Brief History of the Network(aka DVAC, SADVAC)

1995 to 2013

Connie Monahan, MPHCurrent Network Steering Committee

MemberPast Co-Chair of DVAC

Active Network member since inception

Injury Prevention Successes DWI, adult seat belts, child car seats, flammable sleepwear, helmet

laws, pedestrian safety, falls among elderly, poison safety, etc… Strategies that were effective for Unintentional Injuries – would

they work for Intentional or Violence-Related Injuries? Former Surgeon General C Everett Koop (1991) focus: “identifying

violence as a public health issue…”

Violence Against Women Act (1994)

Systems Change/Multi-Disciplinary Teams for Public Health issues: getting different disciplines to share, cross-train, and problem solve based on how the victim moves through the multiple systems.

NM: DV Special commissioners, DV Tsar, IPV Death Review Team…

The early years… 1995

Victor LaCerva, MD Tom Rutledge, JD DOH staff: Barak Wolff, Tress Schnell, Sandra Cashman, Frieda

Brady UNM Center for Injury Prevention: Cameron Crandall, Lenora Olson DV Special Commissioners: Debra Seeley, Stan Whitaker, Nan

Nash Governor’s DV Tsar: Sandra Gardner and later, Sharon Pino CVRC: Sheila Allen, VAWA Grant Manager Other State agencies: CYFD, AGO, DPS… Women’s Agenda: Susan Loubet Leaders with Native DV: Peggy Bird, Eleana Giacci, Gwen Packard Rural Domestic Violence Programs/Shelters, rural/state Law

Enforcement Agencies, Service Providers, DA Victim Advocates

People who helped start…

DOH received small grants (CDC, OVW, STIPDA) to support DV cross-training, meetings, community development, Women’s Summit…

Discussion items – licensure of providers, standardizing services, jurisdiction of restraining orders, dedicated DV police units…

Activities Tri-fold brochure (low tech!) Letters Action items – where individual acted with “support” from DVAC Meetings with candidates from opposing sides…

Rural programs came, learned, and went back to their communities to replicate efforts specific to their region

Initial Activities/Spillovers

Products

Volunteer two co-chairs with a two year term Group met last Wednesday of the month, first every

month and later every other month – talk of quarterly meetings

Switched meetings between Albuquerque and Santa Fe

Tried regional meetings Tried to attach a specific Alb/Bernalillo County DV

meeting after the statewide DVAC/Network Tried to include violence against children Tried to focus on violence against Native women

DVAC Initial format

Started as Domestic Violence Advisory Council – DVAC

Included sexual assault – SADVAC Included stalking – and the acronym got

convoluted!

Became THE NETWORK in 2003

Name….

The NETWORK works to end domestic and sexual violence in New Mexico. The NETWORK is an inclusive collaborative of multidisciplinary, multicultural domestic violence and sexual assault program providers and organizations dedicated to strengthening policies, protocols and services to reduce the incidence of sexual assault and domestic violence in state and tribal communities. This mission will be accomplished through information and resource sharing; cross-training; identifying gaps, critical needs and/or duplications of services; fostering new partnerships; and collaborating on and supporting legislative efforts.

Mission Statement

Deb Hall (2003-2011) Anne Lightsey (2012 – current)

Idea was to have outside facilitator to allow for healthy discussion with diverse opinions among members

Steering Committee – volunteer team of 6 to 10 members with two year terms, with representation from both DV and SA Responsibilities/application on website

Funds from NMCSAP and NMCADV for facilitator & food In-kind support from DOH

Facilitator/Steering Committee

Meeting the objectives of the Mission Statement Participation at the meetings – both numbers and

diversity Dialogue at the meetings – including

disagreement/discord List the topics covered by panel presentation as a

indirect measure of shared information and new learning

Development of our website: www.thenetwork-dvsa.org

People don’t sleep during the meeting and food gets eaten…

How do we measure success?

Desire to DO something instead of JUST learning/talking

With inconsistent participation/attendance, we often have to start at square 1 again and again

Losing the diversity of attendance CEU’s for counselors/social workers is good but…

Reluctance to get involved/take a position when legislation is issue

Need the safety to allow diverse opinion

Technology – website, list serve, conference call, minutes The more public our outreach, the more sanitized the content…

Frustrations/Learning Curves

Do others remember differently or have something else to add?

Where do we go from here – If we know where we’ve come from, would we

DO things differently now? Time and money is involved and with limited

resources and work overload – is the Network worthwhile?

Wrapping Up