CASA/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT
With generous support from the William B. Hoyt Memorial Children and Family Trust Fund of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services
 

Download Practice Guidelines to Support Effective CASA and Domestic Violence Partnerships (pdf)

The CASA/Domestic Violence Partnership Project was initiated in the fall of 2004 to improve CASA's ability to facilitate both primary and secondary prevention of child abuse and to expedite permanence of children in cases involving domestic violence. This Project will ultimately enhance the quality of our volunteer training, supervision, advocacy and collaboration in cases involving domestic violence.

The impact of domestic violence on children is a major concern. As a group, child witnesses to domestic violence tend to display higher rates of mental health and developmental problems than their peers (Schlechter and Edleson, 1994). Violence in the home may put children at increased physical risk (of being coincidentally injured). Domestic violence may correlate with a higher risk of child maltreatment (Edleson, 1995).

In 2006, our 823 CASA volunteers statewide advocated on behalf of 3,640 abused, neglected and at-risk children in Family Court proceedings in 34counties. In 1999, a study published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges estimated that in a significant number of cases (30-60%) there is co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment (Edelson and Schechter, 1999). It is estimated that at least one-third of CASA's cases involve domestic violence at some level.

CASA's experience with these cases mirrors other reports and research by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, the National Center for State Courts, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the Center for Court Innovation identifying major hurdles in effective case disposition. Domestic violence cases pose particular challenges in terms of supporting family strengths and promoting family stability, while balancing adult and child protective needs. Community and court responses to these cases can lack adequate assessment, appropriate service provision and coordination, and communication among all service providers, courts and advocates to ensure the protection of children and inform decisions that lead to permanency.

While CASA currently provides child advocacy in domestic violence cases, we found in our most recent program survey a large variance among CASA volunteers and their supervisors in terms of awareness of the issue of domestic violence and capacity to appropriately respond (CASANYS, 2003). It is also evident from the survey that volunteers would benefit from guidance and consultation from both their CASA program director and a local domestic violence resource for each specific case (CASANYS, 2003).

In the community response to these cases, there are sometimes competing priorities and perspectives between domestic violence advocates and child advocates. There needs to be better understanding and coordination of efforts to ensure child safety, promote child well-being, and protect the safety and rights of the adult victim/primary caregiver. Recognizing these challenges promotes Child Protective Services (CPS)/Domestic Violence collaboration at the county level to improve case practice.

NYS OCFS published a study in 2003 exploring the interface between child protection and domestic violence. The recommendations from this study include: local cross training; training for CPS workers on the dynamics and appropriate responses to domestic violence; formal collaboration that increased domestic violence expertise on-site to CPS; consideration of a formal domestic violence screening protocol on all CPS reports; guidelines for factors to consider in determining whether the domestic violence presents a child safety concern; training for CPS workers on interventions for batterers and for victims. (NYS OCFS 2003).

The New York State Office of Court Administration (NYS OCA) similarly identified communication gaps and dispositional hurdles in cases involving domestic violence (New York State Unified Court System, 2001). Prior experience with other “problem-solving courts”, such as treatment court and community court, demonstrated that there are better outcomes for all concerned including the court system itself when there is more focus, better coordination, and judicial expertise (Judges' Journal, 2000).

Essex County served as the pilot site for this partnership, based on the domestic violence identification and prevention expertise of that county's CASA Program Director and Board President; the strong domestic violence assistance linkages in place among area agencies; and the support of the county's Family Court Judge and Department of Social Services Commissioner.

Out of the work in Essex County and with input from a statewide advisory group, a CASA volunteer domestic violence training module was developed and will soon be available in 2006 for use throughout the network. A CASA Supervisor's Resource Guide for Domestic Violence is being developed and will include: training activities; model documents supporting collaboration between CASA, local domestic violence providers and courts; local resource listings; relevant professional literature, etc. Training will take place in 2006 to ensure that all local CASA staff and selected resource volunteers are ‘on the same page' and have current information on domestic violence, on the role of CASA in cases involving DV and on strategies to improve collaboration.

As the project is implemented in counties across New York in future years, it is anticipated that CASA may be viewed by judges as particularly well-suited for assignment to cases in Integrated Domestic Violence (IDV) courts which pull together the functions of multiple courts to improve the information available to judge, offer a more coherent approach to families and allow more thorough monitoring and follow-up. Where there is no IDV court, there are still gaps. While not a replacement for court reform, enhancing CASA's ability to facilitate better communication among the players may expedite and improve dispositions.