UDVC Committees
Shelter | Treatment | Government Affairs | Public Awareness | Membership | Justice | Interfaith Leaders | Health Care | Family Violence Advisory | Training | Domestic Violence Related Deaths
Currently the UDVC has 12 working committees. Each UDVC Member is required to be a participating member of at least one Committee, although most Council Members go above and beyond that requirement, participating in as many as five at a time. The committees work both with professional organizations and through the community at large. Each committee’s goals and accomplishments, while following in the path of their own mission statements, are abundant and congruent with the UDVC mission statement as well. Listed below are some of the recent accomplishments and current projects of each UDVC Committee.
Mission Statement: The mission is to act as an information exchange; provide support and coordination of services for domestic violence shelters throughout the state; to review and refine best practices and guidelines to promote services including safety, support and referral services, and education/prevention; and oversee the annual domestic violence shelter conference presenting shelter staff and allied partners with current training.
Recent Accomplishments: Completing and gathering information for the shelter Board of Directors survey which established the need for a Board of Directors handbook (currently being created). The issuing of a statement from the DV shelter community offering support to polygamist families who are suffering from abuse. A salary survey amongst Utah shelters was completed, offering several directors the information needed to help increase salaries. The establishment of a Needs Assessment for new shelters.
Current Projects: Reviewing statewide protocol, DCFS and shelter service coordination. Establishing contact with DHS representatives to build and maintain a strong support for shelter programs. Upcoming Annual Shelter Conference.
Mission Statement: The mission is to define and promote best practices for all three areas of treatment: perpetrator, victim/survivor, and children while promoting perpetrator accountability and victim/survivor and children's safety. The committee works on development of outcome measures, provides statewide and regional training for domestic violence clinicians and others, and collects data which is shared with allied agencies and related fields.
Recent Accomplishments: 2006 Annual Treatment Conference.
Current Projects: 2007 Treatment Conference, 2006 Regional Trainings, Research and Outcomes, Licensing Changes
Mission Statement: The mission is to seek justice for victims of domestic violence and improve the quality of life of the citizens of the State of Utah through review and/or draft of proposed legislation, and by educating legislators to protect victims of domestic violence, including children, and to hold offenders accountable. The Committee publishes a legislative information alert weekly during the general legislative session.
Recent Accomplishments: During the 2006 Legislative Session the Committee worked to redraft bills, select members to meet with and testify at legislative committee hearings, collaborate with allies to educate legislators and public about DV related bills, and to provide the public with a weekly Legislative Alert (The Legalert).
Current Projects: The Government Affairs committee works through the Interim Study, following potential bills that could affect the DV response system. Identifying persons/groups who would be in favor and/or against bills UDVC supports. Selecting recipients for annual legislative awards.Mission Statement: The Committee's mission is to ensure that public awareness of domestic violence is increased in support of the overall Council mission to collaboratively prevent and eliminate domestic violence in Utah.
Recent Accomplishments: Collaborated with the Domestic Violence Related Deaths Committee to announce the release of the 2005 Domestic Violence Related Deaths report through a press release and media awareness event, generating radio, television, and print coverage. Initiated a "Domestic Violence Awareness 101" outreach to university journalism students and took this seminar into classrooms at Utah State University and Brigham Young University during the spring 2006 semester.
Current Projects: Developing communication plan. Expanding "Domestic Violence Awareness 101" outreach to colleges and universities throughout Utah. Planning annual October UDVC Family Violence Prevention Awards. Updating domestic violence press kits for all local media outlets. Collecting domestic violence related articles from across the state.
Mission Statement: The mission is to ensure that the membership of the 36 member Council meets grant requirements of representation of domestic violence shelters, represents the state geographically and represents the many disciplines that respond to domestic violence including legal services, health care providers, victim advocates, Division of Child and Family Services, courts, prosecutors, faith leaders, and treatment providers.
The UDVC Membership Committee works continuously through each year to enhance the Councils membership through diverse geographic and discipline related membership representation.
Mission Statement: The mission is to evaluate on a statewide basis how domestic violence is addressed on a local level; identify gaps in operations and programs and catalogue best practices for distribution. This includes resource development, coordinated community response development and research.
Recent Accomplishments: The UDVC Justice Committee was inactive until recently.
Current Projects: The Committee is compiling a best practices paper for law enforcement and the justice community. They are also looking into doing some law enforcement training.Mission Statement: The mission is to assist the faith leaders in the Utah community understand their role as a responder to domestic violence through education and training. This includes development of a brochure for distribution to faith leaders, and development of a training curriculum.
Recent Accomplishments: In 2003 the Interfaith Leaders Committee completed their brochure entitled; “Faith Leaders Working with Victims of Abusers of Domestic Violence”. The committee has also worked incredibly hard over the last year to broaden and diversify its membership.
Current Projects: The Interfaith Leaders Committee has been doing trainings around the state for faith leaders to educate them on domestic violence.Mission Statement: To educate health care providers in understanding the reporting law, the assessment and referral of abused patients, and, the importance of connecting with local law enforcement agencies.
Recent Accomplishments: Facilitated training sessions for medical personnel. Developed a training on domestic violence to be presented specifically to the medical community.
Current Projects: Currently the Health Care Committee is doing numerous trainings at various hospitals using the training developed by the committee.
Mission Statement: The mission is to be an advisory committee to the Council in the areas of children and domestic violence and child and family violence policy development at the state level and to be a liaison to the Division of Child and Family Services.
Current Projects: The Family Violence Committee has recently developed a "Children and DV" webpage, to be up shortly on the UDVC website. They are working on increased collaboration between shelters and agencies on children's issues.
Mission Statement: The UDVC Training Committee will work closely with the UDVC Training Coordinator, utilizing collaborative efforts with allied entities, to enhance Utah domestic violence training through: 1) the identification of ongoing needs, unmet needs and gaps; and 2) curriculum development and evaluation.
Recent Accomplishments: Creation of a 4 hour web-based training and 20 hours of Live Basic Training.
Current Projects: The Training Committee is working on standardizing the basic live training and has recently completed the Treatment portion of the training. Also working on a training for local coalitions.
Domestic Violence Related Deaths Committee
Organized in 2004, UDVC's Death Review Committee tracks, compiles, and publishes annual reports on all domestic violence and dating violence related deaths throughout Utah. Information on each case is gathered from public sources, which may include print and electronic media, as well as public information from law enforcement, prosecution offices, and/or Utah State Courts. Periodically, the Death Review Committee submits updated reports to UDVC's Executive Committee for approval. Reports are then presented for a vote of the full Utah Domestic Violence Council. From there, the Death Review Committee collaborates with UDVC's Public Relations Committee to release approved Domestic Violence Related Death reports to the media. Through media coverage and public education, UDVC hopes to prevent the senseless and unnecessary loss of lives.
Recent Accomplishments: The Death Review Committee tracks cases through legal disposition and continually updates annual reports when new information becomes public. All Annual Domestic Violence Death reports are published on this website, under UDVC Publications in the Resources section.