Hertford County Public Schools and Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force: Building Partnerships to Promote Domestic Violence Awareness in Northeastern North Carolina
No More Silence
The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force (RCDVTF)
The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force was created in 1996 in Judicial District 6B (Bertie, Hertford and Northampton Counties) by local professionals who worked with families affected by domestic violence. The mission of the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Offender Program is to work toward the elimination of violence in intimate relationships by providing an environment that is conducive to learning and discussion about nonviolent relationships, and to provide tools for abusers to change. Approximately 15.5 million children in the United States will experience domestic violence through seeing, hearing, or being a part of the violence personally, this experience will have an impact on these children physically, emotionally, and socially (Wind, 2011). Therefore, it is imperative that school systems create a partnership with a local agency such as the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force to address the devastating effects of domestic violence on families. The No More Silence initiative is a year-long program through the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force. The Task Force will create partnerships with local school systems to spread domestic violence awareness which in turn will decrease the number of teen and tween domestic violence cases reported in our local middle and high schools. By building strong coalition between the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force, the local school systems, and community agencies we will provide support for victims, children, and offenders through collaboration and coordinated services and increase community awareness of family violence. We believe that through community support, the incidences of family violence will be reduced, the community will provide a strong, knowledgeable support system, and children will feel safe and connected to their schools and communities.
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 3 Table of Contents
Project Description
I. Background and Significance.............................................................................4
II. Goals and Objectives.........................................................................................10
III. Program Design and Methods...........................................................................11
IV. Evaluation Design and Methods.......................................................................14
V. Sustainability Plan..............................................................................................16
Appendices
Appendix A. References.......................................................................................18
Appendix B. Biographical Sketch.........................................................................19
Appendix C. Budget.............................................................................................23
Appendix D. Budget Justification........................................................................24
Appendix E. Program Logic Model.....................................................................30
Appendix F. Timeline/ Process Chart..................................................................31
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 4 I. Background and Significance
All too often domestic violence is misunderstood, mistreated, goes unreported and undocumented. Domestic violence is not a single act of violence against an intimate partner, but rather a pattern of coercion or control against an intimate partner which can occur either during or after the relationship (Wind, 2011). According to the Futures without Violence program, there is an ever increasing need for programs advocating healthy relationships between tweens and teens (Soler, 2013). It is found that children between the ages of twelve and nineteen are more likely to experience sexual assault and rape. Across the United States roughly 15.5 million children live in a household where domestic violence has occurred at least once in the last year and whose lives will be shaped by this violence (Wind, 2011). In Hertford and Bertie Counties all reported cases of domestic violence involved people over the ages of thirty-five, with Northampton County reporting only six cases of domestic violence occurring between adults the ages of twenty-five through thirty-four. However, what was not taken into account were the number of children who witnessed or were subjected to the acts of domestic violence. In the United States, approximately 30 percent of domestic violence cases start when the woman is pregnant and half of the households with familial violence have children under the age of sixteen living there (Ellis, 2012). It is imperative that the school systems create partnerships with agencies to provide education about domestic violence, to empower communities to stand up against domestic violence, and create communities in which citizens feel safe and connected. Judicial District 6B, consists of three counties in Northeastern North Carolina: Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton. All three counties are rural and are designed as Tier One counties due to the distressed socioeconomic conditions in these counties. Each county had high rates of Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 5 domestic violence, no group counseling offerings for victims, and all have low rates of community members as volunteers. Bertie County Domestic Violence Statistics Bertie County has approximately 20,890 residents. Data indicates that there were 392 domestic violence calls made from this county and 220 clients served. Information, advocacy, referrals, transportation, counseling, hospitalization, and court services were provided to 1,756 clients from Bertie County and two victims were admitted to a multi-county shelter. All clients were above the age of thirty-five. Within Bertie County, seventeen men faced criminal charges for domestic violence. Twenty-one entered the Batterers Intervention Program (court ordered and non-court ordered), eleven men completed the program while eight were terminated. Termination was based on excessive absences, arrest or probation violation, or other causes (potentially, mental illness). Five educational and two professional domestic violence presentations were given in Bertie County. Hertford County Domestic Violence Statistics Hertford County is home to an estimated 24,466 residents. Out of the population, twenty-two domestic violence calls were received with 356 clients served, and all 356 clients were above the age of thirty-five. Information, advocacy, referrals, transportation, counseling, court, and other services were provided to 7,976 Hertford County residents. Ten victims ranging between zero and fifty-nine were admitted to the local multi-county shelter. Twenty-one men were convicted of criminal charges of domestic violence, eight men completed the program while six were terminated. Termination was based on excessive absences, non-compliance with group rules, arrest and probation violation, or another unspecified circumstance. Six educational presentations were offered throughout Hertford County. Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 6 Northampton County Domestic Violence Statistics The Northampton County population is an estimated 21,844. In Northampton County eighty-three domestic violence calls were received and 139 clients served. Clients ranged from ages twenty-five to sixty-five and older. A total of 849 Northampton County residents were offered information, advocacy, referrals, transportation, counseling, court, and other local services. One victim was offered shelter services. Seventeen men were convicted of domestic violence criminal charges, and twelve entered the Batterers Intervention Program. Ten completed the program, seven were terminated due to excessive absences or arrest and probation violation. Two educational presentations were provided in Northampton County. Task Force Established In 1996, local professionals working with domestic violence cases in Judicial District 6B joined forces to create the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force. The goal of the Task Force was to work with families affected by domestic violence and create a community effort to address the devastating effects of domestic violence on families. By 1999, the Task Force developed a batterers intervention program to not only support the victims of domestic violence but to change the behavior of those who use violence as a means of control. The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force team works with the batterers to accept accountability for their actions and to realize the need to change the behavior of violence. The Task Force gives the batterers skills to help handle situations in a non-violent manner and how to use positive self-talk. The need for such a program came about when the judges in the district were concerned that their only choices for dealing with offenders brought before them was to either release them or send them to jail. In either scenario, the offender received no education or treatment related to Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 7 the abusive behavior. With the creation of the Task Force, offenders are court ordered to a twenty-six week psycho-educational group to learn about violent and abusive behavior and how to modify that behavior. As of June 25, 2013 the state of North Carolina signed into law House Bill 24. This law makes changes to criminal sentences in cases involving domestic violence. The law now states that any defendant placed on probation after December 1, 2013 and found to be responsible for the acts of domestic violence must attend and complete an abuser treatment program (Page, 2013). Currently in Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton Counties the only provider of a Batterers Program is the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force. Understanding there was a stronger need for community collaboration, in 2006 the Task Force decided to reach out once again to the community (especially those who could potentially come into contact with domestic violence cases) to re-establish the agency connections. Forty one community agencies (ranging from hospitals, probation officers, law enforcement, and Department of Social Services) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join forces in domestic violence cases. By 2010, an Addendum to Memorandum of Understanding was signed by twenty-nine of the original forty one agencies in support of developing a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT). The CCRT in each county is comprised of several local agencies who have agreed to work together in assisting each other on domestic violence cases. In doing this, the agencies are trying to reduce the time in which services will be provided to the victims and children of domestic violence and the batterers. According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund, there are five steps needed to ensure community involvement and awareness of preventing family violence. Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 8 1. Raise awareness of the problem of family violence and establishing social norms that make violence unacceptable. 2. Connect community residents to available services. 3. Change social and community conditions that contribute to violence. 4. Build networks of leaders within the community. 5. Make services and institutions accountable to community needs (Fullwood, 2002). The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force is a community organization dedicated to bringing about community awareness on the subject of domestic violence. In recent studies, it shows that women who are subjected to domestic violence typically do not turn to professional organizations first, nor do they seek governmental help; rather, abused women look for support from those they trust and are closest to them (Bragg, 2003). Community accountability is the act of neighbors, friends, and families stepping up when domestic violence is taking place. It is more than merely being aware of the issues, but rather, an playing an active role in stopping the act of violence from taking place (Hess, Allen, Todd, 2011). However, it is extremely difficult to mobilize this form of community outreach because batterers often isolate their victims, victims hide the abuse, sometimes others are unaware the abuse is taking place, or spectators are unwilling to break up a family or intervene in what seems a family matter (Hess, Allen, Todd, 2011). The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force in utilizing other community agencies will work to not only bring awareness that domestic violence is happening within the community, but to give community members the resources and knowledge to feel comfortable and safe playing a personal role when domestic violence takes place. It is not a shift in community beliefs but a shift in community practice and accountability through a centralization of the victims wants and needs without the stipulation of forcing the victim to leave (Hess, Allen, Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 9 Todd, 