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Coalition Connection
Your Weekly Source of News, Training Opportunities, and Events
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Through a collective voice, the WCADVSA is committed to provide leadership, education, and systems advocacy to advance social change and end violence. | |
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Welcome to your weekly edition of the Coalition Connection!
Are you having difficulty viewing this e-mail or do you feel like you are missing some of the information in the Connection? If so, click here for help.
We will highlight important information in this section each week in red that requires your action or attention. This week's highlights include:
Opportunities
- Join the WCADVSA Board!
- Volunteer Coordinator/ Victim Advocate with SAFE Project
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2022 Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program - Deadline June 27
Our Work
- Save the Date: October Membership Meeting and Silent Witness Initiative
- ERAP Update: Gap in Accessibility to Funding
- Advocate Learning and Support Collaborative (June 30)
- Coordinated Community Response and/or Sexual Assault Response Team Intensive Technical Assistance Available
- Program Support Calls (Next: July 5)
- WCADVSA Laramie Office Hours and Program, Board, Staff and DVS List
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LAST WEEK TO APPLY: Flexible Funds to Reduce Education, Employment, and Job Training Barriers for Survivors - Deadline June 30
- NNEDV Independence Project Available
Policy Updates
Across the Nation
- Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court today, June 24. But only yesterday the same court refused to allow states to infringe on a person's right to carry a concealed weapon.
- Closing the "Boyfriend Loophole" in U.S. Congress Gun Legislation
Trainings, Webinars, and Events
In Wyoming
- Allstate Foundation Moving Ahead Curriculum Virtual Training for Advocates (June 28-July 1)
- 2022 SAFE Men's Summit (July 13)
- Silent Witness Initiative Ceremony October 7
- Transitional Housing Voluntary Services Training E-Learning
Resources
- Financial Resource Guide for Survivors
- Applying for OVW Funding
A Message from the WCADVSA Executive Director, Kristen Barton Schwartz Re: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center
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The WCADVSA Board is Currently Recruiting!
The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is seeking board members! We are looking to fill two legislative representatives, two program representatives, and two regional program representatives (Southeast and Northeast regions).
Composition of the Board
The WCADVSA Board consists of up to eleven members. At all times the majority of the board elected must consist of persons representing member programs. The Board is committed to diversity and will make every effort to assure sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking victims and persons from marginalized/under-served populations are represented on the Board.
Legislative Representatives:
We are seeking two currently elected Wyoming Senate or House of Representative members. Legislative board members are elected for three year terms. If during their term of office a legislative board member is no longer serving as a legislator he/she shall be a board member until June 30 of the year his/her legislative term ends. The Legislative Representative board members shall be elected from a slate of eligible candidates and voted on by the current board of directors.
Program Representatives
We are seeking two program member representatives. Members must be selected from Executive Directors or board members of current member programs. Program representative members shall be nominated by the Program members and placed on the slate of nominees prepared by the WCADVSA Executive Director under the direction of the current board. Program Representatives serve three year terms. The Program Representative board members shall be elected by the program membership.
Regional Representatives
We are seeking regional representatives from both the Southeast and Northeast regions (see regions below). Regional Representatives shall represent the four regions of the state and are mandatory board positions. The Program members of each region shall elect their regional representative to the board of directors by a plurality of the vote of the program members in that region. Regional Representatives shall be elected for terms of two years.
- Southeast Region: Goshen County, Laramie County, Albany County, Converse County, Platte County, and Niobrara County
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Northeast Region: Campbell County, Weston County, Crook County, Johnson County, Natrona County, and Sheridan County
The Board holds quarterly in person meetings. Three of these meetings are generally connected to the winter (January or February), spring (May) and fall (October) membership meetings. Two additional conference call meetings are also held in March and December.
Board members are compensated for travel related expenses to attend Board and Membership meetings.
For more information, click here for the Board Toolkit, and here for the by-laws.
If you are interested in serving on the WCADVSA Board please complete the application.
