1. THE SAFE AND TOGETHER MODEL: From Accountability to Intervention: Working with Domestic Violence Perpetrators in Community Based Care Organizations
David Mandel & Associates LLC
David Mandel, MA, LPC
Kristen Selleck, MSW
August 2011

2. Major Recent, Current, Upcoming Projects
Statewide Service Administration (CT DCF): DV Consultants
Subject Matter Expert Training (FL DCF)
Gainesville
Jacksonville
Lake City
CLS Training (FL DCF)
Safe and Together Advocate Training (FCADV)
All Child Welfare Supervisors (LA)
Safe and Together Supervisor Training (KC MO)
Alternative Response Pilot (OH): Train the Trainers

3. Domestic Violence as Concern and a Context
Domestic violence as a concern;
Domestic violence is the current allegation
Current safety for adult survivor and children
Trauma related issues may be present
Examples:Current report of domestic violence triggers child welfare report
Domestic violence as context;
Domestic violence is not the current allegation
May include safety issues that need to be addressed
May include trauma related issues for family members
Impact of prior domestic violence on family is an important issue
Relevant to understanding and addressing behavior/mental health, substance abuse, neglect, housing, custody/visitation, co-parenting, or other family issues.
Example: Child’s truancy and aggressive behavior has been exposed to his father’s violence against his mother. While there is no reports of current physical violence, Father is currently blaming mother and child for his school problems.

4. Pathways to harm Effect on partner’s parenting Harm to child
Abuse by perpetrator
Towards non-offending parent
Direct abuse or neglect of child
Abuse of siblings
Effect on partner’s parenting
Depression/PTSD/anxiety/substance abuse
Loss of authority
Energy goes to addressing perpetrator instead of children
Interference with day to day routine and basic care
Effects on family ecology
Loss of income
Housing instability
Loss of contact with extended family
Educational and social disruptions
Harm to child
Pathways to harm

5. Safe and Together Model
Assumptions
Principals
Critical Components
Better Outcomes for Families

6. Safe and Together™ Principles1
Keeping child Safe and Together™ with non-offending parent
Safety Healing from trauma Stability and nurturance 2
Partnering with non-offending parent as default position
Efficient Effective Child-centered 3
Intervening with perpetrator to reduce risk and harm to child
Engagement Accountability Courts
(C) 2011 David Mandel & Associates LLC For more information on the Safe and Together™ model, go to

7. Safe and Together™ Critical Components
Perpetrator’s pattern of coercive control
Actions taken by the perpetrator to harm the child
Full spectrum of the non-offending parent’s efforts to promote the safety and well being of the child
Adverse impact of the perpetrator’s behavior on the child
Role of substance abuse, mental health, culture and other socio-economic factors

8. Actions taken by the batterer to harm the children
Choosing to expose them to their abusive behavior
Using children as a weapon against the children's other parent
Undermining the other person's parenting efforts
Accidentally causing physical harm to children as a result of the violence towards non-offending parent
Physical/sexual/emotional abuse or neglect perpetrated directly against the children

9. Worker’s Skills Related to Perpetrators
Ability to introduce child welfare’s concerns relate to abuse in non-judgmental, respectful manner.
Ability to keep interview focused on the perpetrator’s behavior and its impact on children and the family.
Ability to explore the perpetrator’s own perception of the problem and its impact on himself and others.
Develop a case plan that focuses measureable behavior change goals related to coercive control and other identified issues
Ability to address the case plan with the perpetrator
Understands the resources and services for domestic violence perpetrator (batterer intervention), can articulate dangers related to other interventions e.g. family/couples counseling and the interrelationship of mental health and substance abuse services.
Can present and document domestic violence as factor starting with a description of the perpetrator’s behavior
Makes effort to coordinate with criminal court and law enforcement when appropriate
Can develop a petition that focuses on the domestic violence perpetrator as the source of the safety concerns