2011). Through community outreach sessions and local community agency trainings the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will be able to give the community members of Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton countys the knowledge and resources to play an active role in preventing and stopping domestic violence in their neighborhoods. In collaborating with the community the Task Force also understand that there is a strong need for speaking to the youth about familial violence. Every school system is populated by a diverse population of young men and women from the community it serves; some of this student population live in households where domestic violence is prevalent. Due to this, these children are not only facing an emotional and physical struggle at home but must continue to face these issues at school. The affects of domestic abuse can manifest itself in the form of bullying or being bullied, low verbal ability, inability to concentrate, and anxiety (Ellis, 2012). The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force understands the need for domestic violence to be a conversation in the school systems, due to the large number of students who may be within sight or sound of domestic violence in their homes. Entering the school systems on a regular basis will have a significant impact on the students, because the students will not only be given the tools and knowledge to understand teen dating violence but they will also have a safe place to discuss their feelings or share something that they might not otherwise (Ellis, 2012). By building the partnerships between the community agencies, school systems, and community members itself the creating protocols for supporting children in the school system will be easier and the conversation surrounding domestic violence and community accountability will be more effective (Baker, Jaffe, Ashbourne, & Carter, 2002)
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 10 II. Goals and Objectives The purpose of the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force is to bring community agencies together in dealing with domestic violence cases. The main goal of the Task Force is to focus on the safety of victims and their children, to hold offenders accountable for their actions, and to strengthen and streamline the protocols in the criminal justice system in our legal system. Objectives: 1. By December 2014, the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and partnering agencies will participate in four community outreach activities promoting domestic violence awareness across Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton counties. 2. During the 2013-2014 school year, the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force team and a member of the Roanoke Chowan SAFE will create a partnership with nine local schools across the Judicial District 6B to track teen and tween domestic violence and deliver presentations using the Safe Dates curriculum. 3. By December 2014, the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force plans to increase community involvement in the organization by inviting 25 community members to volunteer with the task force in promoting and planning the four community outreach activities across the three counties. 4. Plan two multi-county trainings in the 2013-2014 year to provide an increase in domestic violence awareness, clarify the goals and constraints of each agency, develop a stronger understanding of agency roles, develop a working protocol for law enforcement in each county, and increase perception on what can be done to decrease victimization and prevent future victimization. Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 11 5. Increase rate of completion by convicted offenders in Batterers Intervention Program to 100% and provide proper support for offenders who have been discharged from program to ensure that he or she has the knowledge and skills to change abusive behavior. III. Program Design and Methods
The mission of the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force is to join forces with several community agencies in the Judicial District 6B, in providing quick and meaningful services to victims of domestic violence. In doing so, the Task Force has created an addendum outlining who will be involved in these services and in what capacity. Enhancing the Local Domestic Violence Task Force Through Community Outreach. The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will work with the local agencies to create and plan community outreach and training activities. Jaime Heckstall, Program Director of the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force, will monitor and supervise the trainings by having participants sign in and also complete an exit ticket with questions they may still have that have not been covered in the session, concerns, or insights that were brought forth during the meetings that they found beneficial. The Project Coordinator (to be hired) will keep an interest log of community members who have sought out the Task Force not for services but with questions or interest in serving on the Task Force in some capacity. This will enable the Task Force team to build a community network of non-agency volunteers and also build a connection within the community. The Program Director and Coordiantor will facilitate the meetings and training sessions that address the three-county coordination by hiring a National Domestic Violence Trainer to speak with the three county community agencies twice by December of 2014. Along with coordinating and implementing the trainings, meetings, and community outreach activities, the Task Force will maintain financial accountability for all Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 12 monetary transactions of the project. The Program Director must maintain a positive working relationship with the Bertie County Finance Department to review transactions and funding on a monthly basis. School Outreach through Safe Dates Curriculum. In August 2013, the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will meet with administrators and counselors to introduce the Safe Dates curriculum and ask for permission to enter the schools on a regular basis to meet with the students in the health and physical education classes. The Task Force and the Roanoke Chowan SAFE will partner together to provide the presentations about teen dating violence in the middle and high schools. The goals of the Safe Dates (Foshee, Ph.D. & Langwick, Ph.D., 2010) program are to: 1. Raise students awareness of what constitutes healthy and abusive dating relationships. 2. Raise students awareness of dating abuse and its causes and consequences. 