Funding regulations and protocols tend to drive state policy & rulings, the information listed below is from the TANF (temporary assistance to needy families) funding. The official stance of the Institute is that; fit parents shall have an equitable arrangement meaning, the stay at home parent should receive support so they can have time to establish their career paths without any penalties incurred to be used in future custody hearings, due process under state and local guidelines MUST be adhered to in courts of equity and that children under ANY circumstance shall be protected from an abusive parent be it; by proxy, sexual, mental, emotional or physical. NOTE- Domestic violence by proxy is using the legal system to control or dominate by using legal means of family courts non adherence to the federal Constitutional rights granted to all citizens. NOTE - The Institute holds all parents in a gender neutral position, we do not value one parent over another other than being non-abusive. Any designations or inferences towards a certain sex behaving one way or another is wording by your federal government. Make positive changes by organizing with people in your state & start speaking with your local & federal representatives.
A huge thank you to MACCAbuse.org for their tireless efforts identifying funding issues connected to the family court issues
A huge thank you to MACCAbuse.org for their tireless efforts identifying funding issues connected to the family court issues
The Social Security Act 403 [42 U.S.C. 603] (a) Grants
(D) Appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal year 2012[11] for expenditure in accordance with this paragraph--
(i) $75,000,000 for awarding funds for the purpose of carrying out healthy marriage promotion activities; and
(ii) $75,000,000 for awarding funds for the purpose of carrying out activities promoting responsible fatherhood.
(D) Appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal year 2012[11] for expenditure in accordance with this paragraph--
(i) $75,000,000 for awarding funds for the purpose of carrying out healthy marriage promotion activities; and
(ii) $75,000,000 for awarding funds for the purpose of carrying out activities promoting responsible fatherhood.
Protocols to Guide Service Delivery taken from the fatherhood.gov site connected to the funds listed above. The content copy is below. I urge you to keep copies from the federal site to file in your case and send to any media or state or federal representatives & senators. Our research has noted that these fund recipients should be able to identity domestic violence yet they should also recognize that "Despite a commitment to education and prevention, responsible fatherhood programs are not abuse intervention programs or domestic violence prevention programs. These tasks are appropriate for other community agencies" while also not recognizing that rulings in family court severely taint & create bias within any other investigation or court appointed professional.
The copied text - please use the link to receive a printer friendly copy and one for use in your filed affidavit, subsequent denials or as evidence in any investigations to push for the need of a clean untainted investigation.
Protocols to Guide Service Delivery“In the context of promoting responsible fatherhood, a well-structured domestic violence protocol ensures that domestic violence issues within families targeted by the program are safely, routinely, and consistently identified, appropriately addressed, and that adequate supports and safeguards are in place for families dealing with domestic violence.” 2
Every fatherhood program should have a protocol to detail how it addresses domestic violence. This protocol can:
A protocol should cover many or all of the following:
“Along with creation of protocols, developing a screening tool is one of the most difficult collective tasks of the partnership. Sometimes, what they learn in their cross-training and DV101 trainings does not prepare fatherhood service providers for the terms and conditions of the screening tools suggested by their DV partners, which may not always be culturally or situationally appropriate for programs for low-income men of color. Potential partners should be prepared for this possibility.”
Jacquelyn Boggess, Center for Family Policy and Practice
A protocol should cover how a program intends to screen for domestic violence that may be affecting families served. The program protocol should describe the process clearly so staff can be trained in the approach and have a resource to clarify issues that may arise.
Some programs use formal screening tools, some rely on a more informal screening process, and many use a combination of the two approaches. The process might be different depending on whether a program is working solely with a father or also has contact with his children, the mother of his children, and/or his current partner. If you can ask questions and observe the behaviors of multiple family members, you have more opportunity to detect any warning signs; however, well trained staff can assess responses to questions and pick up other clues when working with just one partner. Experienced practitioners understand the importance of treating all participants with respect and emphasize that participants are more likely to disclose incidents or patterns of violence after enrolling and as trust is established.
Basic screening tools have certain limitations; for example, terms like “abuse” or “domestic violence” may not be readily understood. Experts advise against being too responsive or alarming as that may scare people away from services. Fernando Mederos of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families recommends using culturally sensitive and gender-neutral language to ensure accurate information is obtained. For instance, men who have suffered intimate partner violence are more likely to report “incidents of violence” than they are to identify or disclose themselves as “victims.”
Many programs use formal intake screening tools that include questions such as, “When you and your partner argue, does your partner ever show or express fear about your behavior?” and “Have your children ever witnessed arguing or fighting between you and your current or former partner?” One state agency asks parents about their own behavior and their partner’s behavior during arguments. Questions tap whether they have felt threatened physically, been intimidated or humiliated by a current or past partner, had insults directed at them by the partner, or had personal belongings destroyed. If respondents answer “yes” to any question, they are asked if they would like to talk to someone about these behaviors.
A more informal screening approach allows men to open up gradually and offer more information about violence in their lives as they feel more comfortable with and trust fatherhood program staff. One experienced practitioner recommends programs begin by asking dads whether they feel safe in their communities and whether their lives have been affected by violence. By asking about violence in their community, fatherhood practitioners can raise the idea that all individuals have a right to feel safe, including an ex-partner.
