SEE HOW A PROGRAM WORKS
VCS Inc.'s NMOAS Model batterer program is called, the VCS Domestic Violence Program for Men – Rockland County, NY. In order to administer a NOMAS Model batterer program, meticulous records must be kept. Adherence to all internal administrative procedures is essential.
1. Court Orders: The court issues its order, faxes a copy to the Domestic Violence Program for Men and provides the referred person a copy of the Referral Form.
Note that the referring court1 indicates the duration of the order (either 52 or 26 sessions) and the amount of time a referred person has to call to set a registration appointment. Registration Appointments are scheduled to occur within 10 business days.
If a referred person calls prior to receipt of a referral, a phone call is then made to the referring court1 to obtain a copy of the Referral Form. A registration will not take place without a referral.
2. Participant Records: When a referral is received, a participant file is opened. Included in the file are:
a. An Administrative Information and Procedure Checklist includes referral source, length of order, etc. The checklist is used to record the dates that reports are sent to anyone, regarding the participant. Copies of all reports and letters are kept in the file. Also noted on the checklist is a participant’s date of registration, site of attendance and weekly fee.
b. A Contact Sheet is a record of our interactions with the referring court1, participant and anyone else who contacts us in relation to a participant. Notations include name, date, affiliation and a description of each contact.
c. A Calendar is kept noting all dates of attendance and absences. Upcoming court dates are also highlighted.3. Registration: The purpose of a registration is threefold:
a. Purpose
1. First, is to collect demographic data, financial and contact information. See the Registration Form. (A weekly fee is set based on the financial information provided.)
2. Second, and key to the registration, is to fully give each referred person information about what will be required of him. Attendance and Policy Requirements are read aloud in the language that he best understands, as well as provided in the Participant Pamphlet, which is given to each registrant, . The pamphlet also includes a calendar and program schedules.
Attendance Requirements are:
In a 52 session order, a participant may be absent up to 6 times. If a 7th session is missed the participant will be dismissed. In a 26 session order, a participant may be absent up to 3 times. If a 4th session is missed the participant will be dismissed.
There are three absence restrictions: a participant may only take one absence in the first four sessions held, a participant may only be absent two times in a row and a participant may only take three absences in the first 26 sessions of a 52 session order. More than this will result in dismissal. There are no excused absences.
Any session missed due to office cancellation, holiday or religious observance extends the length of time it takes to complete an order so that the full number of court-ordered sessions is attended.
3. Third, registration is an opportunity for the Domestic Violence Program for Men to establish a tone of respect and fairness which is emblematic of all phases of NOMAS Model batterer programs. Equally important during registration is to demonstrate the candor that is a staff standard in discussing all aspects of the program.
As a result of this process, a referred person can make an informed decision to attend the program, or not. The decision is his. If he agrees to attend in accord with all stated policies, we require his signature stating so and a start date is set. Note: Start dates are set no more than two weeks from the date of the registration. If he does not agree, his file is closed.
b. Scheduling Registration Appointments
1. If the referred person calls, a registration appointment is made. In taking the call, staff members use a Registration-Orientation Appointment Slip. This form assures that each caller is told all of the information he needs to successfully complete his registration into the Domestic Violence Program for Men. Importantly, this includes that he must bring a pre-set $40 registration fee.
2. If the referred person does not call by the deadline indicated on his referral form, a Registration Status Report is sent to the referring court1 and the referred person’s file is closed.
4. Reporting Procedures: Remembering the purpose of NOMAS Model batterer programs as a service to the civil and criminal court systems requires commitment and dedication to all aspects of the reporting procedures. Significant staff time is devoted to this function.
The following steps are taken in all instances:
a. Registration Reports: The referring court1 is notified of a participant's registration status. Upon completion of a registration, the referring court1 is sent a Registration Status Report.
If the referred person refuses to register at any point or for any reason, the referring court1 is sent a Registration Status Report.
b. Completion of Court Order or Dismissal: The referring court1 is notified about a participant’s completion or dismissal from the Domestic Violence Program for Men within one business day.
An Attendance/Completion/Dismissal Report is sent to the referring court1 when the participant has completed the court’s order to attend the Domestic Violence Program for Men in full compliance with all policies.
