Since 2017, the Family Justice Center (FJC) and Community Services for Every1 (CSE1) have proudly partnered on HOPE of Western New York, or “Helping Others through Protection and Empowerment”. As the two agencies celebrate five years of success, we take a moment this Domestic Violence Awareness Month to reflect on our success and look towards future growth.
With federal grant funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, HOPE of WNY was created to implement key practices and initiatives to address the intersections of domestic violence and disability. In this program, each agency brings their knowledge and expertise to the table, to provide support and safety suitable for people with disabilities who are experiencing relationship abuse.
“The HOPE of WNY has successfully accomplished a great deal in its first few years of existence,” said Assistant Director of Victim Services for Community Services, and Project Director of HOPE of WNY, Tiffany Pavone. “Both agencies involved in the Collaboration participated in a lengthy strategic planning process that included a needs assessment, extensive review of all policies and procedures for accessibility, and a full safety and access review that identified barriers to services and created a plan to remove them. Additionally, the Collaboration has created a Screening, Assessing & Planning Guide for domestic violence providers to help them identify survivors with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and provide services that include addressing safety factors or concerns specific to individuals with disabilities.”
The Guide referenced by Pavone includes an Accessibility Guide for Dr. Jaqueline Campbell’s Danger Assessment: a scientifically based instrument that can help determine the level of danger a domestic violence survivor is facing. The Collaboration worked with Dr. Campbell directly to ensure the vital assessment is administered in an accessible manner.
The HOPE of WNY program has also created three separate training curriculums to help educate and inform the community on the intersection of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) and domestic violence. These trainings are deployed regularly throughout the Western New York Community.
Additionally, this partnership has developed new outreach materials, such as brochures, public service announcements, and graphics to better support and reach survivors with disabilities.
“The HOPE of WNY program has been a wonderful tool in our toolbox,” said FJC Operations Manager, Ava Thomas. “Knowing that we have specialized resources for clients with disabilities has been a game changer. We’ve collaborated with CSE1 on everything from physical needs like wheelchair lifts and Braille stamps; to revised brochures and visual aids.”
“The accomplishments of the HOPE of WNY collaboration can be attributed to the strong and cooperative relationship between Community Services for Every1 and the Family Justice Center,” said Pavone. “Both agencies are committed to providing authentically inclusive services and ensuring that anyone who walks through our doors or calls our agencies has the same access to our services. It is our cooperative relationship and openness to change that has allowed us to accomplish as much as we have in such a relatively brief period of time.”
As the partnership enters a new grant term, the two agencies will build new goals and strategies to bring HOPE of WNY to a new level of operating excellence.
“With a solid foundation built over the past five years, we look forward to continuing this work and providing help to those who need us.” Thomas finished.
For more information on Community Services for Every1, visit www.csevery1.com; and to learn more about the Family Justice Center, visit www.fjcsafe.org.