Facilitation/Coordination

Program Description

Often agencies are aware of issues and opportunities to improve processes but lack the time and resources to tackle these issues. PVP provides facilitation and coordination that brings a variety of disciplines together to solve problems and create system change.

Goals for these programs include:

• Victims of sexual assault in Ramsey County receive consistent, respectful and culturally competent services through the various agencies they may encounter.
• Runaway and exploited youth in Ramsey County will receive consistent, respectful support and services and the number of youth requiring such will decrease.
  
• Create a coordinated system response to families affected by the link between family violence, chills abuse, and animal abuse.

Projects

EastSide Peacemakers

The EastSide Peacemakers is a network of community residents, agencies and schools focused on violence prevention and peace promotion in St. Paul’s East Side. In 2002, the group formed with the assistance of Partners for Violence Prevention during a one-year violence prevention planning process in which the East Side Peacemakers took steps to identify and develop a concrete violence prevention plan in their community. This group currently works to address issues around domestic violence in a community that has the highest number of domestic calls in St. Paul. Some of the group’s activities include:
The development of strategies for culturally appropriate police responses to domestic violence among EastSides Latino and Hmong populations.

An assessment of Police officers’ experiences/concerns on domestic calls specifically in Latino and Hmong communities in St. Paul as a means to identify gaps in service in East St. Paul.
A media campaign, including billboard and community posters, on men’s participation in ending domestic violence.

The creation and distribution of a resource directory in English and Spanish for east St. Paul residents and service providers.

Distribution of resource cards, education on local agencies serving the Latino and Hmong populations, and efforts to conduct outreach to teach about the role of police in the community.

Safe Harbors Youth Intervention Project (SHYIP)

Each year there are 200 to 300 Hmong girls reported missing in St. Paul. Midwest Children’s Resource Center reports that 75% of Hmong girls they treat experience gang rape, multiple perpetrators or prostitution. In assessing the nature of the runaway and sexually exploited youth problem in Ramsey County, this project works to identify: the needs of these youth and their families, each agency’s responsibilities, the resources available to serve youth and gaps in the system that need to be addressed. The central goal of this project is to create a protocol, through cooperative effort, that will coordinate, assist and respond to runaway and sexually exploited youth. Over 40 agencies in Ramsey County participate in this project.

Ramsey County Sexual Assault Protocol Team (RCSAPT)

PVP facilitates and leads the RCSAPT, a multi-disciplinary group that has developed and implemented culturally sensitive victim-centered protocols and training to improve services to victims of sexual assault. The mission of the Ramsey County SAPT is to coordinate and implement an interagency response to sexual assault victims that promotes consistency, respect and cultural competency. Participating disciplines include law enforcement, advocacy, medical, prosecution and corrections. The development of this protocol is an eight-step cycle that is revisited each time the protocol is revised. The steps include:

• Inventory of Existing Services
  
• Victim Experience Survey
  
• Community Needs Assessment.
  
• Writing Protocol
  
• Renew Agency Agreements
  
• Training
  
• Monitoring
  
• Evaluation (Boles, Patterson, Sage, 1997)

Following are some comments shared through the victim experience survey:

-“SOS saved my life. I’m so blessed that they were there as a resource. All the staff of the St. Paul police dept. treated me with dignity and respect. Especially the male officer who initially responded…”

-“The nurse and advocate were both very genuine and caring about my situation. I really appreciated their help.”

-I am very thankful for how urgently I was seen and how respectful everyone was. I might not have gone in if I hadn’t heard about the wonderful program the hospital had.”

Early Childhood Special Education (ESCE) Inclusion Group

The ECSE inclusion playgroup is a collaboration of the West 7th Family Center, Early Childhood Special Education, and a local child care provider. The children from ECSE and from the child care home join together to do crafts, read stories, sing songs, and play together in a structured environment.