An Attendance/ Completion/ Dismissal Report is sent to the referring court1 when the participant has exceeded his allowed absences or failed to comply with other policy requirements.
c. Non-Compliance Follow-up: The Domestic Violence Program for Men follows up with the referring court1 to ascertain what action was taken in every instance of failure to register and dismissal/termination from the program. These follow-ups are time consuming and require many contacts. This process is not complete until there is a final adjudication or loss of jurisdiction.
d. Reporting Procedures Directed to Participant: As a courtesy, we notify participants of the following:
Every participant receives a Last Session Letter as he leaves the session that fulfills his order. It informs him of his compliance with the referring court’s1 order to attend the Domestic Violence Program for Men.
A Dismissal Letter is sent to a participant who has exceeded his allowed absences or failed to comply with other policy requirements.
e. Optional Reporting: If a referring court1 requests further reporting, we offer the option of a tailored attendance report (Attendance/Completion/Dismissal Report). For example, referring courts1 have requested reports to be sent monthly, every 8 weeks, for scheduled court dates and/or for each absence. In addition, reports are sent immediately in response to a request by a referring court1.
5. What We Do In the Sessions:
It is imperative that readers understand that the content presented in sessions is not at the heart of NOMAS Model batterer programs. The role it has within the civil and criminal court systems is a NOMAS Model batterer programs' central function. Our experience is that no matter how much we emphasize this crucial point, there is always more interest in the content of the sessions than in the role a program plays. We say this here in the hopes of avoiding this pitfall as we present what actually happens in the Domestic Violence Program for Men sessions.
The atmosphere is warm and cordial. Staff members balance responsibility to set and maintain limits (as delineated in the Attendance and Policy Requirements), with being engaging and interesting.
Important note!: With more than 25 years of experience, we say with surety that facilitating sessions is almost identical to providing training to both professional and lay audiences. A striking similarity is that the questions asked by program participants are exactly the same questions asked in other venues. (See Frequently Asked Questions)
The main difference is in the amount of authority we have. For example, if a participant naps or dozes, he is given a warning that he must stay awake – or he will be asked to leave and marked absent. Conversely, in a professional training when there were two “sleepers,” we did not have the authority to set that same limit. There have been other instances of disrespectful interactions from professional audiences that we would not tolerate from participants in our program. Our participants would be cautioned that if their behavior continued, they would be dismissed and marked absent. Professional audiences require other strategies.
a. 15-Minute Pre-Session Staff Processing: Staff routinely meets for fifteen minutes prior to the time that participants are scheduled to check-in. This is essential not only to discuss the material to be presented in the upcoming session but to connect and begin the art of co-instruction.
b. Sign-in: Because monitoring is a central function of the NOMAS Model, we conduct our administrative processes within the 1.5 hour session. When participants arrive, they are greeted by Domestic Violence Program for Men staff members.
The sign-in process begins precisely at start time when participants are invited into the room and the door is closed. A participant shows his Fee Card, pays with cash or money order (no checks), signs the Roster and takes a seat. If he arrives without his fee card, he is given the opportunity to purchase a replacement. If he arrives without his fee, he is denied entry and marked absent.
The number of participants per session varies. The maximums are dictated mostly by the size of the room. Sessions generally range from 6 to 30 men.
c. Curriculum: Material that comprises the “curriculum” for NOMAS Model batterer programs is as fluid as the model itself. The information presented is within a framework of comprehensive information about ending domestic violence in the United States, using history, anti-racist analysis and current trends as a framework.
The Domestic Violence Program for Men provides important, serious analysis and topics that explore the roots of sexism, racism and the other oppressions which contribute to the systemic problems leading to much of the violence men commit against their intimate partners.
Our sessions consist more of topics for discussion than a pre-set “curriculum”. Those facilitating the sessions not only decide which topic but also how to present it. Topics commonly covered are:
• Historical perspectives of sexism and racism in the United States
• Defining domestic violence, inside and outside the law, what it is and what it isn't, causes, contributing factors . . .