10. Interviewing Perpetrators: Objectives
Assess dangerousness
Assess willingness and ability to participate in case plan
Convey information about law, domestic violence, process
Connect perpetrator to services
Demonstrate to non-offending parent and children DCF perceives perpetrator as being accountable for violence
Improve you ability to document perpetrator role in family
Improve your ability to develop case plan that intervenes with perpetrator

11. Engagement Framing Soliciting information
Introduction: How are you introduced?
Purpose of interview
Connection without collusion
Example: Acknowledge importance to family without supporting behavior
Soliciting information
Incident: have him focus on his actions
History/pattern of coercive control
Relationship with survivor
Parenting/harming children
Psycho-social
Staying focused on the batterer’s behavior
Getting an agreed upon set of facts
Asking him to identify his perceptions of the impact of his behavior on himself, children, partner, & relationship

12. Engagement (cont’d)‏
Asking perpetrator to identify level of concern about these effects
Explore/highlight contradictions between values/goals
Lay out consequences for failing to change
Asking perpetrator about willingness to change/agree to services

13. Sample of case plan services/tasks
No further intimidating behavior towards any member of household. This includes verbal threats, defined or undefined, destruction of property, throwing objects, punching walls, etc.
The perpetrator will not deny partner access to phone, vehicle or other forms of communication and transportation.
The perpetrator will support all reasonable efforts to provide his child(ren) with appropriate services including childcare, healthcare (e.g. well-baby visits).
The perpetrator will not interfere with the other parent’s efforts to seek out services for themselves and the children.
Highlight that battering is not a mental health issue.
Avoid seeking mental evaluations to define batterers

14. Questions to ask about the intervention with the Perpetrator
Has the perpetrator been interviewed?
Can we describe the perpetrator pattern of coercive control over the family?
Can we describe the non-offending parents efforts to protect the children?
Does the case plan involve specific steps and expectations for the perpetrator?
Do these specific steps address the perpetrator’s pattern of coercive control?
Is there coordination between court, CPS and/or other systems regarding the perpetrator?
Is the perpetrator being referred to appropriate resources, e.g. evaluation and treatment?
Is court/CP agency outlining the changes they expect the perpetrator to make?
Is the perpetrator being held equally accountable as parent or parental figure for the safety and well-being of their children?

15. Evaluating Change Is his behavior different?
Specifically related to his pattern of coercive control
Is he able to focus on the needs of his children versus his own needs?
Is able to support the children’s relationship with their mother?
Does he identify his abusive behavior as being wrong?
Can he describe the impact of his abusive behavior on his children?
Best source of information: whoever has the information. Pros and cons of information from his family v. information from providers. Tension about information related

16. Examples of Documentation Recommendations
Do not lump batterer and survivor together. Avoid phrases like
“Couple engages in violence”
“Parents have a history of domestic violence”
“Parents both deny the violence.”
Precise & descriptive
Avoid euphemisms or vague terms like “argued” if what you mean is “hit”
Describe the pattern: “father has engaged in an escalating pattern of physical violence and intimidation that involved multiple incidents of physical assault, threats to kill the mother and her children.”
Affirm the perpetrator’s role in harming the children through his actions
“These behaviors have isolated the mother from her support system, the children from relatives and led to them moving school systems and residences twice in the past year (as a result of evictions).”
Avoid blaming the victim for the perpetrator’s violent and abusive behavior
Language to avoid:
Dysfunctional” family
Mother “allows” or “enables” the violence
Mother “failed to protect” the children

17. Recommended Alternative to “Failure to Protect” Language
Use language that focuses on the perpetrator’s role in creating harm or risk to the children.
Example:
“Despite the mother’s efforts to protect the children, the perpetrator is creating conditions injurious and harmful to the children.” (CT Collaborative)‏

18. Safe and Together Training and Technical Assistance
Child Welfare
Community Service Providers
Domestic Violence Advocates
Court
Others
Development of Domestic Violence Specialists
Intensive domestic violence trainings
Training in consultation
Technical Assistance
Needs Assessment
Review of protocols and practices
Facilitation of cross system dialog
Mentoring
Online Training
Coming in 2011

19. For more information David Mandel & Associates LLC Ph: 860-319-0966
For more information