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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:
Opportunity
- WCADVSA Staff Attorney Position (Fort Washakie)
- WCADVSA Staff Attorney Position (Casper)
Our Work
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Save the Date - Winter WCADVSA Membership Meetings - February 23 - 25, 2022.
- Save the Date - Spring WCADVSA Membership Meeting - May 11- 13, 2022.
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Program Support Calls resume February 1, 2022 at 1:00 pm.
- WCADVSA Staff Update - Welcome Cass, Angie & Celeste!
- 2020-2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Program
- Funds to Reduce Education, Employment, and Job Training Barriers for Survivors
Policy Updates
- Day of Action for the Violence Against Women Act - January 19th
Training and Events
- Transitional Housing Voluntary Services Training E-Learning
- Virtual "Weekend" of Recovery for Survivors - January 22 & 29
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Tamarack online courses on collective impact - Funding Available!
Resources
- Introducing the Student Survivor Toolkit
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WCADVSA Membership Meeting
Save the Dates
Please join us for the Winter Membership Meeting February 23 - 25, 2022 via Zoom. Registration and agenda will be available next Friday, January 21st. We truly regret that we cannot meet in person. Thank you for your patience as we navigate the risk of infection and spread, restrictions from grant funders, and finding facilities with staff and capacity to accommodate our group.
Please us for the Spring Membership Meeting May 11-13, 2022 at the Ramkota in Casper, WY. This in person meeting with follow the Division of Victim Services mandatory meeting May 10 - 11, 2022.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org.
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WCADVSA Program Support Calls
Held first Tuesday of every month at 1:00 pm via Zoom
Program Support Calls are an opportunity for DVSA program directors (or their designee) to connect with other programs and WCADVSA staff. Calls will resume on February 1, 2022 and Jason Petry from DVS will join to answer questions about the Request for Proposals for SFY 2023 & 2024.
Click Zoom link to join (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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WCADVSA Staff Update
We are thrilled to welcome three (3) new coworkers in 2022!
Cassandra Burson is the new Prevention Specialist and will be working remotely from her home in Fort Washakie, WY. Her email is cburson@wyomingdvsa.org.
Angie Fessler is the new ERAP Administrative Assistant and will be working in the WCADVSA Main Office in Laramie, WY. Her email is afessler@wyomingdvsa.org.
Celeste Collingwood is the new Project Specialist and will be working in the WCADVSA Main Office in Laramie, WY. Her email is ccollingwood@wyomingdvsa.org.
WCASVSA Laramie Office is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you are unable to reach WCADVSA staff at (307) 755-5481, please let Kristen at kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org or Tiffany at te-m@wyomingdvsa.org know. The majority of staff are in office full time, and some work a hybrid schedule splitting time between home and office to reduce the risk of full office exposure, quarantine and/or closure.
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2022 Emergency Rental Assistance (ERAP) Funding
WCADVSA received ERAP funding from the WY Department of Family Services designated for providing housing stability services to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. The U.S. Treasury defines housing stability services as those services which "enable eligible households to maintain or obtain housing” and recognizes that survivors of domestic abuse or human trafficking may require specialized services to support their ability to access and maintain housing. The goals of this grant opportunity are to provide eligible households with every opportunity to successfully remain safely in their homes, support communities to maintain and build capacity to assist eligible households, and keep eligible households safely and stably housed.
WCADVSA is excited to welcome Angie Fessler as the ERAP Administrative Assistant. Angie will be working to disperse ERAP funds to eligible survivors with ERAP funding available until September 30, 2022. She will be reaching out to all DVSA program directors in the coming week.
If you have any questions or would like more immediate information, contact Angie at afessler@wyomingdvsa.org.
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2020-2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Program
The WCADVSA Transitional Housing Assistance Program is purposed to increase housing
options, support service resources, and address barriers relevant to the delivery of transitional
housing services to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
in Wyoming rural communities and within the Wind River Indian Reservation. This program will primarily focus on supporting the needs of survivors who are Native American, older people, persons with disabilities, persons who are Limited-English-Proficient, persons who are immigrants, and/or survivors within extreme rural areas.
For more information about program requirements, working with participants and providing
services, and accessing and utilizing this assistance please review the 2020-2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Program Policy.
Funds for the 2020-2023 grant cycle have all been pledged.