• History of the movement to end men's violence against women
• History of batterer programs in the United States
• Pros and cons of batterer programs in the community
• History of development of NOMAS Model batterer programs
• Role and purpose of NOMAS Model for batterer programs
• Judicial monitoring and offender accountability
• Relating anti-sexist, anti-racist and other anti-oppression principles
• Current events relating to domestic violence
• Defining comprehensive, coordinated community response
• Men's roles and responsibilities in changing the social norms that sustain domestic violence
• Brainstorming what specific systems and institutions can do to end domestic violence (i.e. faith communities, media, sports, courts, education)
To further define our “curriculum”, we repeatedly say that we provide exactly the same material to professional and lay audiences. In fact, when practicing for a presentation, staff has rehearsed within the sessions, sharing with the participants that they are doing so.
Our "curriculum" can further be understood by viewing the Frequently Asked Questions. All of these questions have been asked and responded to in NOMAS Model batterer program sessions.
Sources of our information include books, articles, theories, videos, research, current events, material from state, regional and national conferences, etc. All Domestic Violence Program for Men material continues to evolve and change. We are aware that much of what we share and teach about is not emphasized or even taught in most college and graduate school curricula.
d. Process and Interaction:
1. Selecting a Topic: There is a great deal of flexibility afforded to Domestic Violence Program for Men staff. Subject matter may be picked up from the prior week. Breaking news may be headlined on the board. A video may be shown. Questions or comments may be elicited from the participants. A television show or movie may be discussed. A presentation may be shared between the two staff or one or the other may be the primary presenter.
2. Setting the Tone: Staff takes the time to introduce themselves and often asks each participant to do so, as well. As part of their introduction, staff might ask participants a question that could set the tone or topic for that session. Questions may be, “Is there something you have been wanting us to address related to any of the material you have been hearing?” or “What do you remember from last week’s session?” etc. Or, staff can simply introduce the topic to be discussed. No matter how the session begins, staff sets a tone that promotes respectful interactions.
3. Importance of Teamwork: The process of teamwork and communication between the co-facilitators is extremely important. The teamwork strengthens all presentations, demonstrates respectful interaction and proves invaluable in the limit setting responsibility.
4. Presentation Skills: The sessions serve as an on-going training laboratory for staff to fine-tune their presentation skills.
5. Authority: Staff members have full authority and responsibility during sessions. Maintaining that authority is critical. Occasionally, a participant may test the boundaries, become disrespectful, or otherwise create a disturbance. When a participant acts in such a way, staff members are trained to defuse the situation calmly, directly and respectfully. There are many strategies that can be used, including having a participant "audit" or sit silently for the rest of the session. Once asked, if he does not do so, he is dismissed from that session and marked absent. If he does not feel he has been dealt with fairly, he may call the office to ask for a hearing. In almost every instance, a hearing is granted.
Staff members do not engage in arguing with any one, at any time, for any reason. Our role in the session is to share perspectives, not to argue.
e. 15-Minute Post-Session Processing: After each session the staff meets again for fifteen minutes. They use this time to give each other feedback and to discuss issues that arose in the session that they will also bring to Staff Development. There are also a series of administrative tasks to be completed. Money is counted, a Staff Report is filled out and responsibility for returning this material and the roster is decided. Staff has reported that this segment brings a good sense of closure to each session.6. Meeting with Difficult Program Participants: Staff may ask that a participant be suspended from attending sessions until he has a meeting with the director. This may be the result of a dismissal from a session or for a range of other reasons. The meeting is to decide if he will be allowed to continue in the program.
Contact is made with the participant who is given a limited amount of time to call and to make the appointment. If he does not, he is dismissed from the program. If he does, the meeting is scheduled and begins with the participant being asked why he thinks the meeting was required. Invariably, participants tell about what was done to them or how they were otherwise wronged. The program director and another staff person hear this knowing that the participant may, in fact, have been treated unfairly.
The next step is to tell the participant that the meeting is not about what was done to him, which we will surely deal with, but how he behaved in response to what was done – which is unacceptable. At this point, many participants argue that they did not behave poorly – and ask for specifics. Our response is to indicate that the way he is behaving in this meeting is quite acceptable – and if he does not know the difference between that and how he was in the session – than we will terminate the meeting, dismiss him from the program and inform the court. This is often the turning point. At this moment, participants typically decide that they do know the difference, they commit to no repeat of offending behaviors and to abide by the attendance and policy requirements. They are reminded that if they feel unfairly treated, the recourse is to call the office for a hearing.
