DVOMB Quarterly Minute
July 2022
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Sunset Updates regarding the DVOMB
Over the last year, the DVOMB has been in the process of undergoing a Sunset Review by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). A sunset review is a periodic assessment of a state board or program to determine if that organization is meeting its statutory mandates and whether they should be continued by the state legislature.
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The DORA Sunset Report of the DVOMB outlined three recommendations which were presented to the House Judiciary Committee. The legislature considered the recommendations from DORA and added new mandates to the DVOMB as part of the reauthorization bill House Bill 2022-1210 which continues the DVOMB until 2027. This bill specified that the DVOMB is now required to:
- On or before January 31st, 2023, and on or before each January 31st thereafter, the Board shall prepare and present a written report to the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, or their successor committees.
- Develop a data collection plan and require approved providers to begin data collection pursuant to the plan adopted by the Board no later than January 1st, 2023.
- Perform compliance reviews on at least 10% of service providers every two years beginning no later than July 1st, 2023.
The DVOMB has begun developing plans on how to meet these new statutory mandates. A requirement for Approved Providers to submit data to the DVOMB already exists in the Administrative Policies. However, this requirement was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A proposal was presented to the DVOMB during the May meeting regarding the new data collection requirement (see PowerPoint here). DVOMB Approved Service Providers will have the option of either using the Provider Data Management System or ReliaTrax to submit client-level data at discharge. More details about this requirement and how-to trainings will be offered in the coming months for DVOMB Approved Providers.
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Policy Updates
Section 9.0 of the Standards was last revised in 2019 in order to move the process for becoming a DVOMB Approved Provider to a competency-based supervision process. This change implemented the requirement for a Domestic Violence Clinical Supervisor (DVCS) to assess applicants on their clinical and administrative competencies. Over the past three years, much has been learned and the competency base model is working well.
However, during that time the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) has also made changes to their regulatory structures and listings that have impacted the DVOMB Standards. Additionally, the DVOMB also created a new database system. As a result, there are necessary changes to Section 9.0.
The changes to Section 9.0 will become effective on September 30th, 2022. The current Section 9.0 in the Standards may be used by applicants or Approved Providers until that date. Alternatively, applicants and currently Approved Provider can begin using the newly revised Section 9.0 immediately as part of an application.
What were the major changes to Section 9.0?
- Contents of the clinical supervision agreement were updated and moved to earlier in Section 9.0 to increase its visibility.
- The Provisional Level status was eliminated altogether.
- The term Entry Level status was changed to Associate Level status.
- A new listing status was created for Teletherapy.
- The ability for Trainees to apply directly to Full-Operating Level was removed. Trainees must now apply first as an Associate Level prior to being eligible for becoming a Full-Operating Level provider. Additionally, Associate Level Providers must also have 500 hours of face-to-face client contact working with domestic violence offenders to apply for Full-Operating Level. This equates to roughly 6 months of full-time direct service work with domestic violence offenders.
- Full-Operating Level was better defined as a status that is sufficiently proficient to co-facilitate with new Trainees.
- The training hours required for Associate Level were reduced.
- The content was reorganized to align with the flow of the application process and the Provider Data Management System.
- The language was updated to reconcile the discontinuation of the Unlicensed Psychotherapist category from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. This included expanding the eligibility requirements for Trainees to now allow for Masters level students to apply during their formal clinical internship prior to having a candidacy with DORA.
- The language was updated to reconcile the credential name change for the addiction counselors. The Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC) II and CAC III were changed to Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS), and the Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) were identified as the only addiction supervisors.
- Eligibility to start the process of applying to become a Domestic Violence Clinical Supervisor (DVCS) remains limited to Full-Operating Level Providers. and applicants would need a minimum of 1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact working with domestic violence offenders, and be at this status for at least 2 years.
The DVOMB approved revisions to Appendix I concerning the use of teletherapy with domestic violence offenders. Over the past two years, much has been learned regarding teletherapy and the DVOMB has recognized that fact. There is still much more research needed in this arena, but the revisions to Appendix I will grant DVOMB Approved Providers some discretion in how to use teletherapy for domestic violence offenders. These changes will become effective on September 20th, 2022.
Another Lunch and Learn specifically about Appendix I is scheduled for July 19th from 12:00-1:00PM. Register here.
Reference Letters from Probation
Say it isn’t so! The DVOMB and the State Court Administrator's Office have come to an agreement on the reference letters completed by Probation Officers for the purpose of applications. The new reference letters are being programmed into the Provider Data Management System. Please note that some probation officers may not be aware of this change. In the meantime, applications will not be denied solely on the basis of a missing reference letter from a supervision officer. Please contact Caroleena Frane caroleena.frane@state.co.us with any questions you have.
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Ask the Board
With the changes to Appendix I, are Level C clients required to go back in-person starting on September 30th, 2022?
