Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

MNADV Named National Technical Assistance Provider Program!

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded the Maryland Network Against

Domestic Violence (MNADV) funding under the OVW Technical Assistance Program to provide

training and technical assistance to aid communities across the country in promoting or

enhancing strategies to address homicide prevention and reduce violence against women

through the National Lethality Assessment Program—Maryland Model (LAP) Training and

Technical Assistance Project.

Under this Program, the MNADV can provide cost-free train-the-trainer instruction and technical

assistance to community-based domestic violence victim services programs and their partnering

law enforcement agencies to implement the Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Program

(LAP) in their jurisdictions.

Download application:
Application for Training and Technical Assistance to Implement the Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Program-Maryland Model (LAP).

Please note: Because only up to 20 jurisdictions can receive cost-free LAP training and technical assistance over a 24-month period under this OVW Technical Assistance Award, there will be a competitive selection process based on the content of the applications received.

This project is supported by Grant No. 2011-TA-AX-K111 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

NEWS FLASH!!!

MNADV Wins Celebrating Solutions Award

Lethality Assessment Program-Maryland Model Recognized by the Mary Byron Project

Download press release in Word

About the LAP

The Lethality Assessment Program-Maryland Model is protected by copyright and use of the materials without the express prior written consent of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence is strictly prohibited and subject to all applicable laws regarding copyrights.

What is it?
The Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence developed the Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Program -- Maryland Model (LAP). The LAP is a multi-pronged intervention program that identifies victims of domestic violence who are at risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners and immediately connects them to the domestic violence service provider in their area. Certain conditions and collaborations are a MUST in order for the LAP to be implemented successfully by professionals specially trained in the LAP.

How does it work?
The process involves a simple, user-friendly 11-question lethality screening tool and an accompanying response and referral protocol. The LAP can be used by law enforcement officers and other first responders as well as by professionals in many disciplines. If a victim screens in at “high danger,” the screener immediately makes a phone call to the local 24-hour domestic violence hotline to seek guidance and encourages the victim to speak with the hotline worker as well.

Hotline workers trained in the LAP use special guidelines to communicate with and engage victims who have not come to terms with the seriousness of their situation to avail themselves of program services. Victims identified at high risk through the LAP, but who have chosen not to seek program services, often receive follow-up visits or telephone calls of encouragement. The LAP, with its unique approach, was recognized by Harvard University’s Ash Institute as one of the “Top 50” Innovations in American Government programs in 2008.

Why use it?
The MNADV established a statewide Lethality Assessment Committee in Fall 2003 to address research that has shown there is a 60% reduction in risk of severe assault when victims utilize the services of a domestic violence advocacy program and abused women who used community-based domestic violence services are almost never the victim of murder or attempted murder. Yet, despite these good outcomes, only 4% of victims of actual or attempted intimate partner violence utilize the services of community-based domestic violence programs. The LAP was developed as a response to this research.

What are the results?
It improves victim safety! In Maryland, the incidence of domestic homicides has declined by an average of 41% over the past three years. We believe this is a direct result of using the LAP. The program also serves to educate victims and screeners, empowers victims to take positive actions for themselves and their children, and provides safety planning, information, and resources. It has substantially improved the collaboration and services provided by law enforcement officers and other first responders, domestic violence programs, and professionals in the community.

Status of the LAP

Maryland

Law Enforcement: 106 law enforcement agencies are in various stages of implementation, with 9 remaining to be recruited. Sheriffs' offices in Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, and Montgomery counties screen petitioners who were granted temporary protective orders.

Health Care: Atlantic General and Frederick Memorial Hospitals implemented the LAP in the first quarter of 2010.

Social Services: The Harford County Department of Social Services implemented the LAP during Spring of 2010.

Faith Community: The faith community in Montgomery County has been trained and is preparing for LAP implementation as of November 2010.

Coordinated Community Response: Allegany County agencies and organizations have been trained and are preparing to implement a united, coordinated county LAP response. Agencies in Carroll County are planning for implementation of a coordinated county response by 2011.

USA

cement agencies and 9 partner programs in 9 counties, representing 6 states (NH, GA, IN, MO, OR, FL), have implemented the LAP.AUSA● 28 law enforcement agencies and 9 partner programs in 9 counties, representing 6 states (NH, GA, IN, MO, OR, FL), have implemented the LAP.● 28 law enforcement agencies and 9 partner programs in 9 counties, representing 6 states (NH, GA, IN, MO, OR, FL), have implemented the LAP.

● The LAP has been implemented in jurisdictions in the following states:

Arizona

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Indiana

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Nevada

New Hampshire

Oklahoma

Oregon

Vermont

More Information About the LAP

NEW!!! Click here to view and print our newest LAP brochure.

