David Mandel and Associates

Recent blog postings from the Safe and Together Blog

One Dimensional View of Perpetrators can Harm Survivors:

It's difficult not to demonize domestic violence perpetrators. If you listen to domestic violence survivors describe their abuse, see their injuries, read police reports of violence and abuse, or even read news reports of extreme abuse, it's very human to be horrified. It's also very human to feel anger, even hatred, towards the perpetrator. (Read more here)

Stories from the 2010 Florida Dependency Court Summit:

I attended the 2010 Florida Dependency Summit and, along with David Mandel and Bridget Reilly, met with various leadership staff from DCF and other agencies that have been trained in the Safe and Together model. There were excellent stories from these sites about their implementation, the changes in practice and case outcomes.

Florida DCF removes takes steps to stop "failure to protect" allegations against domestic violence survivors: The Orlando (FL) Sentinel recently published an article entitled "DCF officials changing the way they assess 'failure to protect' cases: Advocates for battered women praise new direction child welfare agency is taking."The article, which highlighted a recent serious assault by a father against the mother of his children, focused on the changes the Florida Department of Children and Families is making to its response to domestic violence. (Read more here)

Adult Probation has Important Role in Child Welfare:

Dr. Katreena Scott (recently returned from supporting the implementation of her Caring Dads curriculum in the UK) shared with me a comprehensive UK statutory guide on inter-agency child welfare collaboration. Browsing the document I was struck by this item: "Probation services supervise offenders with the aim of reducing re-offending and protecting the public. (Read more here)

Creativity Aids in the Application of the Safe & Together Model:

In order to maintain the safety and well-being of children with limited resources and following policies and statutes which weren't necessarily developed with domestic violence cases in mind, child welfare workers need to be creative or think outside the box. This skill can assist child welfare workers in their application of the Safe and Together model. Workers committed to intervening with perpetrators and partnering with survivors can develop innovative strategies to achieve child safety. In recent months, I've seen this creativity in action in several states currently using the Safe and Together model. (Read more here).

The Language of Child Safety:

Professionals who work in the domestic violence and child welfare fields use language that others outside these fields may find unusual. Terms such as fatality, safety planning, immanency, order of protection, and many others are common in our conversations but are not always common for others outside our professions. Although professionals in both fields use the same terms, the words may have slightly different meanings whether you're working in child welfare or if you're working in the domestic violence field. (Read more here)

10 Item Checklist about the Intersection of Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues:

Domestic violence frequently co-occurs with mental health and substance abuse issues. A batterer may be diagnosed correctly or inappropriately with mental health issues. A domestic violence survivor may also have a substance abuse problem. A child who has been exposed to batterer's behaviors may have mental or behavioral health issues. Frequently our response to these issues are "siloed," meaning we prioritize one over the other or even completely ignore one issue to focus on another. (Read more here)

News Items

CT Appellate Court cites Safe and Together model in sustaining termination of parental rights of domestic violence perpetrator

In sustaining a lower court's decision to terminate the rights of a father who had battered his partner, the Connecticut Appellate Court heavily cited a consultation note provided by Bridget Reilly, MA to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. The consultation, which was part of a probate study by DCF and used the Safe and Together model, outlined the domestic violence perpetrator's pattern of behavior and the survivor's strengths. As result of the lower and Appellate Court rulings, the mother was granted exclusive custody of the child when the father's parental rights were terminated in probate court. To read about Bridget's work and this important case decision, click here.

David Mandel & Associates, LLC hires Special Projects Director, Bridget Reilly, MA

In April, 2010, Bridget signed on as Special Projects Director and will be training nationally and working on projects throughout Connecticut. Throughout her career, Bridget has worked to end violence against women and children in various positions with a specific interest in the use of innovative interventions for families. Prior to becoming Special Projects Director Bridget was working for DMA as a domestic violence consultant to the Meriden and Middletown, CT offices of the Department of Children and Families. In addition, she's been doing national training since 2008 in the Safe and Together model. Before working with DMA and in the child welfare system, Bridget worked in the domestic violence and sexual assault fields, including as a Victim Advocate with the Chief State's Attorney's Office and as an advocate with the Statewide (CT) Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment Teams. To learn more about Bridget, click here.

David Mandel & Associates extends its work to address responsible fatherhood

In August, 2010, DMA launched its Responsible Fatherhood Initiative with the hiring of Mark Larson as its Responsible Fatherhood Initiative Director. The Responsible Fatherhood Initiative (RFI) will focus on training, consultation and technical assistance related to domestic violence perpetrators as fathers and the overall response of systems to fathers in families. The Initiative is designed to (1) help batterer intervention programs improve their capacity to intervene with batterers as fathers, (2) help fatherhood programs work with batterers and (3) aid others, including child welfare, supervised visitation centers and home visiting programs, in building capacity related to assessing and working with fathers. The RFI extends and formalizes the existing DMA strengths in the area of domestic violence, fatherhood and systems change to offer more comprehensive consultation and technical assistance to support the development of fatherhood policies, practices and programming that balance safety and connection.