3. Equip students with the skills and resources to help themselves or friends in abusive dating relationships. Being in the school system is an important component of the Task Forces community outreach because half of the adults who experience domestic violence in the home have children in the household under the age of sixteen (Ellis, 2012). Domestic violence is not only physically detrimental to those being abused, but it is emotionally destructive to all who encounter it (directly or indirectly). The effects of domestic abuse can manifest itself in a child at home and at school (Ellis, 2012). Children exposed to domestic violence run a higher risk of entering the care system, developing emotional or behavioral disorders (Devaney, 2008), which can lead to problems with social functions with their peers. A child exposed to domestic violence is likely to be affected by bullying -- either being the bully or being a victim of bullying and typically Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 13 have lower verbal abilities than their peers (Ellis, 2012). According to The Impact on Teachers of Supporting Children Exposed to Domestic Abuse, children want to know and understand domestic violence and feel that the adults in the school systems can help them with this understanding (Ellis, 2012). Training teachers and other school staff with the knowledge and resources to help children understand and cope with familial violence can have a positive impact within the schools (Ellis, 2012). One of the benefits of the Task Force and Roanoke Chowan SAFE entering the school systems is giving teachers and staff the confidence to handle domestic violence issues within the schools. The Roanoke Chowan Task Force will partner with the school counselors to train them on the process of handling domestic violence cases within the school. The counselors can then take this information back to the teachers and administrators, and the ultimate goal is to have each school system create a protocol for handling domestic violence cases. In all of the public school systems, there is an Integrated Family Services Counselor who is able to meet and counsel with the children with parental permission. Integrated Family Services is a partner of the Task Force and will be able to work with each other in empowering the public schools with knowledge and confidence to care for the children, experiencing domestic violence, within their school system. Batterers Intervention Program. The Batterers Intervention Program will continue to support and positively provide intervention for participants through new, innovative components such as: technology integration and collaborative group work. The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will utilize new approaches to batterers intervention based on current research and best practices. The batterers will have the opportunity to learn, share, and evaluate themselves on an ongoing basis Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 14 through an interactive approach. Batterers will have access to online enrollment, orientation, and online classes for those who live in remote areas and/or dont have transportation to attend BIP meetings. Participants will also have the opportunity to work collaboratively both in person or online via discussion threads and coordinated video chats. Throughout the online sessions the participants can participate in all sessions from the comforts of their own home however, the topics and discussions are still the same. Victim Outreach. The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will maintain a cooperative and accountable working relationship with the the Roanoke Chowan Services for Abused Families with Emergencies (SAFE) for the purpose of monitoring, information sharing, and networking. Staff from both agencies will partner to plan and implement community outreach with the goal of bringing community awareness, changing community attitudes, and traditional institutional responses toward domestic violence. Once an offender is referred to the Batterers Intervention Program, SAFE will provide the victim with information in regards to the program and how essential his or her input is in the assessment process. IV. Program Evaluation and Method
During the first month NELA community interns, Ronica Watford and Alexandria Pearson will complete a baseline assessment of how effective the task force services are in the communities of Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton counties by attending a multi-county meeting. In alignment with the baseline assessment during the first six months Ms. Watford and Ms. Pearson will also conduct formative assessments based upon our measurable goals and objectives (Part II.) and our logic model (Appendix E. ). The formative evaluations include: Pre and Post surveys of student and teacher competency of domestic violence; Agenda and meeting Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 15 notes; tracking the number of referrals made from individual schools to Integrated Family Services; reports of domestic violence calls/referrals made to local law enforcement; and teacher reports of on campus domestic violence incidents. The Safe Dates (An Adolescent Dating Abuse Prevention Curriculum) program will be implemented into the schools and a Safe Dates Evaluation Questionnaire will be used as a formal evaluation of the program and its effectiveness in the school systems. The Safe Dates Evaluation Questionnaire assesses the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors that Safe Dates is designed to change. Evaluations of the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will be utilized to monitor and adjust the task force as stakeholders deem necessary. Internally, program goals will be revisited prior to the advisory council meetings. This revisiting will review the program objectives, the status of the objectives, and any changes that need to be implemented. This information will be used to measure progress and serve as a basis for making program modifications or benchmarks of progress. Data will also be collected and kept up-to-date through The Domestic Abuse Information Network (DAIN). The DAIN program is a database program produced by the Duluth Domestic Violence Intervention Program. DAIN is a powerful tool for tracking, monitoring, and analyzing law enforcement, court, and offenders program records. The parents, students, and school officials of Hertford County Public Schools will be asked for their input and/or feedback about the effectiveness of the program. This can be done by administering the Safe Dates questionnaire at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. This information will be used to improve the Task Force and the services given to the community.