Contact Trish Worley, Economic Justice Specialist for technical assistance.
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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 $11,581 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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National Policy Up
Join Us and National Advocates
Wednesday, January 19th:
Day of Policy Action for the Violence Against Women Act with lead Senators and Angelina Jolie
On January 19, please join the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Angelina Jolie, and Senate sponsors of the upcoming Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization for a policy day of action to ask Senators to co-sponsor and pass the bipartisan consensus bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
On December 16, 2021, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced they had reached a deal on a framework to reauthorize VAWA with key improvements and protections to better meet the needs of abuse survivors. They plan to introduce the bill this month. While they are finalizing the bill, they need our help to build support among Senators so they can introduce the bill with as many bipartisan sponsors as possible.
VAWA is a central way the Federal government responds to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. First signed into law in 1994, VAWA creates grant programs to provide services and housing to victims and survivors and training to improve the legal response to gender-based violence. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 is based on extensive work with survivors, direct service providers, and other stakeholders, and is the first reauthorization since the pandemic, which has exacerbated domestic violence and sexual assault.
VIRTUAL RALLY: Join us, with VAWA lead Senators and international human rights and children’s rights advocate Angelina Jolie at 12:15 ET/10:15 am MT HERE!
TWITTER STORM: Then, join us at 1:00 ET/11:00 am MT for a Twitter storm!
CALL YOUR SENATORS - template script below & in toolkit:
Before, during, or after the rally,
call your senators (202-224-3121) or email them through their websites (see below).
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis
This toolkit includes a call script, an email template, sample social media posts, and graphics. It even includes template op-eds and letters to the editor!
Script for a call to Senators Lummis & Barrasso:
My name is [your name], and I am a constituent from [your location and, if you are affiliated with a domestic violence or sexual assault program, the name of your program]. I am calling today to urge Senator [senator’s name] to co-sponsor the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022, Senators Feinstein’s, Ernst’s, Durbin’s, and Murkowski’s bipartisan consensus bill to reauthorize and strengthen VAWA to meet the identified needs of survivors and communities.
The Violence Against Women Act is one of the pillars of the federal response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. [Tell your Senator why VAWA has been so important to your community or, if you have a story you feel comfortable sharing, share your experience]. As a constituent, I urge Senator [your senator’s name] to co-sponsor the Feinstein/Ernst VAWA reauthorization bill and to vote for it on the Floor. Can Senator [Lummis/Barrasso] commit to doing so?
Email Template:
Dear [your Senator’s name],
My name is [your name], and I am a constituent from [your location and, if you are affiliated with a domestic violence or sexual assault program, the name of your program]. I am emailing today to urge Senator [Senator’s name] to co-sponsor Senators Feinstein’s, Ernst’s, Durbin’s, and Murkowski’s upcoming bipartisan consensus bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
VAWA is one of the pillars of the federal response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. [Tell your Senator why VAWA has been so important to your community or, if you have a story you feel comfortable sharing, share your experience]. Every time VAWA has been reauthorized, it has been strengthened based on our increased understanding of gender-based violence, and this reauthorization can be no different. The COVID-19 pandemic, when the rates of domestic violence and sexual assault have increased, is not the time to roll back important protections or even to maintain the status quo. Senators Feinstein, Ernst, Durbin and Murkowski have announced they will be introducing a bill to reauthorize VAWA this month which will maintain protections for all victims; make vital investments in sexual assault prevention and services; ensure predators who prey on Native women and children can be held accountable; invest in culturally specific organizations; improve access to safety and services for victims in rural communities, underserved communities, and LGBT communities; protect victims of domestic violence from intimate partner homicide; and increase victims’ access to safe housing and economic stability.
I urge Senator [your Senator’s name] to co-sponsor Senators Feinstein’s, Ernst’s, Durbin’s, and Murkowski’s VAWA reauthorization bill and to vote for it on the Floor. As a voting constituent, I look forward to your response and to your commitment to supporting victims and survivors by supporting this specific VAWA reauthorization bill.
Yours truly,
YOU!!!
Please contact Tara Muir, WCADVSA public policy director, with any questions.
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A Refresh on WCADVSA Monthly Policy Calls - Everyone's Invited!