The program director and the staff person can make a decision on the spot or indicate that a participant will be called to render our decision. If he is allowed to continue in the program, he is also told that further display of disruptive behavior will result in dismissal from the program – with no possibility of another meeting.
If participant is unwilling to acknowledge his disruptive behavior or does not commit to abide by all attendance and policy requirements he is dismissed from the program and referring courts are notified of the dismissal.
7. Training and Staff Development:
a. Staff Member Training: To begin the process of training to become a staff member in the Domestic Violence Program for Men, a candidate fills out an application, meets with the director or a supervisor and begins attending weekly Staff Development.
At the discretion of the director and/or supervisors, the trainee will be invited to start attending sessions as an observer, an auditor. The role of an auditor is to observe two experienced staff members, focusing on what they are doing, their ways of maintaining limits, delivering content, etc. It is all that is discussed in Staff Development. An auditor will see ways in which the staff interact with each other, interact with participants, set and maintain limits, present the material and maintain program policies.
Auditors complete an Auditor Report for each session attended, bring it to the next Staff Development and give it to one of the Supervisors for review. Auditors are also asked to bring material from their observations to Staff Development and raise at least one issue for discussion. The second phase of auditing will begin when the Supervisors suggest that the Auditor begin "adding their voice" to session discussions. At the end of the auditing process, there are four possibilities:
1. Auditor will begin to co-facilitate sessions.
2. Auditor will be asked to continue auditing.
3. Auditor will begin a limited probationary co-facilitator role.
4. A decision is made that facilitating in the Domestic Violence Program for Men is not appropriate at this time.
b. Staff Development: All staff and potential staff members, regardless of level of experience, are required to attend a weekly Staff Development meeting for 1.5 hours. Battered women’s advocates are always welcome, and other guests may also attend at the discretion of the director.
During each Staff Development, various issues, concerns and questions related to facilitating the sessions are raised and discussed, as well as the full range of subjects on domestic violence that forms the content of the sessions.
Participation is essential. Staff Development is a dynamic process that works best when everyone participates in the discussions. Each session starts with a Focus List where issues faced or observed in recent sessions are raised.
Regular attendance is required. All staff members attend Staff Development each week.
1 Courts or agent of the courts (Probation, Social Service Caseworkers, Parole, etc.)
Note that the referring court1 indicates the duration of the order (either 52 or 26 sessions) and the amount of time a referred person has to call to set a registration appointment. Registration Appointments are scheduled to occur within 10 business days.
If a referred person calls prior to receipt of a referral, a phone call is then made to the referring court1 to obtain a copy of the Referral Form. A registration will not take place without a referral.
2. Participant Records: When a referral is received, a participant file is opened. Included in the file are:
a. An Administrative Information and Procedure Checklist includes referral source, length of order, etc. The checklist is used to record the dates that reports are sent to anyone, regarding the participant. Copies of all reports and letters are kept in the file. Also noted on the checklist is a participant’s date of registration, site of attendance and weekly fee.
b. A Contact Sheet is a record of our interactions with the referring court1, participant and anyone else who contacts us in relation to a participant. Notations include name, date, affiliation and a description of each contact.
c. A Calendar is kept noting all dates of attendance and absences. Upcoming court dates are also highlighted.3. Registration: The purpose of a registration is threefold:
a. Purpose
1. First, is to collect demographic data, financial and contact information. See the Registration Form. (A weekly fee is set based on the financial information provided.)
2. Second, and key to the registration, is to fully give each referred person information about what will be required of him. Attendance and Policy Requirements are read aloud in the language that he best understands, as well as provided in the Participant Pamphlet, which is given to each registrant, . The pamphlet also includes a calendar and program schedules.
Attendance Requirements are:
In a 52 session order, a participant may be absent up to 6 times. If a 7th session is missed the participant will be dismissed. In a 26 session order, a participant may be absent up to 3 times. If a 4th session is missed the participant will be dismissed.
There are three absence restrictions: a participant may only take one absence in the first four sessions held, a participant may only be absent two times in a row and a participant may only take three absences in the first 26 sessions of a 52 session order. More than this will result in dismissal. There are no excused absences.