No, this is not correct. The inclusionary and exclusionary criteria in Appendix I are considerations for the Approved Provider to assess and to think about. The Approved Provider must do what is in the best interest for the client and these criteria are not automatic designations. If you look closely, it states “Exclusionary criteria are factors that serve as reasons as to why teletherapy would be problematic for a client. Those who MAY not be considered for teletherapy include” and then it lists some important considerations. The committee chose to use the word “may” here in order to give Approved Providers discretion in making this determination in the best interest of their clients. Some high-risk clients at Level C may be more amenable to treatment via teletherapy, while others may struggle. This decision is ultimately up to the Approved Provider by giving some criteria that can be used to document the clinical rationale and why. As with the rest of the DVOMB Standards, victim safety must always remain a priority when considering the best mode of treatment delivery for each client.
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Apply to be the Rural Victim Advocate Appointment to the DVOMB
The Domestic Violence Offender Management Board is seeking nominations for the board appointment representing rural victim advocacy. Current community-based victim advocates, treatment victim advocates, and system-based advocates from rural areas of the state are encouraged to apply, especially those who have relevant education, special skills, qualifications, and professional expertise, as well as lived experience in support of equity, diversity and inclusion. If you or someone you know may be interested in applying, please complete this online application by no later than JULY 22nd, 2022, 5:00PM.
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Research Corner: The Effectiveness of Domestic Violence Offender Treatment
To improve the effectiveness of DV treatment, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have recommended that DV treatment adhere to the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) principles of effective practice (Radatz, Hansen, & Thomasson, 2020; Richards & Murphy, 2018; Travers, McDonagh, Cunningham, Armour, & Hansen, 2021). Although the RNR model was initially developed and applied in the general offender field, it is now applied broadly. It is an applicable and promising paradigm for DV treatment, although aspects of the model require further elucidation for DV offenders (Bonta & Andrews, 2017) and several critiques of the model highlight continuing need for development (e.g., Thornton, 2016; Ward & Beech, 2015; Ward & Marshall, 2004).
Travers et al. (2021) conducted the most recent, comprehensive, meta-analysis of DV treatment and the only one to-date that examined adherence to the RNR model as a moderator of treatment outcome (recidivism rates following treatment). Travers et al. focused on more recent, contemporary, treatment approaches that were published from 2008 onwards. Overall, the DV treatments produced a positive treatment effect compared to no-treatment but one that was clearly moderated by degree of adherence to the RNR principles. Programs that fully adhered to the model had the greatest reductions in recidivism rate over 2 years follow-up, with a 7.0% recidivism rate for treated individuals versus 19.6% for untreated comparisons (k=2, n=479; OR=.30). For programs that partially-adhered, the recidivism rate was 23.0% for treated individuals compared to 33.5% for untreated comparisons (k=3, n=8,851; OR=.58). There were few programs that were fully “one-size-fits-all” (i.e., didn’t adhere) and these did not produce significant treatment effects.
This research adds to a growing body of empirical evidence that supports the use of the RNR principles in domestic violence offender treatment. This research also is meaningful in that it also demonstrates why adherence to the RNR is important not just in policy, but also in practice. The work to differentiate offenders based on risk assessment, the steps to develop treatment plans that address criminogenic needs, and the individualized way an offender’s treatment is adaptive to important responsivity factors all contribute to adhering to the RNR principles.
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July Lunch and Learn: Appendix I
The DVOMB has approved Appendix I which speaks to requirements and criteria for teletherapy with domestic violence offenders. Join us for a lunch and learn where we will go over the development of this document and describe the important things DVOMB Approved Providers need to know if continuing to provide teletherapy services. One hour of training credit will be offered for those who attend this lunch and learn. Please take a look at Appendix I prior to the lunch and learn, so that you can be ready with your questions!
INTENDED AUDIENCE: For DVOMB Approved Trainees, DVOMB Providers, or Treatment Victim Advocates, Probation, and Parole ONLY
WHEN: Tuesday July 19th, 2022
TIME: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Online
CEU: 1 Hour
COST: Free
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August Lunch and Learn: A Stages of Change Model for
Domestic Violence Assessment and Treatment
Presenters: Philippe Marquis, LPC, LAC, DVCS &
Karen Morgenthaler, LCSW, LAC, DVCS
Description: CHANGE. The dreaded six letter word that is the basis for any psychotherapy or behaviorally based intervention. If the assumption is that all clients are capable of change, what happens when the client does not believe a change is needed with themself? In this training, the presenters will discuss how their programs have integrated a stages of change model to further address precontemplative clients in denial as well as specific treatment matching. This presentation will cover methods for assessing readiness to change and general amenability to treatment. This includes what can be done with high-risk clients in categorical denial, and what to do when clients remain in denial and must be referred back.
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INTENDED AUDIENCE: For DVOMB Approved Trainees, DVOMB Providers, or Treatment Victim Advocates ONLY
WHEN: Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022
TIME: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Online
CEU: 1 Hour
COST: Free
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