Applications to serve on the Board are due to Kristen Schwartz or Taneesa Congdon by Friday, July 8, 2022. Complete applications can be faxed (307-755-5482), mailed (PO Box 236, Laramie, WY 82073), or e-mailed (kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org or cfc@ywcasweetwater.org).
Applications will be reviewed for eligibility by the Board and Executive Director at the next Board meeting, July 12. Candidates will be notified of the results of the vote after the July 12th Board meeting..
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Job Opening: Volunteer Coordinator / Victim Advocate with Albany County SAFE Project
Albany County SAFE Project is seeking applicants for a Volunteer Coordinator/Victim Advocate. This position is full-time with excellent benefits including health care, vacation days, sick time, paid holidays, and Wyoming Retirement.
Starting salary range $37,000 - $39,000 DOE.
Job seekers who are bilingual in English and Spanish are encouraged to apply.
Click here for the full job description.
This position will remain open until filled.
Job Summary: The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining a group of 25-30 volunteers to help staff SAFE's 24-hour hotline and aid with other projects as necessary. In addition, the Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for facilitating three 40-hour advocacy trainings per year and provides ongoing training and education opportunities to SAFE Project’s volunteer advocates. The Volunteer Coordinator supervises all of SAFE Project’s volunteers and interns and assists the Executive Director in providing training opportunities to community members and partner agencies. This position requires excellent data entry and record keeping skills.
Advocacy duties include providing support to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, assisting with SAFE’s 24-hour hotline, legal advocacy, referrals, and crisis intervention. The selected candidate will be required to attend SAFE Project’s 40-hour advocacy training in the fall unless the candidate is a current SAFE Project advocate.
Please mail or deliver to the SAFE Project office at 319 S. Lincoln St., Laramie, WY 82070, or email director@safeproject.org. EOE.
Contact Faryn at 307-742-7273 with any questions.
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Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program
Closing Date: June 27, 2022
OVC just opened their solicitation for their 2022 Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program. This program will provide funding for shelter and transitional housing and other assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and their companion animals.
One of the big changes this year is that they're breaking the grants up into 2 funding categories:
- Category 1 (large awards) up to $400k
- Category 2 (mini awards) up to $100k
Learn more: https://ovc.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/o-ovc-2022-171309.
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Save the Date: Fall Membership Meeting and Silent Witness Ceremony
Board Meeting: October 4
Membership Meeting: October 4 - 6
Silent Witness Ceremony: October 7
Save the day for our in-person Fall Membership Meeting on October 4-6, 2022 and the 2022 Silent Witness Initiative Ceremony on October 7th at the Blue Community Events Center in Cheyenne, WY (2401 East Pershing Blvd).
Agenda and registration information coming soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Celeste at ccollingwood@wyomingdvsa.org
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ERAP Update: Gap in Accessibility to Funding
Due to the extension of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds in Wyoming, WCADVSA is transitioning our ERAP grant. We anticipate a 30 - 60 day gap in accessibility to funding until we receive a new contract from the WY Department of Family Services. We will be sure to notify everyone immediately when we have a new contract in place and are able to access funds.
During the transition, we want to do what we can to help your programs ensure that the survivors' needs are still met. If you anticipate incurring any expenses during the transition, please talk to Angie and come up with the best way to handle it. The process may be delayed, but if you are able to hold off on submitting vouchers for reimbursement, we may still be able to reimburse.
If you have any questions, please contact Angie or Kristen,
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Advocate Learning and Support Collaborative
Thursday, June 30, 2022, 1:00 - 2:30 pm MST
Program Advocates are invited to join an opportunity to meet, connect with, and learn alongside fellow advocates!
The Advocate Learning and Support Collaborative will be held every other Thursday, from 1:00pm to 2:30pm over Zoom. All membership program advocates are invited to connect in this space, to meet and provide support to one another, and to engage in a learning community together as we explore and discuss resources provided by national domestic violence and sexual assault organizations.
Please register HERE or contact Susie Markus, Rural Capacity Specialist, at 307-222-3352 or smarkus@wyomingdvsa.org.
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Coordinated Community Response and/or Sexual Assault Response Team Intensive Technical Assistance is Available from the WCADVSA!