If you, survivors, staff, board, members of your community response team or other partners are invited. If they would like to learn more or discuss ideas for fixing state statutes in order to keep survivors safer and hold offenders more accountable - the monthly policy call is where to go!
Upcoming Calls - brown bag it on Zoom!
January 14th noon - 1:00 pm
Contact Tara Muir if you have any questions or topics you would like to discuss.
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Wyoming Webinars, Training and Events | |
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The WCADVSA is pleased to announce funding available to support your education on collective impact as a framework for creating high-impact change within your community! The trainings we have funding to support are Tamarack online courses with each course having five to six main lessons and can take anywhere from 5 – 10 hours to fully complete. With your registration, you will receive the course workbook (PDF Download), the course materials, and access to monthly office hours with Tamarack faculty. You'll have access to the course and coaching calls for 6 months after enrollment.
The WCADVSA is able to support 10 registrations, with a commitment to complete at least one course lesson by December 31, 2021 and to complete the online course within 6 months. If you’d like to participate in the online course(s), please complete this form (be sure to select Submit, not Save.) Please don’t register until you’ve been contacted by WCADVSA staff to confirm.
If you have any questions, please connect with Tiffany Eskelson-Maestas at te-m@wyomingdvsa.org or 307-679-1805 (call or text.)
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Transitional Housing Voluntary Services Training E-Learning
The NNEDV Voluntary Services Training in 2021 will be completed through an e-learning module. MOU partners (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. That way the certificate generates with your name on it.
The e-learning platform will track your progress. You can start, pause, and restart all of the lessons. Once you've viewed all of the lessons in Track A, and the lesson(s) you want to view in Track B, you'll need to complete the Course Completion Certification to obtain a certificate. In that quiz, you'll note the lesson(s) you viewed, and then click the "Print Your Certificate" button.
Please email a copy of your certificate to Trish Worley, Economic Justice Specialist
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National Webinars, Training and Events | |
Virtual "Weekend" of Recovery for Survivors January 22 & 29
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse or assault, please join us January 22 and January 29 for Two, dynamic consecutive sessions for women and non-binary survivors.
With music, movement, art and small group process, these Virtual Workshops will offer participants an opportunity to learn new tools to become more mindful and feel safer in their bodies. They will be heard with respect and compassion, and explore how to communicate about the changes they make in their lives and in their process of recovery. But most importantly, they will have the opportunity to feel safe in the company of other survivors and within themselves as they discover the power of community in healing.
Click here for more information and to register. Scholarships are available.
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Click here to view a variety of upcoming webinars, national training, and conferences. | | | |
Introducing the Student Survivor Toolkit
We are excited to announce that we have launched the Equal Rights Advocates Student Survivor Toolkit last week as a new resource for student survivors, advocates, and allies. It is available on our website here as a PDF.
The Toolkit is a comprehensive 70 page guide written by student survivors, Title IX experts, attorneys, restorative justice practitioners, and community organizers. It includes guides to the Title IX process, survivor-centered self-care practices, advice for Muslim and LGBTQ+ survivors, and more.
We are reaching out to you, our trusted colleagues, collaborators, and student ambassadors, to share Equal Rights Advocates’ Student Survivor Toolkit and utilize and share it as a resource for continued student survivor advocacy. From its inception, the Toolkit has been a project for survivors by survivors. It has grown into a powerful body of work that we are thrilled to share with you.
If you or someone you know wants to know more about their rights and options, please schedule an appointment to speak with a legal advocate at Equal Rights Advocates. Please email advice@equalrights.org or fill out our online form here.
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ERAP Updates
Funding Update
As of November 4, ERAP has approved a total of 2,854 applications, paying a total of $10.5M in assistance. Of the rental payments, $8.2M went to landlords, $1.6M to renters and $670K to utilities. To see county specific information, click here to see the map.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS
The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault provides legal aid services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Call 307-755-0992 or visit wyomingdvsa.org/legal-program.
ERAP Resources
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Online: Learn more about ERAP online at dfs.wyo.gov/erap.
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In Person: If you need assistance with an application, there are community based organizations set up in each county to provide help. (Click here for an updated list)
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Via Phone: The call center is open 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday - Friday. The toll-free number is 1-877-WYO-ERAP (1-877-996-3727).
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Flyer: Download the ERAP flyer to learn more about the program and to share with those who may be interested in the program. Download here
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