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 16 V. Sustainability Plan
Careful steps have been taken to ensure that the momentum of the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force can be sustained over time. This proposal allows the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force to improve the coordination of varied initiatives on behalf of both victims and batterers, to expand outreach to the community in our locale, and to refine our programs so as to ensure continuous improvements in reaching our desired outcomes. By increasing the community connection the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will be able to utilize various community resources to spread awareness and create a strong community connection, beginning with the local school systems. This partnership enables partners in the local schools to help sustain the program in years to come, if there is funding or not. During the following year, each school is provided with free Safe Dates curricula, brochures, and other necessary material to deliver the workshop series. The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force in conjunction with the local school systems will invite school counselors to an initial daylong training on proper protocol for handling and reporting domestic violence incidences/ potential incidences that occur on a school campus. The counselors are then encouraged to acquaint themselves with the Safe Dates curricula as well as travel with the task force staff as they deliver trainings within the schools and the community. Therefore, in the future the local school counselors will still have the necessary means to continue to educate themselves, the students, and parents. The partnership created between the school systems and the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task force provides readily available services such as Integrated Family Services counseling, the Batterer Intervention Program, access to the local as well as national Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence fliers, and a Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force website. In the Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 17 future, we will also be working with the courts to build sustainability plan to garnish a portion of the fees for convicted offenders who are court ordered to attend the Batterer Intervention Program. The program director and staff will continue to utilize the trainings they receive to continue the program and to train new staff. The Task Force members will continue to look into fundraising activities, including letters to churches, businesses, clubs and industries, seeking donations. The Task Force members will also continue to keep all parties involved, updated and educated on Domestic violence. This will be done through a Task Force website and fliers to garner support and publicize as well as by providing domestic violence trainings and workshops. In hopes to build a strong partnership between the Hertford County Public School System and the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and to keep a finger on the pulse of client base & community needs, the members will also host parent seminars/trainings to keep parents and community stakeholders abreast to domestic violence, and domestic violence prevention. It offers collaboration between the Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and the local school systems in efforts to promote domestic violence awareness and serve as an effective tool to build relationships and to reach out to parents and youth. It is anticipated that in all nine schools, the task force will try to institute the program on an annual basis.
Baker, L., Jaffe, P., Ashbourne, L., & Carter, J. (2002). Children exposed to domestic violence a teachers handbook to increase understanding and improve community responses. Retrieved from http://www.lfcc.on.ca/teacher-us.PDF
Busch-Armendariz, N., Johnson, R., Buel, S., & Lungwitz, J. (2011). Building community partnerships to end interpersonal violence: A collaboration of the Schools of Social Work, Law, and Nursing. Violence Against Women, 17(9), 1194-1206.
Bragg, H. (2003). Chapter 3: The basics of domestic violence. In Child protection in families experiencing domestic violence (pp. 15-29). US Department Of Health And Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/domesticviolence/domesticviolencec.cf m
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Adverse Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57, 113-117.
Ellis, G. (2012). The impact on teachers of supporting children exposed to domestic abuse. Educational And Child Psychology, 29(4), 109-120.
Foshee, Ph.D., V., & Langwick, Ph.D., S. (2010). Safe DATES: An adolescent dating abuse prevention curriculum (2nd ed.). Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden.
Fullwood, C. (2002, September). Preventing family violence: Community engagement makes the difference. website: http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/userfiles/file/ImmigrantWomen/PFV- Community%20Engagement.pdf
Hess, J., Allen, N., & Todd, N. (2011). Interpreting community accountability: Citizen views of responding to domestic violence (or not). The Qualitative Report, 16(4), 1096.
Page, T. (2013, June 25). 2013 Domestic Violence Sentencing Changes - S.L. 2013-123. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts.
Soler, E. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/
Wind, A. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://nccadv.org/Default.htm
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 19 A. Positions and Honors.
Positions and Employment:
2008 to present: Fifth Grade Teacher, Hertford County Public Schools Ahoskie Elementary School, Ahoskie, NC 27910
2005 to 2008: Intern, Hertford County Public Schools Hertford County Summer Enrichment Camp Ahoskie, NC 27910
Other Experience and Professional Memberships:
Hillandale Elementary School Teacher Internship- Durham County, North Carolina
HCPS NC Essential Standards for Science Professional Development Facilitator- Hertford County, North Carolina
Hertford County Public Schools Common Core 8 Mathematical Practices Facilitator- Hertford County, North Carolina
Common Core District Team Leader Hertford County, North Carolina
HCPS Pacing Guide Development Team Member- Hertford County, North Carolina
Math Instructional Strategies Facilitator- Halifax County &Hertford County, North Carolina
Participated in Time to Teach Training- Hertford County, North Carolina
Participated in Thinking Maps Training- Hertford County, North Carolina
Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle): Watford, Ronica
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
NAME Watford, Ronica POSITION TITLE
Northeast Leadership Academy Intern North Carolina State University eRA COMMONS USER NAME
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.) INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE (if applicable) YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY North Carolina State University MSA Currently Educational Administration North Carolina Central University B.A. 2008 Elementary Education
2012-2014 Selected NELA Fellow North Carolina State University
2012-2013 Teacher of the Year Ahoskie Elementary School Hertford County Public Schools
2011-2012 EVAAS, Exceeds Expected Growth in Mathematics and Science
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 EVAAS, Above the State Average in Math
