Message regarding COVID-19

As of March 19, 2020
In order to do our part in protecting vulnerable populations and to slow the transmission of COVID-19, many programs of the Alliance will be limiting in-person contact during the crisis. This has not been an easy decision, but we want to ensure everyone that services will still be provided to anyone that needs them.

Mountain Crisis Services will be limiting in person services for survivors at our office. Some in-person appointments will be necessary and will be scheduled by staff. Our hotline will be operational 24/7, our domestic violence shelter is still operating, and all counseling will be done via telephone or through video-based services. Legal Advocacy will still be available and advocates will still accompany survivors to court.

The Alliance provides services to some of the most vulnerable people in our community and we will continue throughout this crisis. We are working diligently to ensure our staff are supported during this time so that we can continue to offer these vital services. We look forward to when our services can resume without restrictions and we will continue to make changes as things evolve. Feel free to reach out to any of our programs to learn how to access services or how you can be a support during this time.

Delta FOCUS

“Build from good; expect better; make great.”
–Brown et al. 1996

THE OVERARCHING QUESTION:

Does informing dating abuse policy within the education system in Mariposa County Unified School District (MCUSD) promote school environments that support healthy relationships and thereby contribute to intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention?

DFMap

HOW DO WE SUPPORT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS?

Efforts to understand and prevent dating abuse utilize methods and strategies such as community outreach, community-based programs, health education, public awareness, and education campaigns.

      Our strategy is to:

  1. Work with a coalition to address dating abuse and community and social change.
  2. Create and deliver messaging around the issue of dating abuse.
  3. Develop dating abuse prevention protocol and policy guidelines.

PROJECT DETAILS

  • A five year cooperative agreement funding 10  state domestic violence coalition grantees to engage in primary prevention of intimate partner violence .
  • Each state grantee supports one or two coordinated community response teams (CCRs) to implement strategies at the local level.
  • The DELTA FOCUS project runs from March 2013 to February 2018.

DFTimeline

FACT SHEET

The Problem:

  •  Approximately 1 in 3 adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds victimization rates for other types of violence affecting youth (Davis, 2008).
  • Nationwide, 1 in 10 high school students (9.9 percent) has been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend (Eaton et al., 2010).
  • According to the CDC, teens who abuse their dating partner have high rates of violence against other teens.
  • Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications for victims by putting the victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide, and adult re-victimization.
  • Digital abuse and “sexting” is becoming a new frontier for teen dating abuse. 1 in 3 teens say they are text messaged 10 to 30 times an hour by a partner inquiring where they are, what they’re doing, or who they’re with (Baum et al., 2009).
  • Primary prevention programs are a key part of addressing teen dating violence and many successful community examples include education, community outreach, and social marketing campaigns that also understand the cultural appropriateness of programs.

Best Practices Would Include:

  • Provide prevention education to students on topics of healthy relationships and dating abuse, namely within health education and the athletics program.
  • Provide ongoing professional development to school staff on topics of healthy relationships and dating abuse.
  • Provide parent/caregiver engagement opportunities.
  • Establish a reporting and response protocol.
  • Coordinate appropriate intervention and response to incidences or complaints of dating abuse.
  • Establish ongoing tools to monitor and assess dating abuse prevention activities and intervention techniques.
  • Provide annual written notice to parents/caregivers and students of school policy.

Please take a look at our accomplishments from the past 5 years.

To learn more or to get involved contact us at 209-742-5865