Click here to view the "Lethality Assessment Program for First Responders" Information Packet to learn more about this successful program that's receiving national attention.

"Reading the Signs" Newsletter

Participants' Training Bulletin

Training bulletins are issued to assist LAP practitioners. If you would like to obtain any of the bulletins, please contact the MNADV at info@mnadv.org.

MNADV LAP Training Services

Fee-based LAP Training: What We Will Do for You

Trainers: David Sargent served more than 21 years with the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, D.C, from 1970 to 1991. As a trainer, since 1992, he has coordinated and taught domestic violence courses for law enforcement officers in D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland; and personally trained and overseen the training of more than 10,000 law enforcement officers.

Working with the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV), Mr. Sargent is the lead trainer for all Maryland-based trainings as well as for out-of-state jurisdictions that request LAP training. The MNADV will send two trainers to your jurisdiction. One will be Mr. Sargent, the law enforcement/other discipline trainer; the other will be a domestic violence advocate trainer. Both trainers have years of experience with the LAP and have previously conducted LAP training. You will receive their bios as part of our arrangements.

Objectives: When we go to your jurisdiction we are seeking to accomplish two objectives:

To ensure that policymakers and staff members who will be responsible for administering the LAP with your participating agencies are fully informed about the Program; and

To provide a train-the-trainer session for all participating law enforcement agencies/other disciplines and for all participating domestic violence programs.

Information and Training Sessions
We meet first with policymakers and LAP administrators in a two-hour information session. Then, we conduct a five-hour train-the-trainer session, divided into law enforcement/other disciplines and advocate components, for which we ask all trainees to attend the components of the other. We usually prefer to conduct the two assemblies over two days simply because one day makes for a tight schedule. However, we fully realize that one day would save you money and we are open to conducting both assemblies in one day.

Documentation: We will provide you with the following electronic documentation:

Information Packet

Protocol

Protocol Card (3x5)

Lethality Screen

In-service training Lesson Plan for both law enforcement/other disciplines and advocates

PowerPoint Slides accompanying both sets of lesson plans

Guidelines for Communication between (1) officer/other disciplines and hotline worker and (2) hotline worker and victim

Video Study Guide

Implementation Instructions for both law enforcement/other disciplines and domestic violence programs

Sample General Order for law enforcement, if applicable

We will also provide you with a training DVD primarily for law enforcement use, but adaptable to all audiences, and informational for domestic violence programs.

Fee-based LAP Training: What We Need From You

Commitments
We ask your jurisdiction to have the following in place when we arrive for training or by the time you implement the LAP, as applicable:

A 24/7 hotline operation available for screeners to call;

A full-service domestic violence provider service, including shelter, at your disposal;

An agreement by all participating agencies to use the Lethality Screen for First Responders;

An agreement by participating agencies to utilize the LAP phone protocol from the scene of a domestic call for service or from the screener's location;

An agreement by participating agencies to encourage High Danger victims to speak on the phone to the hotline worker from the scene of a domestic call for service or the screener's location, per the LAP protocol;

An agreement by participating domestic violence service providers to use the “Guidelines for Communication,” per the LAP protocol;

An agreement by both participating law enforcement agencies/other disciplines and domestic violence service providers to seek to execute the main objectives of the LAP protocol: (1) to encourage High Danger victims to get on the phone with the hotline workers and (2) to encourage the victim to go into domestic violence services;

An agreement for selected policymakers and LAP administrators of both participating law enforcement agencies/other disciplines and domestic violence service providers to attend the two-hour information session; and

An agreement for selected trainers of both participating law enforcement agencies/other disciplines and domestic violence service providers to attend the entire five-hour train-the-trainer session.

Considerations: We ask your jurisdiction to consider adoption of the following practices:

For domestic violence service providers to become certified in the administration of the Danger Assessment (see www.dangerassessment.org), and to maintain data on such assessments, per the implementation instructions. (There is a fee involved and the MNADV refers you to Dr. Jacquelyn C. Campbell, creator of the Danger Assessment, to discuss the certification and fee arrangement.);

Appointment of an LAP Coordinator to monitor the performance of agencies and providers, to recruit new participants, to train or oversee training of new participants, to collect LAP data and to report same to LAP participants, and to maintain open lines of communication with all participants;

For participating agencies and providers to gather and report data, as outlined in the implementation instructions, to the LAP Coordinator;

For domestic violence service providers to establish standards for screening victims who self-initiate calls to the hotline and to maintain data on such calls, per the implementation instructions; and

For domestic violence service providers or other victim advocates to follow-up with High Danger victims by telephone or advocate/officer team unannounced home visits for the purpose of checking on their well-being and encouraging them to go into services.

For more information about the Lethality Assessment Program -- Maryland Model training and fee structure, please email us info@mnadv.org.

Hit Counter