Any session missed due to office cancellation, holiday or religious observance extends the length of time it takes to complete an order so that the full number of court-ordered sessions is attended.
3. Third, registration is an opportunity for the Domestic Violence Program for Men to establish a tone of respect and fairness which is emblematic of all phases of NOMAS Model batterer programs. Equally important during registration is to demonstrate the candor that is a staff standard in discussing all aspects of the program.
As a result of this process, a referred person can make an informed decision to attend the program, or not. The decision is his. If he agrees to attend in accord with all stated policies, we require his signature stating so and a start date is set. Note: Start dates are set no more than two weeks from the date of the registration. If he does not agree, his file is closed.
b. Scheduling Registration Appointments
1. If the referred person calls, a registration appointment is made. In taking the call, staff members use a Registration-Orientation Appointment Slip. This form assures that each caller is told all of the information he needs to successfully complete his registration into the Domestic Violence Program for Men. Importantly, this includes that he must bring a pre-set $40 registration fee.
2. If the referred person does not call by the deadline indicated on his referral form, a Registration Status Report is sent to the referring court1 and the referred person’s file is closed.
4. Reporting Procedures: Remembering the purpose of NOMAS Model batterer programs as a service to the civil and criminal court systems requires commitment and dedication to all aspects of the reporting procedures. Significant staff time is devoted to this function.
The following steps are taken in all instances:
a. Registration Reports: The referring court1 is notified of a participant's registration status. Upon completion of a registration, the referring court1 is sent a Registration Status Report.
If the referred person refuses to register at any point or for any reason, the referring court1 is sent a Registration Status Report.
b. Completion of Court Order or Dismissal: The referring court1 is notified about a participant’s completion or dismissal from the Domestic Violence Program for Men within one business day.
An Attendance/Completion/Dismissal Report is sent to the referring court1 when the participant has completed the court’s order to attend the Domestic Violence Program for Men in full compliance with all policies.
An Attendance/ Completion/ Dismissal Report is sent to the referring court1 when the participant has exceeded his allowed absences or failed to comply with other policy requirements.
c. Non-Compliance Follow-up: The Domestic Violence Program for Men follows up with the referring court1 to ascertain what action was taken in every instance of failure to register and dismissal/termination from the program. These follow-ups are time consuming and require many contacts. This process is not complete until there is a final adjudication or loss of jurisdiction.
d. Reporting Procedures Directed to Participant: As a courtesy, we notify participants of the following:
Every participant receives a Last Session Letter as he leaves the session that fulfills his order. It informs him of his compliance with the referring court’s1 order to attend the Domestic Violence Program for Men.
A Dismissal Letter is sent to a participant who has exceeded his allowed absences or failed to comply with other policy requirements.
e. Optional Reporting: If a referring court1 requests further reporting, we offer the option of a tailored attendance report (Attendance/Completion/Dismissal Report). For example, referring courts1 have requested reports to be sent monthly, every 8 weeks, for scheduled court dates and/or for each absence. In addition, reports are sent immediately in response to a request by a referring court1.
5. What We Do In the Sessions:
It is imperative that readers understand that the content presented in sessions is not at the heart of NOMAS Model batterer programs. The role it has within the civil and criminal court systems is a NOMAS Model batterer programs' central function. Our experience is that no matter how much we emphasize this crucial point, there is always more interest in the content of the sessions than in the role a program plays. We say this here in the hopes of avoiding this pitfall as we present what actually happens in the Domestic Violence Program for Men sessions.
The atmosphere is warm and cordial. Staff members balance responsibility to set and maintain limits (as delineated in the Attendance and Policy Requirements), with being engaging and interesting.
Important note!: With more than 25 years of experience, we say with surety that facilitating sessions is almost identical to providing training to both professional and lay audiences. A striking similarity is that the questions asked by program participants are exactly the same questions asked in other venues. (See Frequently Asked Questions)
The main difference is in the amount of authority we have. For example, if a participant naps or dozes, he is given a warning that he must stay awake – or he will be asked to leave and marked absent. Conversely, in a professional training when there were two “sleepers,” we did not have the authority to set that same limit. There have been other instances of disrespectful interactions from professional audiences that we would not tolerate from participants in our program. Our participants would be cautioned that if their behavior continued, they would be dismissed and marked absent. Professional audiences require other strategies.
a. 15-Minute Pre-Session Staff Processing: Staff routinely meets for fifteen minutes prior to the time that participants are scheduled to check-in. This is essential not only to discuss the material to be presented in the upcoming session but to connect and begin the art of co-instruction.
b. Sign-in: Because monitoring is a central function of the NOMAS Model, we conduct our administrative processes within the 1.5 hour session. When participants arrive, they are greeted by Domestic Violence Program for Men staff members.
