UDVC Committees and Workgroups
Currently, the UDVC has four (4) working committees, with eight (8) workgroups.
Each UDVC voting council member is required to participate on at least one committee or workgroup, although most members go above and beyond that requirement, serving on several. The committees work with professional organizations throughout the community the state. Each committee’s goals and accomplishments, while following in the path of its 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 or workgroup.
Shelter Director’s Workgroup
To serve as an information exchange, provides support, promote safety, education, training and coordination of services for Utah domestic violence shelter.
Current Projects: Development of a Best Practices Manual.
Treatment Provider Workgroup
Mission Statement: The mission is to define and promote best practices for all three areas of treatment: offender, victim/survivor, and children while promoting offender 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: 2010 Regional Training in Logan, UT and collaboration with the Diversity and Shelter workgroups on the Annual Domestic Violence Conference.
Current Projects: 2011 Regional Training scheduled for Cedar City.
Diversity Workgroup
Mission Statement: The mission is to encourage understanding and equality through exploring diversity, promoting education and collaborating with community members.
The workgroup’s goals are to:
- Define and identify diversity and underserved populations in Utah,
- Create a Diversity Guidelines publication to insert in the UDVC Public Education Media Packet,
- Identify barriers of underserved communities needing to reach out for domestic violence resources in order to provide them with domestic violence prevention education,
- Community networking by providing volunteers at community booths and conferences.
- Identify and nominate an individual, organization or advocate working with diverse populations to receive a Family Violence Prevention Award for advocate at UDVC’s annual FVP Awards in October.
Recent Accomplishments & Current Projects: The Diversity workgroup created a Meeting Protocol Guideline Card for meetings, and determined it was important to develop a Diversity Guideline publication for media, domestic violence service providers and resources to begin dialogues by using correct terminology when addressing underserved populations. It will serve as a glossary for using politically correct terms to describe individual diverse populations.
A questionnaire was developed in an appeal for diverse organizations to provide us with their best suited terminology. A letter has been developed to accompany the survey/ questionnaire. In addition, we asked them to provide myths regarding their communities, and ask them if they would like to receive domestic violence education. Individual members are assigned to follow up with a personal phone call to individual groups.
The workgroup’s plan is to maintain the Diversity Guidelines as a “living document” by continuing to identify diverse communities and update it as more populations are identified.
Collaboration is imperative and members feel that membership is offered to all who want to carry out the D-WG’s and UDVC’s mission and vision. The workgroup will provide an introductory packet to all members as they join. It will include a welcome letter, all UDVC materials, mission statement, strategic plan, organizational chart and brochures to educate them regarding the “council’s” work.
Members are encouraged to work and collaborate with all UDVC committees and workgroups and to share ideas to be implemented within the group.
Mission Statement: To seek justice for victims of domestic violence through review and/or draft of proposed legislation, and by educating legislators on how to decrease the violence, keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable.
Recent Accomplishments: During the 2011 Legislative Session the Committee’s Legislative Workgroup worked to review bills, encourage 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). Hosted a Legislative Break with UCASA and provided educational materials; hosted Domestic Violence Shelter Directors at Legislative Day; co-sponsored Clothesline Project at Legislature.
Current Projects: The Government Affairs Committee works through the Interim Study, following potential bills that could affect the DV response system. The Committee publishes a legislative information alert weekly during the general legislative session.
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: Planned the annual October UDVC Family Violence Prevention Awards luncheon with Chris Jones, KUTV 2News Reporter and Anchor as guest speaker. Collaborated with the Domestic Violence Related Deaths Committee to announce the release of the 2010 Domestic Violence Related Deaths report through a press release and media awareness event, generating radio, television, and print coverage. Produced and disseminated 2 PSA's to radio stations throughout Utah.
Current Projects: Developing communication plan. 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 for the DV Related Deaths mid-year and 2011 report. Planning a print media campaign for newspapers throughout Utah similar to the PSA's for radio.
DV Related Deaths Workgroup
The purpose of this workgroup is to compile the annual Domestic Violence Related Deaths Report. According to the report, “The Utah Domestic Violence council compiles and continually updates information on domestic violence related deaths. Information contained in this report was gathered from public sources – largely from newspapers and the electronic media. Once cases have resulted in official governmental action, the committee may refer to publicly available information from law enforcement, prosecution offices, and/or the Utah State Courts.”
Professional Education Committee
Mission Statement: Provide statewide, quality, professional training to improve Utah’s response to the needs of those impacted by domestic violence.
Interfaith Leaders Workgroup
Mission Statement: To assist the faith leaders in the Utah community understand their role as a responder to domestic violence through education and training.
Goals:
- Boost Workgroup membership
- Review and update current materials
- Continue to provide training to Faith Leaders statewide
Healthcare Workgroup
Mission Statement: To educate health care providers on domestic violence and it's impact on patient health by providing the tools for assessment, referral and reporting.
Recent Accomplishments: Facilitated training sessions to more than 1300 medial professional and students. Released the Emergency Department staff Survey on Intimate Partner Violence 2009 report.
Current Projects: Updated and releasing the 2012 Clinical Guidelines for the Assessment and Referral for Victims of Domestic Violence, A reference for Utah Health Care Providers training manual. Conducting a Domestic Violence Survey for Health Care Providers (n=250).
ICDV Workgroup
Mission Statement: Coordinate and collaborate with allied agencies to focus on educating professionals in addressing the impact of domestic violence on children.
Goals:
- Create and distribute educational materials.
- Advocate for the education of professionals regarding domestic violence and children.
- Provide support and education to the UDVC members and committees regarding current facts, statistics and other training information.
- Provide a voice to children experiencing domestic violence.
Current Projects:
- Update the UDVC Children and DV Brochure:
- Create a developmental chart re: effects of DV on children’s development
- Review related material on the UDVC website
- Review and update related material in the UDVC Live Basic Training Curriculum