DVERT COPS Grant
Law enforcement and other community agencies around the country are
considering modeling appropriate aspects of the DVERT program in their
own communities. DVERT was awarded a grant from COPS (Community Oriented
Policing Services) in October 1998 (Grant 98-DV-WX-KO13)designed to assist other communities with the development of
multidisciplinary coordinated community responses to domestic violence.
To achieve greater impact, this grant included the development of
multimedia technology in the form of an informational CD-ROM, updated
DVERT web site, and DVERT Training Video, as well as the use of
mentoring site visits.
Multimedia
The multimedia development contract will commence on April 30, 2001 and end on August
31, 2001. This portion of the grant also allowed for the purchase of
various training and development equipment, including Proxima
projectors, laptop and desktop computers, projection screen, and sound
cards. The majority of the multimedia funding will be invested in the
development of the DVERT Informational CD-ROM, the DVERT Training Video,
and the DVERT web site.
DVERT Informational CD-ROM
This CD-ROM will be tailored for an audience including public,
nonprofit, and private agencies that are involved in offering domestic
violence services and interested in collaboration with other agencies in
their communities to offer a seamless systems approach to domestic
violence. This CD-ROM will present an overview of the DVERT
Multidisciplinary Model, as well as allow users to engage in a
questionnaire and collaboration-model-development process that will
suggest potential partners for their community. Upon completion, users
of the CD-ROM should be practiced in multidisciplinary team development,
empowered to engage in the formation of their own team, and educated
about the DVERT Model of Multidisciplinary Collaboration.
DVERT Training Video
This training video will be tailored for a similar audience (as
mentioned previously), to be used in individual and large group training
settings. After viewing the video, individuals should have an
understanding of DVERT case management as displayed in the video
segments. This training video will include video testimonials given by
DVERT Partner agencies and video clips of the DVERT Partners Meeting,
DVERT Staff Meeting, DVERT Staffing Unit, DVERT Case Management meeting,
DVERT Call-Out (mock), and DVERT Home Visit (mock).
DVERT Web Site
The DVERT web site, located at www.dvert.org,
will provide domestic violence information as well as information about
DVERT, to include an overview of operations, research and development,
and links to other relevant web sites. The web site will also include
opt-in lists and capabilities of contacting DVERT staff.
DVERT Site Visits
DVERT offers Site Visit Mentoring opportunities to both developing and
established multidisciplinary teams. Teams from other communities are
able to visit DVERT in Colorado Springs, or a team from DVERT can visit
an interested community. In both settings, site visits allow for teams
to learn more about the history of DVERT, as well as current operational
strategies in a context that allows for plenty of individualized time.
Because DVERT operations reach a wide variety of communities, ranging
from 300 to 500,000 in population, site visits are beneficial to both
urban and rural communities.
Teams are able to meet with DVERT staff and partners and discuss issues specific to their own community. Professionals are able to learn more about the DVERT program, identify barriers to multidisciplinary collaboration within their own community, and cultivate strategies for developing a collaboration that best meets the needs of their community. In the past, visiting teams have included representatives from victim advocacy, law enforcement, research, child protective services, animal welfare, prosecution, community health, victim assistance, and probation.
Since 1999, DVERT has organized more than ten incoming site visits and two outgoing site visits. There are currently nine site visits being planned. Since September 2000, DVERT has responded to more than 80 requests for site visit information, and 40 communities have expressed a desire to complete a site visit.