This assistance is available for existing teams that may be seeking resources and technical assistance, or communities interested in starting up, revising, or reviving your teams!
Please contact Susie Markus at smarkus@wyomingdvsa.org or 307-222-3352 for more information.
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Program Support Calls
Held first Tuesday of every month
at 1:00 pm via Zoom
Alina from Zenit Journaling will be joining us this year to work on self-care and healing with Program Directors and designated advocates. This will consist of mini journaling sessions the first Tuesday of each month at noon (before our program support call), and in person workshops during our October Membership Meeting.
Here is the Zoom Link for Mini Journaling Sessions.
Program Support Calls are an opportunity for DVSA program directors (or their designee) to connect with other programs and WCADVSA staff about the work being done around Wyoming. Coalition staff will invite others to join the support calls at the request of membership.
Our next Program Support Call is July 5, 2022. Join us by clicking this Zoom link (it will be emailed directly to member program directors).
Contact Kristen at kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org with any questions or problems connecting.
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Flexible Funds to Reduce Education, Employment, and Job Training Barriers for Survivors
With support from The Allstate Foundation, the WCADVSA has funds to support education, employment, and job training barriers for survivors. These funds can be used to help support survivors in obtaining G.E.D.s, job skills training, certifications, licenses, continuing education, education/job-related supplies such as uniforms, tools, and/or other equipment, transportation-related support, etc.
If your program is offering training on the Allstate Moving Ahead Curriculum or other economic empowerment training, you may request funds to support and encourage survivor participation such as offering food and/or childcare during economic empowerment events or gas gift cards for survivors to get to the training.
Member programs may also inquire about offering scholarships to help support survivor participation in job training programs such as CLIMB Wyoming.
Funds must be spent by June 30, 2022. We have approximately $1,678.00 remaining. Remaining funds will be pledged on a first come first serve basis. To request funds, please submit an Allstate Barrier Reduction Request Form. Once your request has been approved, your program will pay expenses upfront and then you can request reimbursement by submitting an Allstate Barrier Reduction Reimbursement Form.
While it is not required for participants to utilize the Allstate Moving Ahead curriculum to access these funds, financial planning and management is a life-long process and this online curriculum is designed for domestic violence survivors and can help provide the guidance and tools needed to make important financial decisions and work toward gaining long-term financial security.
If you have any questions, please connect with Trish Worley
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NNEDV Independence Project Available
Credit Building through Micro-Lending
Just a reminder that NNEDV is able to provide $00 credit-building, micro-loans to survivors. Through the Independence Project, advocates and local domestic violence programs across the nation can support survivors of domestic violence in improving their credit scores through micro-lending. Through the Independence Project, a survivor can apply for a credit building micro-loan of $100 and to repay this loan over the subsequent 10 months with no interest.
To apply please register at the following link: Independence Project Application Sign Up.
Thanks to the generous and continued support of The Allstate Foundation, which makes many of these loans possible! Click here to learn more.
If you have any questions, please connect with Trish Worley or contact the NNEDV team.
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Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court today, June 24. But only yesterday the same court refuses to allow states to infringe on a person's right to carry a concealed weapon
The "trigger law" statute passed in the 2022 session of the Wyoming Legislature bans abortion with few exceptions, but includes rape or incest as an exception. The governor's office, in consultation with the Attorney General, will review this decision and decide when Wyoming's abortion will be in effect.
WCADVSA hopes to work with the governor's office and other offices to ensure there is no police report required in order to have an exception for rape or incest apply. We hope that only doctor's documentation will suffice. We did neither asked for or supported this exception. More to come later.
To see the official SCOTUS decision:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf
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Closing the "Boyfriend Loophole" in U.S. Congress Gun Legislation
As most of you know, the Reauthorization of VAWA this year did not include the fix we wanted to prevent ALL abusive intimate partners convicted of domestic assault or subject to a protection order from possessing a firearm. Specifically, unless an intimate partner lived with the survivor, was married or had a child in common, the federal firearm prohibition did not apply to dating partners.
