ENDING THE CYCLE OF ABUSE AND VIOLENCE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY REQUIRES A BOLD APPROACH

The West Contra Costa Family Justice Center (FJC) promises to be one of the most significant projects created for victims of abuse in this region in the past twenty years. The family justice center is the collaborative effort and co-location of multiple professionals who work together to provide expertly coordinated services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and exploitation, child abuse and human trafficking and their families. Identified as a best practice by the United States Department of Justice, outcomes achieved in the FJC model include: reduced homicides; increased victim safety; increased autonomy and empowerment for victims; reduced fear and anxiety for victims and their children; increased efficiency and coordination among service providers.

OUR COMMUNITY PAYS A HIGH PRICE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, CHILD ABUSE, ELDER ABUSE, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

There is a high incidence of violence and abuse in West Contra Costa County (WCCC); calls for assistance in WCCC are on average 1.5 times over the County average; Richmond, home to only 10% of Contra Costa, accounts for 20% of domestic violence related calls and 21% of forcible rapes.

Exposure to domestic violence has been linked to other forms of community violence.

Current research confirms exposure to trauma such as child abuse or domestic violence reshapes the brain and affects children's ability to learn and function in school, is associated with greater rates of antisocial behavior, substance abuse, mental illness, and adverse health outcomes in adulthood.

Criminal, civil and social service systems make it difficult for victims to seek help and unintentionally wear them down. Victims and their families often have to travel from location to location and tell their story over and over again often leading to frustration and ultimately stop seeking help.

THROUGH ONE DOOR…

The current situation in Contra Costa, while better coordinated than most communities, requires victims of interpersonal violence to travel to numerous places in order to access legal, judicial, counseling, advocacy and support resulting in fragmented delivery of services. The West Contra Costa FJC offers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, child abuse, human trafficking and their significant others a warm welcoming one stop center where they can access the full spectrum of services and systems to support their continued safety and healing.

The West Contra Costa Family Justice Center stands as a beacon of hope and healing for victims of interpersonal violence.

Through a centralized intake and assessment process, our expertly trained Navigators will connect victims to counseling and advocacy services; linkage to services for elders; assistance in DVRO applications, immigration and other civil issues; and police and prosecutors.  Many of these services will be available on-site immediately upon launch of the center. Over time, it is expected that additional services will be added, such as mental health services, education, health, linkages and support for employment as well as other economic assistance programs.

Beyond co-located services, the West Contra Costa FJC is a comprehensive service delivery system that understands unique and incredibly complex dynamics of family and interpersonal violence.  It is this thoughtful approach to working with victims that allows us to respond to the whole family and remain attentive to the needs of those most vulnerable, including children who may be direct or ancillary victims or both; all while developing and supporting safety strategies for all FJC clients.  In addition to age and developmentally appropriate services available on-site, the FJC has developed a robust network of off-site services including professionally supervised visitation, offender treatment programs and substance abuse and chemical dependency treatment services.

The West Contra Costa FJC will organize its services for victims of interpersonal violence in two primary ways: intervention services and ongoing support and healing services.

INTERVENTION SERVICES: Many victims first come to the FJC through the crisis intervention services of our core on-site partners including STAND! for Families Free of Violence (formerly STAND! Against Domestic Violence) and Community Violence Solutions, as well as our law enforcement partners.  Victims seeking intervention services are typically in an acute phase of the trauma and may have recently experienced a serious incident triggering the call to a crisis line or to local law enforcement.  During a victim’s first visit to the FJC, our expertly trained and culturally/ linguistically sensitive Navigators will meet with the victim(s) and his/her children to complete a comprehensive safety and needs assessment.  The Navigator will assist with guiding a victims’ access to additional services needed and develops a plan that addresses both their short and long-term needs.  The Navigator seeks to builds a rapport with the victim and his/her children based on trust and ensuring the highest levels of confidentiality.  By doing so, the Navigator serves as a single point of contact for the victim between the many on and off-site partners working with them, thereby acting as a central contact for client information, client referrals and client planning.

ONGOING SUPPORT AND HEALING: Research has consistently shown that the needs of victims go beyond crisis management with many victims having experienced years of systematic abuse, isolation, and violence that may take many months or years to heal.  The Navigators work with each client to develop a personalized plan that may include: civil legal assistance including assistance with long term custody, visitation, and protection orders that help provide a physical and financial safety net; specialized counseling and support groups; advocacy; and access to on-site criminal justice partners who can assist and support victims through prosecution.