Community Violence Intervention Center Inc

PREVENTING VIOLENCE. PROMOTING SAFETY. BUILDING HOPE. CVIC'S SAFER TOMORROWS ROAD MAP IS UNPRECEDENTED IN ITS MULTI-FACETED APPROACH TO END GENERATIONAL VIOLENCE BY SIMULTANEOUSLY ADDRESSING SAFETY, HEALING AND PREVENTION/EDUCATION. DESIRED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 1) RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS WHO HEAL FROM TRAUMA AND DEVELOP RESILIENCY; 2) STRONG FAMILIES WHO INCREASE STABILITY AND DECREASE INTERGENERATIONAL VIOLENCE; AND 3) THRIVING COMMUNITIES THAT REALIZE A SHIFT IN CULTURAL NORMS THAT VALUE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS OVER VIOLENCE.

SAFETY SERVICES HELPED PEOPLE STAY SAFE.1) CRISIS SERVICES: 950 ADULTS IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC/SEXUAL VIOLENCE RECEIVED CRISIS SERVICES AND 96% SURVEYED FELT SAFER AND MORE AWARE OF WAYS TO PLAN FOR SAFETY AS A RESULT OF CVIC SERVICES. CRISIS LINE ADVOCATES ANSWERED 622 CALLS AND CVIC ASSISTED CLIENTS IN OBTAINING 23 ORDERS FOR PROTECTION. 195 INDIVIDUALS WERE SCREENED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN 2021 WITH 58% DETERMINED TO BE IN HIGH LETHALITY SITUATIONS 55 OF THOSE IN THE MOST DANGEROUS SITUATIONS SPOKE WITH A CVIC ADVOCATE WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS STILL WITH THEM, PERHAPS UNDERSTANDING FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HELP IS AVAILABLE TO KEEP THEM SAFE.2) STABILITY SERVICES: MANY CLIENTS WERE ON THE BRINK OF HOMELESSNESS. 26 FAMILIES WITH 31 CHILDREN RECEIVED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SERVICES/RENTAL ASSISTANCE. 246 INDIVIDUALS WERE ASSISTED WITH HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT AND/OR EDUCATION GOALS.MANY HAVE BEEN DENIED EMERGENCY RENT SUPPORT BECAUSE THEIR HOUSING NEED ISN'T DUE TO COVID-19. FUNDS WE PROVIDED THROUGH DEDICATED GRANT RESOURCES AND OUR DONOR-FUNDED CLIENT EMERGENCY FUND HELPED MINIMIZE THESE BARRIERS AND PROVIDE RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. 3) SHELTER SERVICES: 107 ADULTS AND CHILDREN WERE SHELTERED FOR 2,400 NIGHTS WHILE THEY WORKED TOWARD LIVING INDEPENDENTLY AND FREE FROM VIOLENCE. THERE WAS A 47% DECLINE IN NIGHTS SHELTERED AS A RESULT OF THE ADDITIONAL RAPID REHOUSING FUNDS TO HELP CLIENTS GET INTO HOMES MORE QUICKLY THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, STRENGTHENING THEIR SELF-SUFFICIENCY. A CVIC CLIENT WROTE A NOTE, "THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR ALL OF YOU THIS YEAR! THIS WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST YEARS FOR ME & BECAUSE OF YOUR HELP, WE WERE ABLE TO END IT WITH SO MANY GREAT THINGS TO SMILE ABOUT! ESCAPING WAS ONE OF THE MOST SCARIEST & HARD THINGS I'VE DONE. STARTING OVER WITH NOTHING, TAKING MY BOYS TO A SHELTER, I WAS TERRIFIED. I THANK GOD EVERY DAY WE DID. YOU CHANGED OUR LIFE. WE HAVE A HOME, FURNITURE, HOUSEHOLD ESSENTIALS, EVERYTHING WE NEED! MOST IMPORTANTLY WE ARE SAFE, WE HAVE PEACE, WE ARE HAPPY AGAIN. EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE SO AMAZING TO WORK WITH! ALL OF YOU ARE GREAT AT WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT & HAPPINESS! WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL & YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS."4) SAFE CHILD VISITS AND EXCHANGES: 176 FAMILIES WERE SUPPORTED WITH 1,593 VISITATIONS AND 481 SAFE EXCHANGES. THIS SERVICE IS INVALUABLE TO HELPING PARENTS STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN DURING TIMES OF FAMILY CRISIS OR CONFLICT. 98% OF FAMILIES REPORTED FEELING SAFE WHILE USING THIS SERVICE, WHERE STAFF ALSO MENTOR VISITING PARENTS, PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO HELP CHILDREN TRANSITION, HOW TO PROVIDE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, GUIDE CHILDREN THROUGH EMOTIONAL STRUGGLES AND ANSWER DIFFICULT QUESTIONS FROM CHILDREN.5) CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ADVOCACY: 1,225 VICTIMS AND WITNESSES OF CRIMES RECEIVED CASE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT THROUGH CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS, THE LARGEST NUMBER SERVED IN A SINGLE YEAR, TO-DATE, AND AN 18% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. CVIC'S CRIME VICTIM SPECIALISTS MADE 3,921 CONTACTS WITH COLLABORATING PROFESSIONALS ANDATTENDED 1,470 COURT HEARINGS WITH OR ON BEHALF OF CRIME VICTIMS IN 2021.6) VIOLENCE INTERVENTION & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT: 233 MEN AND WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN NEW CHOICES VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING, WHICH HAS BEEN MEETING VIRTUALLY SINCE MARCH 2020, ADDRESSING THEIR USE OF VIOLENCE AND HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR CAUSING HARM TO OTHERS. COLLECTIVELY, THEY ARE PARENTS OF 386 CHILDREN. 