The RFI Director, Mark Larson, has a longstanding commitment to ending violence against women by working with male perpetrators. As a batterer intervention provider, trainer, consultant to systems and co-author of statewide (VT) standards for batterer accountability, Mark brings a varied and strong background to this position. He has experience developing programming for fathers and young men, and has been leading national Safe and Together trainings. To learn more about Mark, click here.

DMA collaborates with domestic violence advocates as part of Safe and Together model

In the last several months, DMA has worked closely with domestic violence advocates from both the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. FCADV contracted with DMA to provide training to advocates and child protection workers alike in support of advocates' work in the child welfare system. FCADV staff have partnered with DMA staff in providing presentations on how the Safe and Together model benefits advocates and domestic violence survivors alike. In Ohio, ODVN provided extensive technical assistance and support for the Safe and Together alternative response training in four Ohio counties and is currently exploring models for on-going collaboration to sustain the wider implementation of the Safe and Together model in Ohio.

Partnership between DMA and the Florida Department of Children and Families correlated with sharp reduction in removals and judicial actions in domestic violence cases

Recent data out of Jacksonville, FL has shown an estimated 50% decrease in removals of children from homes with domestic violence over the last 2 years. This decrease in removals and an even larger decrease in judicial actions have occurred within the context of the agency's larger foster care redesign efforts. These efforts have focused on keeping more children safely in their homes. In Jacksonville, where domestic violence has been the most commonly reported maltreatment, the regional administration decided to address the danger domestic violence perpetrator's present to families by introducing Subject Matter Experts trained in the Safe and Together model into each investigation unit and some on-going service units. For more information on this data and the work being done throughout Florida, click here.

Building on the Jacksonville Subject Matter Expert model, multiple circuits have been receiving similar intensive training. While it's still too early to determine if other circuits will be able to replicate Jacksonville's results, anecdotal feedback has been very positive. Regularly child protection workers state that the Safe and Together trainings are helping them better identify and better serve the needs of children exposed to domestic violence. Domestic violence advocates state that the Safe and Together trainings have improved the collaboration between DCF and advocates to support the needs of domestic violence victims. In one specific case, a child protective investigator stated that she believed the training helped her work with a family in grave danger; this worker credited her training in the Safe and Together model with helping her partner with the domestic violence survivor to keep the children and the mother alive.

DMA completes intensive domestic violence training for Alternative Response teams in 4 counties in Ohio

DMA recently completed over 30 day long on site trainings with Alternative Response workers and their community partners in four Ohio counties. The trainings were designed to increase the ability of Alternative Response teams to address domestic violence and consult to the child welfare colleagues about domestic violence in their caseloads. The trainings involved a major commitment of time and resources from various partners and were part of a project by the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy at Capital University Law School in Columbus Ohio. The feedback from the trainings was extremely positive. Numerous training participants identified ways in which the training has helped them engage survivors differently and to begin engaging perpetrators of domestic violence. Many participants also stated that the training led to practice and policy changes, including changes in group supervision practice and as well as changes in forms and policies to conform to the Safe and Together principles. One noteworthy outcome was the creation of a specialized domestic violence assessment unit that is applying the Safe and Together model to the assessment of domestic violence cases as well as consulting on other units' cases in order to improve outcomes for families.

All Louisiana child welfare supervisors receive Safe and Together training

DMA provided training to child welfare supervisors all across the state of Louisiana. This training provided information on the Safe and Together model as well as skills related to domestic violence case supervision. The Safe and Together training was part of an advanced program in clinical supervisory practice developed by Lorrie Lutz and Marsha Salus. For more information about Marhsa's work with Louisiana's Department of Children and Families Services click here.

Bridget Reilly from DMA and Angie Osterhoudt from the Florida Coalition against Domestic Violence present together at the Florida Dependency Summit

In August 2010, Bridget and Angie presented at the Florida Dependency Court Summit in Orlando Florida on how on Safe and Together model has facilitated better communication between domestic violence advocates and child protection workers.

Current and Upcoming Projects

Kansas City, MO Children’s Division to receive intensive training in Safe and Together model

Following up on initial Safe and Together trainings for Children’s Division staff and domestic violence advocates in Jackson County MO, DMA will be providing intensive training for the Children’s Division and their community partners in the Safe and Together model.

DMA continues work with Florida Department of Children and Families

In upcoming months, DMA will provide training to child protection staff and their community partners in Pensacola, Orlando and Jacksonville. This training will continue work done by each community to integrate the Safe and Together model into their day to day case practice.

DMA continues work with the Florida Coalition against Domestic Violence (FCADV)

After completing an extensive training and technical assistance project through FCADV, the Migrant Farmworker Child Welfare and Domestic Violence Initiative: A Linguistically and Culturally Specific Project, FCADV has contracted with DMA again to provide more training to advocates and child protection workers. This project will commence in November, 2010.

2010, DMA LLC. Permission to reprint with the following information "Originally published in Safe & Together Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2010, David Mandel & Associates, LLC, www.endingviolence.com."