The sign-in process begins precisely at start time when participants are invited into the room and the door is closed. A participant shows his Fee Card, pays with cash or money order (no checks), signs the Roster and takes a seat. If he arrives without his fee card, he is given the opportunity to purchase a replacement. If he arrives without his fee, he is denied entry and marked absent.
The number of participants per session varies. The maximums are dictated mostly by the size of the room. Sessions generally range from 6 to 30 men.
c. Curriculum: Material that comprises the “curriculum” for NOMAS Model batterer programs is as fluid as the model itself. The information presented is within a framework of comprehensive information about ending domestic violence in the United States, using history, anti-racist analysis and current trends as a framework.
The Domestic Violence Program for Men provides important, serious analysis and topics that explore the roots of sexism, racism and the other oppressions which contribute to the systemic problems leading to much of the violence men commit against their intimate partners.
Our sessions consist more of topics for discussion than a pre-set “curriculum”. Those facilitating the sessions not only decide which topic but also how to present it. Topics commonly covered are:
• Historical perspectives of sexism and racism in the United States
• Defining domestic violence, inside and outside the law, what it is and what it isn't, causes, contributing factors . . .
• History of the movement to end men's violence against women
• History of batterer programs in the United States
• Pros and cons of batterer programs in the community
• History of development of NOMAS Model batterer programs
• Role and purpose of NOMAS Model for batterer programs
• Judicial monitoring and offender accountability
• Relating anti-sexist, anti-racist and other anti-oppression principles
• Current events relating to domestic violence
• Defining comprehensive, coordinated community response
• Men's roles and responsibilities in changing the social norms that sustain domestic violence
• Brainstorming what specific systems and institutions can do to end domestic violence (i.e. faith communities, media, sports, courts, education)
To further define our “curriculum”, we repeatedly say that we provide exactly the same material to professional and lay audiences. In fact, when practicing for a presentation, staff has rehearsed within the sessions, sharing with the participants that they are doing so.
Our "curriculum" can further be understood by viewing the Frequently Asked Questions. All of these questions have been asked and responded to in NOMAS Model batterer program sessions.
Sources of our information include books, articles, theories, videos, research, current events, material from state, regional and national conferences, etc. All Domestic Violence Program for Men material continues to evolve and change. We are aware that much of what we share and teach about is not emphasized or even taught in most college and graduate school curricula.
d. Process and Interaction:
1. Selecting a Topic: There is a great deal of flexibility afforded to Domestic Violence Program for Men staff. Subject matter may be picked up from the prior week. Breaking news may be headlined on the board. A video may be shown. Questions or comments may be elicited from the participants. A television show or movie may be discussed. A presentation may be shared between the two staff or one or the other may be the primary presenter.
2. Setting the Tone: Staff takes the time to introduce themselves and often asks each participant to do so, as well. As part of their introduction, staff might ask participants a question that could set the tone or topic for that session. Questions may be, “Is there something you have been wanting us to address related to any of the material you have been hearing?” or “What do you remember from last week’s session?” etc. Or, staff can simply introduce the topic to be discussed. No matter how the session begins, staff sets a tone that promotes respectful interactions.
3. Importance of Teamwork: The process of teamwork and communication between the co-facilitators is extremely important. The teamwork strengthens all presentations, demonstrates respectful interaction and proves invaluable in the limit setting responsibility.
4. Presentation Skills: The sessions serve as an on-going training laboratory for staff to fine-tune their presentation skills.
5. Authority: Staff members have full authority and responsibility during sessions. Maintaining that authority is critical. Occasionally, a participant may test the boundaries, become disrespectful, or otherwise create a disturbance. When a participant acts in such a way, staff members are trained to defuse the situation calmly, directly and respectfully. There are many strategies that can be used, including having a participant "audit" or sit silently for the rest of the session. Once asked, if he does not do so, he is dismissed from that session and marked absent. If he does not feel he has been dealt with fairly, he may call the office to ask for a hearing. In almost every instance, a hearing is granted.
