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Showing posts with label Non-profits Family Children’s Services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non-profits Family Children’s Services. Show all posts

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Westminster Police receives “2009 Lethality Assessment Award”

Westminster Police recognized for combating Domestic Violence

October 30, 2009 by Kevin Dayhoff for the Carroll Eagle

Posted November 5, 2009

Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/nub9t

Recently the Westminster Police Department received a statewide recognition from the Maryland Networks Against Domestic Violence.

The “2009 Lethality Assessment Award” was presented to Chief Jeff Spaulding and Lieutenant Misty Budzinski on October 23 at a ceremony in which Governor Martin O’Malley and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown also participated.

The award recognizes the work of “individuals and organizations from around the State who excelled in their contributions to the safety and well-being of victims of domestic violence across the State,” according to information provided by the Westminster Police Department.

The web site for the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV) says the advocacy organization “has been working since 1980 to eliminate domestic violence in Maryland through education, training, and advocacy.

“As Maryland's state coalition, the Network works together with local domestic violence programs as well as criminal justice and law enforcement personnel, legal advocates, health care and social service providers, clergy, educators, businesses, community groups, and concerned individuals to promote a coordinated community response to end domestic violence.”

The Westminster Police Department “was selected for the award because they successfully screened 93% of the domestic violence victims that they encountered during the previous year – 56% of these victims subsequently participating in follow-up services with local domestic violence counselors provided through a partnership with Family and Children Services of Central Maryland,” according to information from a media release from the department.

“The Department’s success rates were the highest in the State for the past year. This was the third year for the Lethality Assessment Award Program in Maryland. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Anne Arundel County Police Department were the two previous recipients of the award.”

Maria L. Oesterreicher, the senior assistant state's attorney and domestic violence unit Supervisor for the Carroll County State's Attorney's Office noted that Carroll County “also unanimously won a quarterly award this year that was voted on by the Lethality Advisory Board for having the highest percentage of high-risk clients coming in for services, 56%, with the next closest County being Montgomery with 34%.

“Basically that means that 56% of all victims who completed a Lethality Assessment at the scene of a domestic violence call in Carroll County followed up by seeking services from Family & Children’s Services,” said Oesterreicher.

In a recent interview with Spaulding he noted that in addition to the Westminster department’s care and concern for the welfare of victims of domestic violence; calls for such incidences are a major cause of harm for the responding officers as well as members of the family involved.

Anything that we can reduce those calls is a good thing for everyone involved, said Spaulding.

“Lethality assessment is a quick and accurate way for police officers and domestic violence counselors to determine with a high degree of accuracy the potential for future serious violence or death in a relationship,” Spaulding explained.

“Officers handling domestic violence incidents are required to screen victims utilizing a lethality assessment tool – a survey of 11 validated questions,” according to information from Westminster Police Department.

“Those victims screened as being at “high risk” of future violence, based upon their answers to the questions, are immediately placed in phone contact with a domestic violence counselor who speaks with them about their circumstances and discusses safety planning and the resources available to the victim. The assessment process is being used around the country with excellent results.”

“Having this information while they are still at the scene of a domestic dispute better prepares them to respond to the immediate safety needs of that victim and his or her family,” said Spaulding.

“A critical element of the lethality assessment process is the immediate phone contact with a domestic violence counselor. This takes place on the spot regardless of the time of day. The counselor can speak to the victim in the midst of the crisis and provide them with critical safety information.

“They can also help them understand the full array of services that are immediately available to the victim and their family. This immediate contact greatly enhances the potential that the victim will participate in follow-up services with the domestic violence service provider.”

Oesterreicher said in an e-mail and phone interview: “I think it’s wonderful that the Westminster City Police Department was recognized for their excellent results in completing Lethality Assessments…

“The institution of the Lethality Assessment could very well prove to be one of the most effective tools for victim safety in recent years. Being able to immediately link up victims with counselors is invaluable.

“When I train police officers on domestic violence investigation procedures, I often explain to them that there is a very small window of time in which a domestic violence victim may be cooperative with a police investigation. In certain instances that window may even be closed by the time the police arrive at the scene of the call.

“The Lethality Assessment provides an avenue for the officers to provide immediate intervention for a victim who can talk to a counselor on the scene and learn about cycle of violence, resources and help them develop safety plans before that window of cooperation is closed,” advised Oesterreicher.

Spaulding, Oesterreicher and other officials interviewed on background praised the interagency coordinated multi-jurisdictional approach to domestic violence in Carroll County.

“The citizens of Carroll County are very fortunate that the elected officials in this county recognize domestic violence and see it for what it is – a crime and support all the agencies efforts to hold abusers accountable and maximize the safety of victims through education, safety planning and sheltering,” said Oesterreicher.

“The agencies in this county work very well and very closely together. From the state’s attorney’s office to police agencies, to the counseling agencies, such as Family & Children’s Services, to the Family Law Administration of the Circuit Court, and the Women’s Law Center, who with grant funds, provide attorneys to Petitioner’s seeking protection by way of protective orders. Carroll County is fortunate to truly employ a Coordinated Community Response.”

Spaulding agreed: “one of this would be possible without the support and collaboration we have received from our partners which include our local Domestic Violence Advocate, Cheryl Powers of Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland, the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office and the David Sergeant of Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence.”

Oesterreicher cites that Jerry Barnes, the state’s attorney for Carroll County “recognized the gravity of domestic violence cases immediately when he was elected. In 1997 the State’s Attorney’s Office received the first of many Violence Against Women grants. The grant was originally intended to be for three years only, but we were recently awarded funds for the 13th straight year.