It has been in the news the past couple of weeks since the U.S. Senate started negotiating a federal bill for additional firearms restrictions given the recent mass shootings. It appears there be a negotiated compromise on the boyfriend loophole. Sounds like the dating relationship can be added, but there may also be a provision where the dating partner, or any partner, can ask for their gun rights back once they have had no additional violence over a 5 year period.
We'll keep you posted as things progress.
Link to great media story on the loophole and its history.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/19/politics/boyfriend-loophole-gun-negotiations-congress/index.html
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All year long, you can visit our website to review the most recent legislative sessions and what we have worked on, as well as archived previous years.
Follow this link, or you can always get to that page in the "Get Involved" drop-down menu and then "Public Policy". Please share with staff and board members. We'll work on getting our regular public policy zoom calls on that webpage, too.
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Wyoming Webinars, Training and Events | |
Allstate Foundation Moving Ahead Curriculum Virtual Training for Advocates
June 29 - July 1, 2022 1:00 - 4:30 PM MST
Economic abuse is present in 99%, if not all, intimate partner relationships. Long after the physical bruises of domestic violence fade, the often overlooked aspect of financial abuse lingers. Financial abuse is a common tactic used by harm-doers to control their victim. It involves a range of behaviors including controlling their access to money, destroying their credit, and interfering with their employment.
The Moving Ahead Curriculum is an educational resource designed to help domestic violence survivors address their finances. It is a five-module curriculum that offers a range of information, from basic money and financial management principles to advanced long-term financial planning. This training is meant to help advocates get a better understanding of the curriculum and how to make it accessible to the survivors they serve.
This course will provide advocates with the following:
- Strategies to address financial and safety challenges—whether someone is currently in an abusive relationship, planning to leave, or has left the abusive environment and is building their future;
- Resources to help with quality-of-life changes that may happen when starting over;
- Ways to address challenges if an abusive partner or former partner misuses your personal information; and
- Methods to manage your finances, including budgeting, saving, building or improving credit, and managing debt.
This curriculum was developed in partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence and The Allstate Foundation. There are many financial literacy curriculums available; however, what’s unique about this curriculum is that it recognizes the unique challenges that survivors face while keeping their safety in mind.
Money and finances aren’t always easy topics to talk about but this work is transformative. Advocates who have embraced this work themselves report having a lot of fun teaching the curriculum and working with survivors. And, the benefits to survivors are huge. Survivors report less hardship, less financial strain, and an increase in quality of life. They also report being less stressed and having more confidence to manage their financial lives.
The training will be facilitated by Trish Worley, Economic Justice Specialist. This will be an interactive session so please come prepared to actively participate.
You may preview or download the Moving Ahead Curriculum at any time.
Learn more here.
Please register or contact Trish for more information.
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2022 SAFE Men's Summit
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
9:00 am - 5:00 pm MST
The 2022 SAFE Men conference is a one-day gathering to focus on engaging men and boys in gender-based violence prevention in Albany County, Wyoming. Workshops will focus on work being done locally on subjects including using storytelling as a catalyst for social change and violence prevention, the Albany County SAFE Men project, campus-specific prevention strategies, the roles of the faith community and the media in prevention. Featured speakers include prevention specialists from across the country, artists, and activists presenting on their personal journeys to safer communities.
SAFE Men's Summit will be held at the University of Wyoming Conference Center at the Hilton Garden Inn 2221 Grand Ave, Laramie, WY 82070 on July 19 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. To register for the SAFE Men's Summit click here.
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Save the Date: 2022 Silent Witness Ceremony
When: October 7, 2022
Where: Blue Community Events Center (2401 East Pershing Blvd. Cheyenne, WY 82001)
We are excited to share that the 2022 Silent Witness Initiative will be hosted by the Laramie County Safehouse Services and will be held at the Blue Community Events Center in Cheyenne.
Agenda and lodging info coming soon!
For questions, suggestions on new inductees, or to learn more contact Celeste at ccollingwood@wyomingdvsa.org. To be a part of the planning committee, contact Carla at help@wyomingsafehouse.org or call 307-634-8655.