156 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE ALSO ENROLLED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT. THIS SPECIALIZED POST-SENTENCING REVIEW COURT WORKS IN TANDEM TO HOLD INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE, MONITOR THEIR SENTENCING PROGRESS, AND ENCOURAGE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION. WE ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH 323 WOMEN IDENTIFIED AS PARTNERS TO THE MEN ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AN EFFORT TO KEEP THEM INFORMED AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THEIR PARTNER'S PROGRESS, AS WELL AS RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THEIR SAFETY AND HEALING. A CLIENT COMMENTED, "THE NEW CHOICES PROGRAM HAS HAD A MAJOR IMPACT IN MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY SO MANY THINGS I HAD DONE WRONG AND COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN A PLETHORA OF TOOLS AND OPTIONS THAT I HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF NOR RECOGNIZED IN THE PAST. I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN EVERYTHING I HAVE LEARNED WITH NEW CHOICES AND HAVE USED IT IN EVERYDAY LIFE AS WELL AS USED IT TO HELP OTHERS AROUND ME. THIS PROGRAM HAS OPENED A NEW WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AND HAS BEEN SUCH AN ASSET TO MYSELF. I REALLY FEEL EMPOWERED BY THIS CLASS AND VERY CONFIDENT THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE SUCH GREAT CHANGES IN MY LIFE AND HOPEFULLY IN THE WORLD IN FRONT OF ME AS WELL. I TRULY APPRECIATE CVIC AND THE NEW CHOICES PROGRAM. THEY ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!"

HEALING SERVICES SPECIALIZED SUPPORT HEALS THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA SO INDIVIDUALS CAN THRIVE. 2,450 COUNSELING SESSIONS WERE PROVIDED (1,063 ADULT, 1,303 YOUTH, AND 84 FAMILY).1) YOUTH THERAPY - 314 CHILDREN AND TEENS IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE RECEIVED THERAPY AND SUPPORT TO STAY SAFE AND OVERCOME TRAUMA. THE NUMBER OF CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVED INCREASED 40% FROM LAST YEAR. 63 PARENTS RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT PARENTING NEEDS OF CHILDREN LIVING IN VIOLENT HOMES AND EFFECTS OF TRAUMA ON CHILDREN. A YOUTH CLIENT REPORTED, "I HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE MORE FRIENDS AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO MY FRIENDS MORE WITHOUT BEING SCARED." ANOTHER YOUTH CLIENT SHARED, "I'VE LEARNED HOW TO DEAL WITH SOME SITUATIONS BETTER THAN BEFORE AND I'VE LEARNED THINGS ABOUT BOUNDARIES, FOR INSTANCE, THAT I WOULD'VE NEVER KNOWN OR KNOW HOW TO USE IF I WASN'T IN THERAPY." A YOUTH'S GUARDIAN REMARKED, "HIS LIFE IS IN SUCH TURMOIL RIGHT NOW. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE HIS THERAPIST IS CHIPPING AWAY AT THE TRAUMA HE EXPERIENCED AND IS HELPING HIM COPE WITH THE ABSENCES OF HIS PARENTS AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT HIS FUTURE."2) ADULT THERAPY - 88 ADULTS RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY. 98% OF THOSE SURVEYED REPORTED IMPROVEMENT IN EMOTIONAL CONDITION. IN 2021 WE INTRODUCED REO, A CERTIFIED THERAPY DOG, INTO OUR ADULT THERAPY PROGRAM TO PROVIDE COMFORT TO ADULTS WHO ARE HEALING FROM THEIR TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES. A CLIENT SHARED, "I FEEL LIGHTER. I FEEL MORE VALIDATED. I HAVE MORE HOPE." A CLIENT RESPONDED, "I HAVE LEARNED NEW COPING SKILLS, WHAT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOKS LIKE COMPARED TO A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP, AND THERAPY METHODS HAVE HELPED ME SEE MYSELF IN A MORE POSITIVE LIGHT."