“To date we have received $870,811 from the Department of Justice by way of pass through grants from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. Those awards are based on best practices and results. The fact that we continue to receive funding means we are doing something right.

“The grant funds help support the State’s Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit that consists of a prosecutor, an investigator, and a victim coordinator. We are also very fortunate to have always had the support of the Board of Commissioners,” noted Oesterreicher.

Spaulding said: “I also want to publically acknowledge and thank the dedicated men and women of the Westminster Police Department who have embraced this process and worked very hard to ensure that all of our domestic violence victims are afforded the benefits of this potentially life-saving program.

“I am very pleased that the Westminster Police Department has taken a leadership role in ensuring the safety of domestic violence victims in our community.”

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http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/westminster-police-receives-2009.html http://tinyurl.com/yzo8jzc

Carroll Co States Attorney, Law Order, Non-profits Family Children’s Services, Public Safety Domestic Violence, Westminster Police Chief Spaulding-Jeff, Westminster Police Dept

Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/nub9t

Westminster MD Police recognized for combating Domestic Violence http://tinyurl.com/yzo8jzc http://twitpic.com/nub9t

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

With One Voice concert Nov 17 2009

On November 21, 2009 Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland and Human Services Programs will sponsor the annual “With One Voice”

View of the annual “With One Voice” - an evening of fine music concert at St. John Catholic Church, 43 Monroe Street, in Westminster, MD November 17, 2007. Photo by Kevin Dayhoff [20071117 With One Voice 2]

Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/oc4ca

20071117 With One Voice 2 caption

County sings With One Voice to raise money to fight Domestic Violence pic1 http://tinyurl.com/yfwhfnd http://twitpic.com/oc4ca

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/county-sings-with-one-voice-to-raise.html http://tinyurl.com/yfwhfnd

County sings With One Voice to raise money to fight Domestic Violence

By Kevin Dayhoff November 1, 2009

On November 21, Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland and Human Services Programs will sponsor the annual “With One Voice” - an evening of fine music concert at St. John Catholic Church, 43 Monroe Street, in Westminster.

The annual event always attracts a full house at St. John Catholic Church to raise money for the Carroll County Domestic Violence Safe House and raise awareness about domestic violence.

Among the performers for this year’s concert are: Ted Dix, organist; Children’s Chorus of Carroll County; McDaniel College Madrigal Singers; Old Line Statesmen Barber Shop Chorus; Masterworks Chorale; Carroll Singers; Westminster Trombone Choir; Genesis One; Coram Deo; and Carroll’s Idol 2009, Floyd Jones.

Tickets for the concert are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 16 and under. They are available at the Carroll Arts Council, Coffey Music, Optics Limited, Stu’s Music, Hess Music, Family and Children's Services Office, and the Human Services Programs office.

Tickets are also available at the door. For more information: 410-876-1233 - 410-857-2999 ext. 3060 

20091101 sdosmked County sings With One Voice to raise money


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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

Monday, November 02, 2009

County sings With One Voice to raise money to fight Domestic Violence


County sings With One Voice to raise money to fight Domestic Violence

By Kevin Dayhoff November 1, 2009

On November 21, Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland and Human Services Programs will sponsor the annual “With One Voice” - an evening of fine music concert at St. John Catholic Church, 43 Monroe Street, in Westminster.

The annual event always attracts a full house at St. John Catholic Church to raise money for the Carroll County Domestic Violence Safe House and raise awareness about domestic violence.

Among the performers for this year’s concert are: Ted Dix, organist; Children’s Chorus of Carroll County; McDaniel College Madrigal Singers; Old Line Statesmen Barber Shop Chorus; Masterworks Chorale; Carroll Singers; Westminster Trombone Choir; Genesis One; Coram Deo; and Carroll’s Idol 2009, Floyd Jones.

More than 1.5 million women are physically and/or sexually abused by an intimate partner every year in the United States, according to information provided by the Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland in Westminster

To put the crime of domestic violence into perspective; during the course of the Vietnam War, over 58,000 American service members lost their lives. During the same time period, “51,000 American women were killed in the U.S., by men who supposedly loved them,” according to Donald J. Hunt, who wrote “Break the Silence,” in May 1996.

In the time it takes you to drink a cup of coffee and read this column, “thirteen women will be physically abused in America,” according to Mr. Hunt.

In the latest information available for this article, from 2001 to 2005 the average number of domestic violence reports was 463, according to Maryland State Police records - Uniform Crime Reports.

From 2001 to 2005, the average number of interim protective orders was 103, temporary orders were 743, and final protective orders granted were an average of 399.

The web site for Family and Children’s Services presents sobering facts about domestic violence:

More women between the ages of 15 to 44 are injured due to domestic violence than in car accidents, mugging and rapes combined. Of women murdered in the United States, it is estimated that more than 50 percent were killed by their current or former male partner.

Sixty-three percent of men under age 21 who are incarcerated in the U.S. for homicide, are serving time for killing their mother's abuser. Violent juvenile offenders are four times more likely to have grown up in a home where they saw violence than the population at large.

Across the nation, fifty percent of homeless women and children left their homes to escape domestic violence. Of women who visit medical emergency rooms, it is estimated that up to 35 percent of injuries resulted from domestic violence.

Lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism, and non-productivity resulting from domestic violence cost U.S. businesses $100 million annually.

Tickets for the concert are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 16 and under. They are available at the Carroll Arts Council, Coffey Music, Optics Limited, Stu’s Music, Hess Music, Family and Children's Services Office, and the Human Services Programs office.

Tickets are also available at the door. For more information: 410-876-1233 - 410-857-2999 ext. 3060
*****
Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/