Essex County Family Justice Center Inc

IMPROVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSE TO STRANGULATION ASSAULT THROUGH ESSEX COUNTY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER PARTNERSHIPS

PUTTING VICTIMS FIRST: A COMMUNITY AND COURT PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE RISK AND INCREASE RESPONSIVENESS IN ESSEX COUNTY

THE GRANTS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM PROGRAM (REFERRED TO AS THE JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES PROGRAM) WAS AUTHORIZED IN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2013 TO IMPROVE THE RESPONSE OF THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO FAMILIES WITH A HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, OR IN CASES INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES FOR IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF COURTS AND COMMUNITIES TO RESPOND TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE TARGETED CRIMES: COURT-BASED AND COURT-RELATED PROGRAMS; SUPERVISED VISITATION AND SAFE EXCHANGE BY AND BETWEEN PARENTS; TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH FAMILIES IN THE COURT SYSTEM; CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES; AND THE PROVISION OF RESOURCES IN JUVENILE COURT MATTERS. PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES PROGRAM ARE THOSE THAT FOCUS ON KEEPING VICTIMS AND THEIR CHILDREN SAFE FROM FURTHER ABUSE AND HOLDING OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE. THROUGH THIS CONTINUATION JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES PROJECT, ESSEX COUNTY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAFE HOUSE, ESSEX NEWARK LEGAL SERVICES, AND NEW JERSEY SUPERIOR COURT ESSEX VICINAGE, WILL IMPLEMENT A STANDARD PROJECT ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE AREAS: 3) TRAINING FOR COURT-BASED AND COURT-RELATED PERSONNEL; 5) COURT AND COURT-BASED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES; 6) CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE, AND 8) TRAINING WITHIN THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: 1) PROVIDING A 1.0 FTE PRO SE VICTIM ADVOCATE LOCATED AT THE COURTHOUSE TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES, COURT ACCOMPANIMENTS, AND COURT ADVOCACY; 2) MAINTAINING A PART-TIME BI-LINGUAL COURT ADVOCATE; 3) PROVIDING A LEGAL SCREENER (ATTORNEY) AT THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER TO ASSIST AT LEAST 150 SURVIVORS WITH FAMILY LAW, IMMIGRATION, CUSTODY OR OTHER LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO THEIR VICTIMIZATION; AND 4) DEVELOPING A VIRTUAL TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR COURT STAFF AND TWO IN-PERSON ANNUAL TRAINING EVENTS FOR UP TO 200 COURT EMPLOYEES ON TOPICS RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

ENHANCING ACCESS TO HOLISTIC CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY   ABSTRACT ESSEX COUNTY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER IS THE LEAD APPLICANT WITH PROJECT PARTNER ESSEX-NEWARK LEGAL SERVICES (ENLS), ON THIS CATEGORY: 1 DIRECT SERVICES OVC APPLICATION. THE MISSION OF ESSEX COUNTY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER (ECFJC) IS TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND AUTONOMY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND THEIR CHILDREN BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE AND COORDINATED SERVICE IN ONE LOCATION. THE MISSION OF ESSEX-NEWARK LEGAL SERVICES INCLUDES PROVIDING FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO MORE THAN 4,000 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY, WITH A FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE CRITICAL LEGAL NEEDS OF ITS COMMUNITY’S LOWEST-INCOME VICTIMS. SINCE 2010, ECFJC HAS PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES FOR NEARLY 10,000 VICTIMS, UP TO 1,000 ANNUALLY; 24-25% OF WHOM HAVE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP). ECFJC, WITH NEARLY 30 ONSITE AND OFFSITE PARTNERS, PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES INCLUDING CRISIS INTERVENTION, SAFETY PLANNING, EMERGENCY AID, CONNECTIONS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS, EMERGENCY HOUSING AND SHELTER SERVICES, MEDICAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND REFERRALS TO VETTED HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, COUNSELING, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION ASSISTANCE, AND CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE. PROJECT PARTNERS INCLUDE ESSEX VICINAGE - FAMILY COURT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT, ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, AND CIVIL LEGAL ORGANIZATIONS. IN ADDITION TO PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES, THE PROJECT INCLUDES ASSISTING VICTIMS ADDRESS THEIR RANGE OF CUSTODY, FAMILY LAW, IMMIGRATION, HOUSING, AND OTHER CONCERNS RELATED TO VICTIMIZATION. ESSEX NEWARK LEGAL SERVICES, AN ECFJC PARTNER SINCE 2010, HANDLES CASES WHICH IMPACT VICTIMS’ BASIC SURVIVAL AND SAFETY, INCLUDING PROVIDING EVICTION DEFENSE TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, HELPING THOSE DESTITUTE· TO SECURE OR MAINTAIN PUBLIC BENEFITS AND OTHER RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL. THE PROPOSED PROJECT UNITES ECFJC’S BI-LINGUAL CIVIL LEGAL ADVOCATES, A BI-LINGUAL ATTORNEY, AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A BI-LINGUAL PEER CARE MANAGER, TO COMPRISE A TRAUMA-INFORMED PROJECT TEAM. PROJECT FOCUS IS ON EXPANDING SERVICES FOR VICTIMS WITH LEP WHO REPRESENT THEIR STATE’S MOST AT-RISK SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSAULT. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDES AN EXTENDED OUTREACH INITIATIVE TO REACH VICTIMS AND POTENTIAL VICTIMS IN THEIR SPOKEN LANGUAGE AND INCLUDES PROVISION OF BEST-PRACTICES IN TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR AGENCIES THAT CURRENTLY COLLABORATE WITH ECFJC OR REPRESENT MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS WITH LEP. THE PROJECT ALSO ENCOMPASSES ASSISTING VICTIMS WITH TRANSLATING, COMPLETING, AND SUBMITTING CRIMINAL JUSTICE-RELATED FORMS/APPLICATIONS, AND THOSE FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS, VICTIM COMPENSATION, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, ETC. THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE THAT VICTIMS WITH LEP CAN COMMUNICATE WITH ADVOCATES, ATTORNEYS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND OTHER PROVIDERS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS, OBTAIN NEEDED RESOURCES, AND TAKE STEPS NECESSARY TO SECURE PEACE OF MIND AND SAFETY.