EDUCATION SERVICES 1) YOUTH EDUCATION: 2,987 YOUTH WERE REACHED THROUGH 321 PRESENTATIONS; 80% WILL USE THE INFORMATION THEY LEARNED IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. A YOUTH PARTICIPANT SHARED, "MORE PEOPLE I KNOW COULD BE STUCK IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND NOW I AM ABLE TO RECOGNIZE MORE SIGNS SO I CAN HELP OTHERS." 2) ADULT PRESENTATIONS: 3,492 PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH 72 PRESENTATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE UND CAMPUS; 96% INDICATED INCREASED KNOWLEDGE. 1,306 PROFESSIONALS WERE TRAINED IN 50 SESSIONS ON TOPICS INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DYNAMICS AND LETHALITY ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL (LAP); 92% WILL USE INFORMATION THEY LEARNED FROM TRAININGS. AN ADULT PARTICIPANT REMARKED, "THE BIGGEST THING I TOOK AWAY IS THAT EVERY LITTLE THING YOU DO IS IMPORTANT AND CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE."3) GREEN DOT: THROUGH GREEN DOT, CVIC CONTINUES TO PROMOTE BYSTANDER INTERVENTION AND WAYS THE COMMUNITY CAN BE INVOLVED IN CREATING A SAFER COMMUNITY. THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENT PARTICIPATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA, GREEN DOT EDUCATES THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE 3 DS TO INTERVENTION: DELEGATE, DIRECT, AND DISTRACT.4) CVIC AT UND IS A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP REACHING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. LAST FALL, DURING THE ANNUAL CLOTHESLINE PROJECT EXHIBITION, MORE THAN 800 STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS VISITED THE POWERFUL DISPLAY OF T-SHIRTS DESIGNED BY SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE HAVE FORGED AN IMPACTFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT TO BRING ONE LOVE WORKSHOPS TO TEAMS EACH YEAR, PROVIDING INTERACTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERY TEAM ABOUT HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. SINCE COMING TO CAMPUS, PRESIDENT ANDY ARMACOST HAS EMBRACED THE CVIC AT UND PARTNERSHIP. IN A NATIONAL PRESENTATION LAST YEAR HE SAID, "A KEY TENET OF THIS WORK IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE STUDENT BODY BY OFFERING PROGRAMMING THAT MEETS THEM WHERE THEY ARE. OUR CVIC PARTNERS DO THIS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS." CVIC'S CAMPUS PREVENTION SPECIALIST SAYS, "THESE DIFFICULT TOPICS WERE NOT DISCUSSED WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, MEANING AS YOUNG ADULTS WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, WHERE TO GO, OR WHAT TO DO WHEN THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING. IT MAY NOT BE EASY, BUT I AM THANKFUL TO BE PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW AND TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS," STUDENTS, TOO, VALUE THE RESOURCES CVIC AT UND PROVIDES. ONE STUDENT SAID, "I FOUND ALL [OF THE INFORMATION PRESENTED] HELPFUL BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN EDUCATED ON THOSE TOPICS."