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March 2021
NEWS & UPDATES
Volume 19 | Issue 3
MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
For International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month, and in keeping with the United Nation’s theme of Women in Leadership, NYSCADV honors the incredible women in the movement to end domestic violence who have worked tirelessly, fearlessly and unapologetically on behalf of survivors of all forms domestic, sexual and gender based violence.

What began as a small grassroots efforts by women -sisters, neighbors and friends- opening up their homes to women escaping from their abusers has evolved into a global movement to end all forms of gender-based violence and the social and health disparities that cause it.

We honor our predecessors, “The Grandmothers of the Movement,” by continuing their legacies and building on their work. We honor Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders like Ida B. Wells, Audre Lorde, and Kimberly Crenshaw, who were outspoken on violence against women, especially against Black women, and contributed much needed analysis to our efforts and shaped the movement into what it is today. We honor and acknowledge that we owe a great debt of gratitude to the Haudenosaunee women leaders who coached and supported New York’s celebrated Suffragists with little to no acknowledgement and continue to teach us today.
PASTA WITH A PURPOSE!
Learn how to make homemade pasta!
All proceeds from the class will be donated to NYSCADV!

We are so excited to partner with Allora Pasta Co. in an opportunity to support NYSCADV. Chef and owner of Allora Pasta Co., Cameo Fucci, is generously offering a Virtual Pasta Making Workshop and will donate 100% of the proceeds to NYSCADV!
NYSCADV ANNUAL MEETING
Please join us for NYSCADV's 2021 Annual Meeting on Monday, March 22, 2021 from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
 
The NYSCADV Annual Meeting is designed to provide:
  • an opportunity for domestic violence advocacy programs from across the state to network and get a statewide perspective on domestic violence services
  • updates on policy and programmatic trends and issues important to domestic violence advocacy services
  • an overview of NYSCADV's activities and plans for the upcoming year
  • an open forum to discuss priorities for domestic violence advocacy programs and survivors
 
Meeting Agenda
  • Welcome & Logistics
  • NYSCADV Board Business
  • NYSCADV Coalition Report
  • Open Forum on Priorities for Advocacy Programs and Survivors
  • Closing
 
Registration
  • Registration is open to staff and program leadership of NYSCADV Member Programs, Organizational Associate Members, Primary Purpose Domestic Violence Programs, Victim Assistance Programs, Allied Organizations, State Agency Staff, and interested individuals. 
  • If you are part of a domestic violence advocacy program, your organization’s membership and ongoing partnership is crucial to our shared mission to prevent and end domestic violence. Click here for more information and to apply to be a NYSCADV Member Program for 2021.
  • Click here to register.
PREVENTION CORNER
In recognition of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) in February, NYSCADV hosted its first-ever What is Love? Contest. Participants ages 12-20 throughout New York State submitted entries in graphic arts, visual arts, and literary arts categories. We are so inspired by the incredible submissions and response to the contest!

We invite you to take a moment and view the creative entries, depicting each artist’s idea of “what is love.” Visit the albums on the NYSCADV Facebook page.

Winners in each category are below and will each receive a $25 Visa gift card. Congratulations!
  • Graphic arts: Two-Sided Dove by Randy Morocho
  • Visual arts: Positive Focus by Kayla Kearney
  • Literary arts: Love at its Core by Carys Sammartano
 
The contest’s grand prize winner and their project mentor each receive a $100 Visa gift card, and the winning entry will be highlighted in various NYSCADV materials to promote healthy relationships.

We are thrilled to announce this year’s grand prize winner is Amanda Krahe! Amanda’s submission is titled “Self Love Reminder.”

Congratulations to Amanda and Helen Atkinson Barnes, Prevention Education Program Director at The Retreat, Amanda’s project mentor.

We are incredibly grateful to our guest judges, James Young (Queery), Chel Miller (NYSCASA) and Sarah Podber (NYSCASA) for participating in this event, and we thank all the amazing contestants for sharing their talents and passion!
POLICY CORNER
State legislators all over New York heard from DV advocates during NYSCADV’s Virtual Budget Advocacy Day on February 23. We collectively informed legislators that New York State’s per diem reimbursement model is broken, as has been clearly demonstrated during the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a result, more funding must be earmarked for domestic violence services to ensure all survivors’ needs are met.
 
Specifically, our budget priorities included the following:
  1. Adding a $10 million emergency fund to ensure sustainability of New York’s domestic violence services during the Pandemic.
  2. Increase the TANF funding set aside for non-residential domestic violence services to $6 million.
  3. Maintain $5 million from last year’s budget to implement a flexible funding model pilot project.
  4. Restore $2,356,000 for domestic violence programs and legal services for victims.
 
In addition to these budget requests, NYSCADV joined with the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Seven Dancers Coalition to ask the Legislature to set aside a proposal Governor Cuomo included in his Executive Budget. The proposal involves expanding the mission of the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to include programming and policy related to sexual violence. NYSCADV also asked the Legislature to set aside a second proposal to create a DV-specific misdemeanor crime in New York. The new crime would be used to prevent DV offenders from purchasing or possessing firearms in other states. We recognize that the Governor’s office spent a lot of time and effort developing each proposal. Now, we are hopeful the Legislature will give advocates the time they need to fully evaluate and discuss them. The Legislative Session is scheduled to continue well into the month of June so there is plenty of time for more deliberation and consideration.
 
More information about NYSCADV’s policy work can be found by clicking here.
BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH
March is also Brain Injury Awareness Month and this year's theme is More Than My Brain Injury.

An estimated 10 million Americans are affected by stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) making brain injury the second most prevalent injury and disability in the United States.

Click here to visit the Brain Injury Association of New York State to learn more about how you can increase awareness and information.
SOCIAL WORK MONTH
March is also Social Work Month and this year's theme is Social Workers Are Essential.

Visit the National Association of Social Workers by clicking here to learn more about the many positive contributions of the profession and to use their toolkit to celebrate all the social workers you know.