2009, 2010, 2011 EVAAS, Above the State Average in Science
2010 86% Math and Science Proficiency on the NC End of Grade Test
2009 95% Math Proficiency on the North Carolina End of Grade Test
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 21
A. Positions and Honors.
Positions and Employment:
2009 to present: High School Social Studies Teacher, Hertford County Public Schools Hertford County High School, Ahoskie, NC 27910
2008 to 2009: Chowan University Admissions Counselor Murfreesboro, NC 27855
Other Experience and Professional Memberships:
Hertford County Public Schools Student Teaching Internship
HCPS NC Essential Standards for High School Social Studies Professional Development Facilitator- Hertford County, North Carolina
Hertford County Public Schools Common Core Facilitator- Hertford County, North Carolina
Common Core & Essential Standards District Team Leader Hertford County, North Carolina
HCPS Pacing Guide Development Team Member- Hertford County, North Carolina
District Data Team Representative Hertford County High School Hertford County, North Carolina
Participated in Reaching the Hard to Teach training Raleigh, NC
Participated in Time to Teach Training- Hertford County, North Carolina
Participated in Thinking Maps Training- Hertford County, North Carolina Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle): Pearson, Alexandria
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
NAME Pearson, Alexandria POSITION TITLE
Northeast Leadership Academy Intern North Carolina State University eRA COMMONS USER NAME
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.) INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE (if applicable) YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY North Carolina State University MSA Currently Educational Administration Chowan University B.A. 2009 Social Studies Education
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 22
Honors:
2012-2014 Selected NELA Fellow North Carolina State University
2010 100% pass rate in all classes End of Course US History Exam
2007 Student Athlete of the Year Womens Soccer Chowan University
2005-2008 Phi Alpha Theta - History Honors Society, Kappa Delta Pi - Education Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society Chowan University Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 23 Appendix C: 2013-2014 Budget
Account Description Donated Budget Overall Budget Requested Budget A. Personnel Program Director Salary
$0
$47,000 $86,000 Project Coordinator $0
$39,000 Task Force Volunteers $35,455 $0 B. Fringe Benefits FICA $0 $6,579
$26,139 Retirement
$0 $5,160
Hospitalization $0 $14,400 C. Contractual Services DV Counselor $0 $27,300 $48,900 DV Trainer $0 $6,000 Facilitator for Batterers Intervention Program $0 $15,600 D. Travel Mileage reimbursement for multi- county travel $0
$13,200
$17,529 Airfare $0
$1,500
Transportation to and from airport
$0
$45
Hotel
$0
$900
Per Diem costs $0 $684
Registration $0 $1,200 E. Equipment & Supplies Multi-County: Including but not limited to: Printer, Magnetic Planner Kit, DAIN Data Manager, Projector, Computer Media Storage $0 $3,352.42 $3,352.42 F. Operating Expenses Facilities: 2 rented offices, 1 donated office, donated meeting/training space $5,400 $4,800 $4,800 Total Requested: 186,720.42 Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 24
$39,000 2 Volunteers (TBD) 35.00 x 1013 hours donated $0
Ms. Alexandria Pearson and Ms. Ronica Watford are both former Hertford County Public School teachers attending graduate school through North Carolina State Universitys Northeast Leadership Academy. Both Ms. Pearson and Ms. Watford are completing their summer community internship for the Northeast Leadership Academy bridging the gap between the public school systems and community outreach. Ms. Pearson and Ms. Watford have been working with the program in hopes to bring domestic violence awareness into the schools by partnering with the local school districts. Ms. Pearson and Ms. Watford are providing guidance to the Task Force at no cost. Ms. Pearson and Ms. Watford will be working in conjunction with the Program Director to hire staff, train volunteers, review the Safe Dates curriculum, meet with community agencies, set up fundraising activities for the program, and guide the program as it enters the public school system.
Jamie Heckstall will serve Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force as the Program Director. Mrs. Heckstall will coordinate and oversee implementation of the Task Force in Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton County. The director will: 1. Deliver services by planning, developing, implementing, and monitoring programs. 2. Deliver services by interviewing, diagnosing, developing, and implementing treatment plans. 3. Evaluate services provided to victims and batterers. 4. Co-facilitate weekly educational and counseling sessions of batterers. 5. Develop a competent, productive staff by supervising directly and through delegation. 6. Assure quality of services by enforcing rules, regulations, and legal requirements. 7. Meet regularly with co-facilitators, Coordinated Community Response Team Coordinator, and other staff to plan and evaluate services. 8. Influence community attitudes and practices by identifying current practices and advocating for change. 9. Provide educational outreach services to community members, which include but are not limited to, citizens, community organization, public and private schools, and colleges. Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 25
10. Monitor courtroom activity related to domestic violence. Collect information from local police departments, the district attorneys office, and other local agencies as needed.