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Transitional Housing Voluntary Services Training E-Learning
The NNEDV Voluntary Services Training will be completed through an e-learning module. WCADVSA member programs are encouraged to participate in the e-learning module if they are providing direct services. There is no limit on the number of staff who can take this e-learning course. But at least one person needs to complete the courses for the agency.
There are 8 lessons available. In total, you'll need to view 6 lessons to complete the training requirement. There are 5 mandatory lessons in Track A and 3 elective lessons in Track B. At least 1 lesson from Track B must be completed to meet the minimum lesson requirement.
Click this link to find the registration page. When you register, you will automatically be registered for both Tracks A and B and you will have access to all eight lessons. When you register, you'll be asked to create a username and password that is unique for you. Each person, who wants to take the course, should enroll separately.
Please email a copy of your certificate to Trish Worley, Economic Justice Specialist
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Click here to view a variety of upcoming webinars, national training, and conferences. | | | |
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Financial Resource Guide for Survivors
FinAbility, a new 501(c)3 building digital tools that financially empower survivors of domestic abuse, has created a new resource guide which directs survivors to trauma-informed resources and action-oriented information to build financial security.
Written by survivors and finance experts, this free, survivor-specific guide empowers readers to:
- Reclaim independence by taking control of their finances
- Improve financial health and security
- Learn personal finance at their own pace when they feel ready
Click here to to access the financial resources guide.
This guide is the result of ideas and feedback from 100+ survivors, advocates, and nonprofit professionals. If you find the resource guide useful or have any feedback on how to make this guide impactful for the communities you serve, contact Stacy Sawin at opportunities@finabilityus.org.
Learn more about FinAbility in the video below.
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Applying for Office on Violence Against Women Funding
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) invites organizations and communities working to end gender-based violence to apply for funding. This section provides general information about how to apply for OVW grants and cooperative agreements.
You can also stay updated on OVW Open Solicitations and their ongoing Solicitation Release Plan.
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A Message from the WCADVSA Executive Director, Kristen Barton Schwartz Re: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center | | |
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My co-workers and I are deeply concerned by the SCOTUS decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center. This decision, which overturns the privacy rights legal precedent set in Roe vs. Wade (1973), brings abortion restrictions to our communities. Wyoming’s "trigger law" (§35-6-102) passed in the 2022 Wyoming Legislative Session, and upon the reversal of Roe, it bans performing an abortion in Wyoming with few exceptions. We, collectively, as community leaders and DVSA advocates lobbied against this legislation and asked Governor Gordon to veto, as it will gravely effect the support and services that domestic violence and sexual assault advocates around Wyoming and on the Wind River Indian Reservation can provide to survivors who are experiencing rape and/or reproductive abuse and coercion.
The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault joins national leaders such as the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV Statement) and the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV Statement) in asserting that we cannot end sexual and domestic violence in Wyoming (and nationwide) unless survivors (and all people) are able to freely decide what happens to their body without government interference. Abortion services are essential healthcare. Recovering from sexual violence and access to reproductive justice are both fundamentally about bodily autonomy, empowerment and choice, and personal centered care. For domestic violence survivors, abortion access is a matter of safety. Restrictions on abortion will have even greater impacts on survivors who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color as well as LGBTQ+ survivors and survivors with disabilities who already face oppression and additional hurdles to their recovery. Equal access to healthcare for survivors of violence (and all people, everywhere) is vital to the right to determine their own lives.
What now? WCADVSA will continue to work for reproductive rights in Wyoming. Governor Gordon's office, in consultation with the Attorney General, will review the decision in Dobbs and decide when WY §35-6-102 will be in effect. WCADVSA will work with the Governor's office and other partners to hopefully ensure there is no police report or any contact with law enforcement required in order to have the exception for rape or incest apply. If you need technical assistance on accessing reproductive services for clients, please reach out to us.
It has been a rough day. Our collective passion and work to support survivors gives me hope. Let us continue to stay connected and open with one another, and to lean into hard conversations in our communities about safe and autonomous healthcare for survivors.
Kristen
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