and American Legion Post 315

are co-hosting

New Approaches for Addressing Domestic Violence in the Veteran Community

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

9:00AM – 4:30PM

The Veteran/Domestic Violence In-Service, hosted by Swords to Plowshares and American Legion Post 315, is an opportunity to bring domestic violence, criminal justice, and veteran communities together to share resources and address the issues of domestic violence within the military and veteran community.

Participants will learn 1) how to identify risk factors for violence amongst military and veterans; 2) military/veteran and survivor culture; 3) resources and services to prevent and mitigate domestic violence.

Presenters will highlight obstacles and share best practices in order to increase the effectiveness of agencies responding to the needs of survivors and perpetrators.

CEUs are available for LMFTs, LCSWs and LPCCs.

9:00AM – 10:00AM 

Swords to Plowshares: www.swords-to-plowshares.org. Based on components of their Combat to Community training for law enforcement, clinicians, and other first responders, Swords will provide an overview of military/veteran culture, risk and protective factors for violence, as well as the intersection of violence with service-related mental and cognitive health issues such as post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

10:15AM – 11:45AM

La Casa de Las Madres: www.lacasadelasmadres.org. Based on La Casa's trainings for veteran service providers at the VA, the curriculum focuses on understanding the basic dynamics of domestic violence, appropriate screening, and how to safely and appropriately engage with victims of domestic violence.

Lunch - 11:45AM - 12:30PM (Box lunch provided at a minimal cost)

12:30PM – 2:00PM

VA, Veteran Justice Outreach Program/Veteran Treatment Courts: http://www.va.gov/homeless/vjo.asp. This training will provide information on services for justice-involved veterans and veteran treatment courts. The Department of Veteran Affairs’ VJO program helps justice-involved veterans suffering from PTS or other mental health issues be routed to treatment diversion programs and reentry services. They work with public defenders, providers, community and veterans organizations and the courts. The veteran treatment court partners with the VJO Program and other community organizations to focus on the special circumstances impacting the lives of veterans facing criminal charges, and routes eligible veterans to treatment programs in lieu of conviction and incarceration.

  2:15PM – 3:15PM

Bay Area Legal Aid: http://www.baylegal.org. This training will cover the legal options for domestic violence survivors, including civil restraining orders, other family law (divorce, support, custody/visitation), housing protections, public benefits eligibility for abused immigrants, and the criminal justice system.

 3:30PM – 4:30PM

 manalive/womanalive: http://manaliveinternational.org. This training will cover hands-on violence intervention strategies through a peer-led, treatment intervention perspective. The training will focus on sensible and effective strategies and skills to stop violence, as well as discuss peer-led treatment strategies for survivors of domestic violence.