The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force will use the Program Coordinator salary to hire a full-time employee to assist the director with the following: 1. Oversee and manage the day-to-day implementation of the program. 2. Facilitate on-going communications and meetings among community agency staff to allow development of policies and procedures for responding to domestic violence cases. 3. Coordinate direct services for families of domestic violence abuse in conjunction with law enforcement and other agencies involved. 4. Collaborate with other agencies, law enforcement, and school systems to hold agency meetings, give presentations, and training sessions in regards to domestic violence. 5. Act as a liaison to partner agencies. 6. Maintain department files; keep program statistics and records using the Domestic Abuse Information Network (DAIN). 7. Maintain accurate program records and services rendered along with data and statistics. 8. Provide educational outreach for citizens, community groups, public and private schools, and colleges. 9. Provide supervision of Community Response Specialist, Volunteers, and Interns. 10. Work with the Program Director and other community agencies to plan and implement fundraising events throughout the year.
RCDVTF volunteers plan, implement, and monitor domestic violence community projects. Volunteers assist the Project Coordinator and Director to plan trainings and attend multi-county meetings to discuss TF assets and needs of the program with other agencies. Volunteers work with the Program Coordinator to plan and implement fundraising events throughout the year.
Total: $86,000 B. Fringe Benefits
Name of Benefit Computation Cost FICA @ 7.65% 7.65% x $86,000 (PD & PC) $6,579
Retirement @ 6% 6% x $86,000 (PD & PC) $5,160
Hospitalization 2 FT Positions $14,400
The retirement benefits are calculated at 7.65% of Program Director and Program Coordinators salary ($86,000). Retirement and FICA are only available to the PD and PC who are full time employees of the Task Force.
Total: $26,139
Total Personnel and Fringe Benefits $112,139.00 Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 26
C. Contractual Services
Name/Position Computation Cost DV Counselor 35.00 x 1000 hours $27,300 DV Trainer 56.25 x 28 hours $6,000 Batterers Intervention Facilitators 20.00 x 3 hours/week x 5 Facilitators $15,600
The DV Counselor will provide individual and group counseling services for victims (including children) of domestic violence. The DV Counselor will also provide services for the Batterers Intervention Program.
The DV Trainer is contracted through the Public Agency Training Council. The DV Trainer will travel to the training site twice a year to provide services for the multi-county agencies including: District Attorneys office Integrated Family Services Multi-county Police and Sheriffs Office SAFE Department of Social Services Child Protective Services District Court Judges (Judicial District 6B) Juvenile Justice Multi-county LEAs
The purpose of the training is to create protocol for handling domestic violence cases and to hold conversations assessing the needs of each individual communitys needs involving domestic violence cases.
Currently five facilitators are employed through the Task Force rehabilitation sessions for the Batterers Intervention Program. Walter Goodwyn, Norman Cherry, Jr., Janine Moore, Jo Liles, and Jamie Heckstall provide weekly group services (Thursday and Saturday) for the Batterers Intervention Program for court ordered batterers. The BIP program is a 26-week educational program that teachers offenders about violent behavior and how to modify violent/abusive behavior. The position is calculated for a portion of the costs of operating BIP groups.
Total: $48,900.00
D. Travel
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 27
Purpose of Travel Location Item Computation Cost Data Collection, Single and Multi- county meetings and trainings, Victim and Batterer Assessments, School & Parent presentations Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton County Mileage Reimbursement .55 x 24,000 miles
$13,200
Travel to out of state domestic violence conference
TBD
1. Round trip airfare cost 2. Transportation to and from airport 3. Hotel room
1. 3 people x $500 2. 3 trips x $15 3. 3 people x 2 conferences x $150/day
$2445
Per Diem Costs Bertie County Per Diem 3 people x 2 conferences x $114/day x 6 (Bertie County Rates) $684
In state and Out of state Conference registration
TBD
Registration
3 people x 2 conferences x $200
$1,200
The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task force encompasses a large geographic area, which covers three counties in Northeastern North Carolina. Home base for the Task Force is in Windsor, which is part of Bertie County, however, members of the Task Force must travel to Northampton and Hertford Counties for training, meetings, victim and batterer assessments, school presentations, and community response. Along with a substantial amount of travel between the counties, the Task Force also travels for conferences in Raleigh and around the United States.