“We want to help men see their partner or ex-partner as a human being, whether they like her or not,” said one expert. “We have a general conversation about how everyone has a right to be safe from violence, and eventually we can get into more specifics.”“Self-awareness can be supported by asking all men to reflect on their own behaviors—both in the program intake process and through workshops. Making self-reflection a cultural expectation of your program is a great way to build trust with DV agencies in your community. This self-assessment can help reframe ‘normal’ behavior as harmful, and help build empathy with women’s experiences of men’s behavior.”
ramesh kathanadhi, Men Stopping Violence
Protocols to Guide Service Delivery“In the context of promoting responsible fatherhood, a well-structured domestic violence protocol ensures that domestic violence issues within families targeted by the program are safely, routinely, and consistently identified, appropriately addressed, and that adequate supports and safeguards are in place for families dealing with domestic violence.” 2
Every fatherhood program should have a protocol to detail how it addresses domestic violence. This protocol can:
- Demonstrate program and partner staff understanding of domestic violence and its impact on children and families.
- Outline strategies for influencing attitudes and behavior of program participants.
- Describe approaches that show respect to mothers and encourage positive co-parenting.
A protocol should cover many or all of the following:
- List of key project partners.
- Project description and goals.
- Scope and purpose of protocol.
- Underlying principles and shared values.
- Definition of domestic violence.
- Screening for domestic violence.
- Information provided to and exchanged with referring partners.
- Responding to disclosures of abuse by victims or abusers.
- Victim confidentiality protections and limitations.
- Fatherhood program strategy to address domestic violence.
- Cross-training on responsible fatherhood and domestic violence issues.
- Procedures for review of protocols, cases, and partnership.
- Domestic violence is harmful to children in multiple ways, including their safety, development, and relationships with both parents.
- Fathers are important to children and affect their children, for better or worse.
- Despite a commitment to education and prevention, responsible fatherhood programs are not abuse intervention programs or domestic violence prevention programs. These tasks are appropriate for other community agencies.
- Fatherhood programs should have solid relationships with domestic violence prevention agencies in their communities that offer access to victim resources and formal screening procedures to ensure attention to family safety.
- Fatherhood programs should have referral relationships with community services for men who batter.
- Fatherhood program staff should receive orientation and annual refresher training on domestic violence to ensure they respond with sensitivity and know when and how to make referrals.
- Fatherhood programs should have mechanisms to allow fathers and other family members to report or self-report domestic violence issues without shame.
- Responsible fatherhood groups should promote prevention by educating men at risk of battering partners and children, plus intervention by motivating men who batter to seek help. They also should engage program participants who are not violent with their partners or children to promote nonviolence.
“Along with creation of protocols, developing a screening tool is one of the most difficult collective tasks of the partnership. Sometimes, what they learn in their cross-training and DV101 trainings does not prepare fatherhood service providers for the terms and conditions of the screening tools suggested by their DV partners, which may not always be culturally or situationally appropriate for programs for low-income men of color. Potential partners should be prepared for this possibility.”
Jacquelyn Boggess, Center for Family Policy and Practice
A protocol should cover how a program intends to screen for domestic violence that may be affecting families served. The program protocol should describe the process clearly so staff can be trained in the approach and have a resource to clarify issues that may arise.
Some programs use formal screening tools, some rely on a more informal screening process, and many use a combination of the two approaches. The process might be different depending on whether a program is working solely with a father or also has contact with his children, the mother of his children, and/or his current partner. If you can ask questions and observe the behaviors of multiple family members, you have more opportunity to detect any warning signs; however, well trained staff can assess responses to questions and pick up other clues when working with just one partner. Experienced practitioners understand the importance of treating all participants with respect and emphasize that participants are more likely to disclose incidents or patterns of violence after enrolling and as trust is established.
Basic screening tools have certain limitations; for example, terms like “abuse” or “domestic violence” may not be readily understood. Experts advise against being too responsive or alarming as that may scare people away from services. Fernando Mederos of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families recommends using culturally sensitive and gender-neutral language to ensure accurate information is obtained. For instance, men who have suffered intimate partner violence are more likely to report “incidents of violence” than they are to identify or disclose themselves as “victims.”
Many programs use formal intake screening tools that include questions such as, “When you and your partner argue, does your partner ever show or express fear about your behavior?” and “Have your children ever witnessed arguing or fighting between you and your current or former partner?” One state agency asks parents about their own behavior and their partner’s behavior during arguments. Questions tap whether they have felt threatened physically, been intimidated or humiliated by a current or past partner, had insults directed at them by the partner, or had personal belongings destroyed. If respondents answer “yes” to any question, they are asked if they would like to talk to someone about these behaviors.
A more informal screening approach allows men to open up gradually and offer more information about violence in their lives as they feel more comfortable with and trust fatherhood program staff. One experienced practitioner recommends programs begin by asking dads whether they feel safe in their communities and whether their lives have been affected by violence. By asking about violence in their community, fatherhood practitioners can raise the idea that all individuals have a right to feel safe, including an ex-partner.
“We want to help men see their partner or ex-partner as a human being, whether they like her or not,” said one expert. “We have a general conversation about how everyone has a right to be safe from violence, and eventually we can get into more specifics.”“Self-awareness can be supported by asking all men to reflect on their own behaviors—both in the program intake process and through workshops. Making self-reflection a cultural expectation of your program is a great way to build trust with DV agencies in your community. This self-assessment can help reframe ‘normal’ behavior as harmful, and help build empathy with women’s experiences of men’s behavior.”
ramesh kathanadhi, Men Stopping Violence