Staff members do not engage in arguing with any one, at any time, for any reason. Our role in the session is to share perspectives, not to argue.
e. 15-Minute Post-Session Processing: After each session the staff meets again for fifteen minutes. They use this time to give each other feedback and to discuss issues that arose in the session that they will also bring to Staff Development. There are also a series of administrative tasks to be completed. Money is counted, a Staff Report is filled out and responsibility for returning this material and the roster is decided. Staff has reported that this segment brings a good sense of closure to each session.6. Meeting with Difficult Program Participants: Staff may ask that a participant be suspended from attending sessions until he has a meeting with the director. This may be the result of a dismissal from a session or for a range of other reasons. The meeting is to decide if he will be allowed to continue in the program.
Contact is made with the participant who is given a limited amount of time to call and to make the appointment. If he does not, he is dismissed from the program. If he does, the meeting is scheduled and begins with the participant being asked why he thinks the meeting was required. Invariably, participants tell about what was done to them or how they were otherwise wronged. The program director and another staff person hear this knowing that the participant may, in fact, have been treated unfairly.
The next step is to tell the participant that the meeting is not about what was done to him, which we will surely deal with, but how he behaved in response to what was done – which is unacceptable. At this point, many participants argue that they did not behave poorly – and ask for specifics. Our response is to indicate that the way he is behaving in this meeting is quite acceptable – and if he does not know the difference between that and how he was in the session – than we will terminate the meeting, dismiss him from the program and inform the court. This is often the turning point. At this moment, participants typically decide that they do know the difference, they commit to no repeat of offending behaviors and to abide by the attendance and policy requirements. They are reminded that if they feel unfairly treated, the recourse is to call the office for a hearing.
The program director and the staff person can make a decision on the spot or indicate that a participant will be called to render our decision. If he is allowed to continue in the program, he is also told that further display of disruptive behavior will result in dismissal from the program – with no possibility of another meeting.
If participant is unwilling to acknowledge his disruptive behavior or does not commit to abide by all attendance and policy requirements he is dismissed from the program and referring courts are notified of the dismissal.
7. Training and Staff Development:
a. Staff Member Training: To begin the process of training to become a staff member in the Domestic Violence Program for Men, a candidate fills out an application, meets with the director or a supervisor and begins attending weekly Staff Development.
At the discretion of the director and/or supervisors, the trainee will be invited to start attending sessions as an observer, an auditor. The role of an auditor is to observe two experienced staff members, focusing on what they are doing, their ways of maintaining limits, delivering content, etc. It is all that is discussed in Staff Development. An auditor will see ways in which the staff interact with each other, interact with participants, set and maintain limits, present the material and maintain program policies.
Auditors complete an Auditor Report for each session attended, bring it to the next Staff Development and give it to one of the Supervisors for review. Auditors are also asked to bring material from their observations to Staff Development and raise at least one issue for discussion. The second phase of auditing will begin when the Supervisors suggest that the Auditor begin "adding their voice" to session discussions. At the end of the auditing process, there are four possibilities:
1. Auditor will begin to co-facilitate sessions.
2. Auditor will be asked to continue auditing.
3. Auditor will begin a limited probationary co-facilitator role.
4. A decision is made that facilitating in the Domestic Violence Program for Men is not appropriate at this time.
b. Staff Development: All staff and potential staff members, regardless of level of experience, are required to attend a weekly Staff Development meeting for 1.5 hours. Battered women’s advocates are always welcome, and other guests may also attend at the discretion of the director.
During each Staff Development, various issues, concerns and questions related to facilitating the sessions are raised and discussed, as well as the full range of subjects on domestic violence that forms the content of the sessions.
Participation is essential. Staff Development is a dynamic process that works best when everyone participates in the discussions. Each session starts with a Focus List where issues faced or observed in recent sessions are raised.
Regular attendance is required. All staff members attend Staff Development each week.
1 Courts or agent of the courts (Probation, Social Service Caseworkers, Parole, etc.)