Total: $17,529
E. Supplies Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 28
Supply Items Cost Domestic Abuse Information Network (DAIN) $1,000 Miscellaneous for Multi-County Use Including but not limited to: Printer, Magnetic Planner Kit, Projector, Computer Media Storage
$2,352.42 The budgeted supplies are related to the multi-county multi-agency collaboration to conduct trainings and implement written protocols for handling domestic violence cases. The curriculum for school presentations has already been purchased and will be used over the course of the next school year; however, supplies related to conducting the sessions will be needed along with follow up sessions with parents and teachers. The Task Force will also conduct multiple community meetings and trainings in which we will meet as a cohort with all three counties as well as conduct informational sessions as individual counties.
Total: 3,352.42
F. Operating Expenses
Operating Expense Computation Cost Office Rental 2 offices @ $200/office for 12 months $4,800 Donated Office Space 1 donated office @ $200 for 12 months $0 Donated Multi-County meeting/training facilities 1 room @ $250 for 12 months $0
The Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force operates within three counties in Northeastern North Carolina. While, Bertie county houses the main office of the Task Force, in order to meet with the various community agencies in the area the Task Force must travel and hold meeting and training sessions. The various counties generously donate different locations for the Task Force to meet with its partners and Bertie County donates one office for the Task Force throughout the year. The $4,800 allotment will enable the Task Force to maintain its two offices located in Windsor, NC at the Bertie County Day Reporting Center.
Total: $4,800
Total Supplies and Operating Expenses: $8,152.42 Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 29
BUDGET SUMMARY:
Budget Category Amount_
A. Personnel $121,000.00 B. Fringe Benefits $26,139.00 C. Contractual Services $48,900.00 D. Travel $17,529.00 E. Supplies $3,352.42 F. Operating Expenses $7,800 TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $224,720.42 TOTAL FUNDING REQUEST $186,720.42 Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 30
Appendix E: Logic Model Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 31
Appendix F: Timeline
One-Year Work Plan for the RCDVTF:
Months 1-3: Preparation Phase Confirm relationships with local schools to ensure commitment to the No More Silence Initiative. (All Staff)
Conduct formative and summative evaluations for the duration of the project. (Mrs. Heckstall)
Meet with community agencies in each county (Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton) explaining the goals of the Task Force, create a protocol for handling domestic violence cases, and plan a larger meeting of the three counties. (Mrs. Heckstall)
Begin working to plan first community outreach activity in one of the three counties. (All Staff)
Recruit, select, screen, and train volunteers and partners. (All Staff, Mrs. Heckstall)
Hire Project Coordinator (Mrs. Heckstall and Executive Board)
Facilitate Batterers Intervention Program -- Every Thursday and Saturday (County Facilitators)
Finalize community agency response and protocols with each county. (Mrs. Heckstall)
Order DAIN and install on computer systems. (Mrs. Heckstall)
Create brochures to place in schools and hand out at community outreach. (Ms. Ronica Watford and Ms. Alexandria Pearson - NELA interns)
Safe Dates Presentations (Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and Roanoke Chowan SAFE) o session 1: Defining Caring Relationships o session 2: Defining Dating Abuse
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 32
Months 4-6: Hold first Multi-county meeting with National trainer. (All Staff, Mrs. Heckstall)
Facilitate Batterers Intervention Program -- Every Thursday and Saturday (County Facilitators)
Continue recruiting and training volunteers. (County Staff)
Second community outreach activity. (All Staff)
Type, bind, and issue working protocol for each community agency. (All Staff)
Dealing with Domestic Violence in Schools training for public school guidance counselors. (Task Force & Roanoke Chowan SAFE)
Safe Dates Presentations (Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and Roanoke Chowan SAFE) o session 3: Why Do People Abuse? o session 4: How to Help Friends o session 5: Helping Friends
Months 7-9: Facilitate Batterers Intervention Program -- Every Thursday and Saturday (County Facilitators)
Third community outreach activity. (All Staff)
Safe Dates Presentations (Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and Roanoke Chowan SAFE) o session 6: Overcoming Gender Stereotypes o session 7: How We Feel, How We Deal o session 8: Equal Power Through Communication
Months 10-12: Facilitate Batterers Intervention Program -- Every Thursday and Saturday (County Facilitators)
Promote Domestic Violence Awareness 33
Second, multi-county meeting with National Trainer (All Staff, Mrs. Heckstall)
Fourth community outreach activity. (All Staff)
Safe Dates Presentations (Roanoke Chowan Domestic Violence Task Force and Roanoke Chowan SAFE) o session 9: Preventing Dating Sexual Abuse o session 10: Reviewing the Safe Dates Program
Hold multi-county meeting to evaluate the success of the program and to discuss Next Steps.