Yesterday, the New York Times published an informative article by Lizette Alvarez about one woman's experience with the Army following an incident of domestic violence. Click on the title of this blog posting to access the article.
Given the military presence here in North Carolina as well as the increasing numbers of military personnel returning from combat, addressing domestic violence in military families will be ongoing challenge.
However, I do not know of much research or writing about how best to address the needs of military families to prevent domestic violence or intervene after violence has occurred.
So I am wondering what evidence-based practices exist to help military family members who are survivors of domestic violence, including children who have witnessed such violence? Also, are there best practices for military personnel who perpetrate domestic violence? Last but not least, are there any evidence-based prevention practices for military personnel?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Challenges of Funding Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services In North Carolina
A recent article published in the News and Observer on 11/14/2008 Funding Delays Hobble Shelters by Mandy Locke highlights some of the challenges in the funding of domestic violence and sexual assault services. (You can also access this article by clicking on the title of this blog posting to link to the article.)
From 2005 to 2007, I led a project to investigate best practices for domestic violence and sexual assault services in North Carolina (NC). (The project was generously funded by the North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission.) Though not the main focus of the project, the research determined that funding was a key challenge for NC providers of domestic violence and sexual assault services. Providers reported that finding funding to sustain their services was a particular challenge.
The project also found that providers had recommendations for enhancing funding practices: (1) increase coordination among funders; (2) prioritize the funding of core and fundamental services, such a crisis response, advocacy and shelter services; and (3) ensure provider accountability through the collection of meaningful information about service delivery practices. The complete report about this project can be found here.
Though I've gotten more interested in funding policies for domestic violence and sexual assault services, this is a new area for me. I am wondering if others know of funding practices that could be effectively used here in NC?
From 2005 to 2007, I led a project to investigate best practices for domestic violence and sexual assault services in North Carolina (NC). (The project was generously funded by the North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission.) Though not the main focus of the project, the research determined that funding was a key challenge for NC providers of domestic violence and sexual assault services. Providers reported that finding funding to sustain their services was a particular challenge.
The project also found that providers had recommendations for enhancing funding practices: (1) increase coordination among funders; (2) prioritize the funding of core and fundamental services, such a crisis response, advocacy and shelter services; and (3) ensure provider accountability through the collection of meaningful information about service delivery practices. The complete report about this project can be found here.
Though I've gotten more interested in funding policies for domestic violence and sexual assault services, this is a new area for me. I am wondering if others know of funding practices that could be effectively used here in NC?
Consensus Practices for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services
From 2005 to 2007, I led a project to investigate best practices for domestic violence and sexual assault services in North Carolina. This project was generously funded by the North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission. The complete report about this project can be found here.
In collaboration with my colleague Dania Ermentrout at the UNC-CH School of Social Work, I recently developed a manual that details the domestic violence and sexual assault service-delivery guidelines based on this research project. You can access the manual by clicking on the title of this blog entry above or clicking here.
It is Dania's and my hope that this manual will be helpful to domestic violence and sexual assault service providers.
In collaboration with my colleague Dania Ermentrout at the UNC-CH School of Social Work, I recently developed a manual that details the domestic violence and sexual assault service-delivery guidelines based on this research project. You can access the manual by clicking on the title of this blog entry above or clicking here.
It is Dania's and my hope that this manual will be helpful to domestic violence and sexual assault service providers.
Developing Outcome Instruments for North Carolina Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services
Over the past year and a half, I've been working with my colleague Dr. Sandy Martin (who is at the UNC-CH School of Public Health) to develop standardized instruments to help North Carolina (NC) domestic violence and sexual assault agencies to assess survivors needs and goals when they first come for services, as well as assess improvements in survivors' needs and goals (i.e., outcomes) as they receive services. The work on this project is generously funded by the NC Governor's Crime Commission.
To understand what types of information should be included in these instruments, we (Sandy, me and a team of very hard working students) conducted (1) a literature review, (2) focus groups with survivors, (3) surveyed directors of NC domestic violence and sexual assault programs, and (4) surveyed NC funders of these services.
Sandy and I developed a report that details what we found out about the types of information each of these groups think is important to include in the development of assessment and outcome instruments. You can access the full report by clicking on the title of this blog posting or here.
To understand what types of information should be included in these instruments, we (Sandy, me and a team of very hard working students) conducted (1) a literature review, (2) focus groups with survivors, (3) surveyed directors of NC domestic violence and sexual assault programs, and (4) surveyed NC funders of these services.
Sandy and I developed a report that details what we found out about the types of information each of these groups think is important to include in the development of assessment and outcome instruments. You can access the full report by clicking on the title of this blog posting or here.
Why blog?
Research can be an isolating endeavor. The work I do- reading the published literature, organizing data, crunching numbers, writing papers- can be accomplished mostly with a laptop in an office by myself.
This is not to say that all of my work is done in isolation. I do much of my work in community-based settings. I collaborate with service providers and policy makers. I work with survivors of violence. And I use a team-approach to conduct much of my research; I collaborate with other researchers and students.
I also work to publicize my research findings through the usual academic channels- conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Using these forms of communications, I hope that service providers, policy makers and other researchers will use the findings to benefit their own work, as well as respond to give me new insights into my research.
Nevertheless, I find myself wanting feedback on my research faster than the publication process allows; to hear what others think about my initial ideas before they are ready for publication; to help spread the word about best practices and important research findings; and to make links between what I see in the media and the research on violence and trauma.
Furthermore, I have come to realize that finding the best ways to help violence survivors and how to prevent violence require creativity and innovation. And I believe that creativity and innovation do not occur in isolation. Creative and innovative solutions develop in conversations with others.
For all these reasons, I am blogging to help begin some of these important conversations about violence and trauma. It is my sincere hope that this blog will foster such conversations.
This is not to say that all of my work is done in isolation. I do much of my work in community-based settings. I collaborate with service providers and policy makers. I work with survivors of violence. And I use a team-approach to conduct much of my research; I collaborate with other researchers and students.
I also work to publicize my research findings through the usual academic channels- conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Using these forms of communications, I hope that service providers, policy makers and other researchers will use the findings to benefit their own work, as well as respond to give me new insights into my research.
Nevertheless, I find myself wanting feedback on my research faster than the publication process allows; to hear what others think about my initial ideas before they are ready for publication; to help spread the word about best practices and important research findings; and to make links between what I see in the media and the research on violence and trauma.
Furthermore, I have come to realize that finding the best ways to help violence survivors and how to prevent violence require creativity and innovation. And I believe that creativity and innovation do not occur in isolation. Creative and innovative solutions develop in conversations with others.
For all these reasons, I am blogging to help begin some of these important conversations about violence and trauma. It is my sincere hope that this blog will foster such conversations.
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