase knowledge and skills that will help engage offender clients to improve self-regulation and adopt more healthy and non-harmful strategies for relating to others and meeting emotional needs. This workshop will focus specifically on implementing TIC in treatment programs for interpersonal violence offending.
 
Ethics for Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Treatment Providers
 
(Registration is not open at this time)
July 27, 2017
8:30 - 12:00
2105 Decatur St.
Denver, CO 80211
Clinical Supervision for Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Treatment Providers
 
(Registration is not open at this time)
July 27, 2017
1:00 - 4:30
2105 Decatur St.
Denver, CO 80211
Description: This will be a 7 hour training divided into two-parts. The morning will focus on provider ethics in the counseling field by discussing how the NAADAC Code of Ethics and the ACA Code of Ethics can inform and impact domestic violence and sex offender providers. This discussion of ethical principles and ethical decision-making will also address the common complaints the DVOMB and the SOMB receive and the potential outcomes of complaints. The second half of this training will focus on clinical supervision and present on the different types of supervision, supervision skillsets, performance domains, documentation, and ethics.  
      
 
Continuing Education: Participants will receive an ODVSOM training certificate for 3.5 hours for the Ethics Training, 3.5 hours for the Clinical Supervisor training and a total of 7 hours for participants who attend both trainings.
 
Please note that the Advanced Series Trainings are now being offered in conjunction with the Sex Offender Management Board and may or may not be directly related to domestic violence issues. Please review the training description before registering. To attend any of the above trainings, you must register and pay online by credit card or electronic check.
 
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.
Trainings Sponsored by Others
 
The Colorado Advocacy in Action Conference
 
Started in 2011, the Colorado Advocacy in Action is the only statewide conference specific to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence advocacy. This conference is held in Vail, Colorado, from June 12-14 and features trainings for anyone who works with survivors of sexual and domestic violence or in the prevention field such as victim advocates, prevention educators, outreach staff, mental health professionals, campus professionals, medical providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, military command and advocacy, offender treatment professionals, school counselors, and so on.
                                    
For more information, visit their webpage at http://coloradoadvocacy.org/
 
Substance Abuse and Intimate Partner Abuse Perpetrators: Connections, Risk Considerations, and Treatment Protocols
 
The Center for Court Innovation is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, June 8th
at 1:00p.m. (90 minutes) that examines intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators' use of alcohol and drugs as contributing risk factors to further abuse. This webinar will provide an overview of the connections between substance misuse and IPV, including how abusers use substances as both an excuse and a tactic of control, and how and when substance abuse becomes a risk factor for serious re-assaults and homicide. The presenters will also make treatment recommendations and highlight model practices for treatment and court oversight of offenders who abuse substances as well as their partners.
 
To register, click here .
 
Co-Occurring/ Interrelated Domestic Violence & Substance Use Disorders Webinar
              
The National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) is hosting a free webinar on the interrelated aspects of domestic violence and substance abuse on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 from 1:00pm-3:00pm. Learning objectives include:
 
  • Identify dynamics of the interrelationship of the two disorders and risk level.
  • Identify appropriate treatment strategies.
  • Develop effective interventions.
 
To find out more information and how to register, click here .
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
Application Review Committee
May 11, 2017
10:30AM - 4:30PM
 700 Kipling 3rd Floor
Carolina & Jesse
DVOMB Meeting
May 12, 2017
9:30AM - 3:30PM
710 Kipling 3th Floor
All Staff
DV Treatment Provider   Committee
May 23, 2017
11:00AM - 1:00PM
Conference Line
Carolina & Jesse

Victim Advocacy

Announcing the sites for Housing for Crime Victims Special Project
 
The Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) and the Division of Criminal Justice Office for Victims Programs are excited to announce the Housing for Crime Victims Special Project sites.
 
The eight sites will be: Advocates for Victims of Assault, Alliance Against Domestic Abuse, Bright Future Foundation, Hilltop, TESSA, Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence, San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center, and a collaborative project between Volunteers of America Southwest Safehouse, Housing Solutions for the Southwest and Rising Above Violence. The 20-month projects began May 1st, 2017.

A staggering 92% of women who are homeless report having experienced severe physical and/or sexual assault at some point in their lives (Webster, 2013). Victims of crime may face additional barriers to housing on top of the already rising housing costs. Victims of crime are routinely met with discrimination when finding new housing; a lack of affordable housing and housing assistance further limits their options.
 
The Housing for Crime Victims Special Project will focus on helping victims increase access to, and retain safe, long-term housing and providing the necessary supports they need to rebuild their lives. The Housing Projects will rely on survivor-driven mobile advocacy (meeting survivors where they are), housing assistance, supportive services, community engagement, and financial assistance.
 
The Housing Special Project Sites will be implementing evidence-based approaches that have been successful in other states, such as the Domestic Violence Housing First project in Washington State. The goals of the Project include, among others, assisting crime victims in meeting their long-term housing needs, enhancing and expanding community support, and providing low-barrier survivor-driven mobile advocacy by meeting survivors where it is safe and convenient for them.
 
For any questions regarding the project please contact Stevi Gray, Housing Program Manager at [email protected] or 303-962-3321. For direct services related to the Housing for Crime Victims Special Project sites please contact the program directly.

 
Research Corner
Hansen, J. (2016). The Colorado domestic violence risk and needs assessment: A preliminary assessment. Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice.

In 2010, revisions to the Standards and Guidelines for the Treatment of Domestic Violence Offenders (Standards) eliminated the previous mandate of a 36 week treatment program for all offenders. Through this elimination, the DVOMB moved towards adhering more uniformly with the Risk, Need, and Responsivity (RNR) principles, and instituted a differential, risk based instrument, the Colorado Domestic Violence Risk and Needs Assessment (DVRNA). The DVRNA identifies adult offenders risk level based off of 14 risk categories. This risk level corresponds with the treatment intensity and duration. There are three levels which offenders may be placed in based off of DVRNA scoring: low risk (Level A), moderate risk (Level B) and high risk (Level C). The Office of Research and Statistics (ORS) housed within the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice collected treatment outcomes of a sample of 153 domestic violence offenders subject to the Standards. This study was conducted in order to determine if DVRNA risk categories correlate with recidivism rates. This study found that offenders who are assessed into Level C have higher domestic violence recidivism rates than Level B offenders. Offenders placed in Level C treatment recidivated at a rate of 17.7%, with Level B offenders' recidivating significantly lower at 4.5%. Similarly, there is a gap in recidivism rates for general recidivism as well with Level C offenders' recidivism rate at 43.6%, and Level B offenders' recidivism rate at 25.8%. This preliminary assessment concludes that the DVRNA is assessing clients' risks appropriately, as identified by their risk placement and correlation to recidivism. There are important limitations to consider when interpreting the results of this study, including the small non-representative sample size of the study, and a short follow up period of 12 months. In addition, Level A offenders were not included in this study as they were underrepresented, and Denver County data was unavailable limiting the amount of misdemeanor filings captured.
 
Kelli Reynolds
Staff Researcher and Statistical Analyst
Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management  


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