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Oakland County, MI

 

Project Name

PAH!*: Partners Advocating for Healing

*The collaborative name stems from the American Sign Language sign of "PAH" which represents the attainment of a desired result or outcome, success or achievement.  This project name symbolizes the bridge PAH! is building between the Deaf and hearing communities to combat domestic violence.

Partners

HAVEN This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.haven-oakland.org/)

DEAF C.A.N.! This link will open a new browser window.
(http://deafcan.org/)

Deaf Women's Advocacy Services
(website not available)

Vision

Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic and sexual violence will receive immediate services from PAH! agencies that are fully responsive, accessible and free from communication and cultural barriers. They will feel supported and empowered to move forward in their lives. Our advocates will support Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims in their journeys from crisis to healing in a competent and trusting environment.

Mission

PAH! will ensure the delivery of fully accessible and responsive services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic and sexual violence, which will include crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy and shelter.  PAH! will accomplish this mission through the following:

  • Building a strong and trusting relationship and sharing our individual expertise within our collaboration.
  • Developing increased knowledge and awareness in regard to both the Deaf and hearing cultures within our domestic and sexual violence organizations.Increasing awareness and knowledge of domestic and sexual violence within our Deaf and Hard of Hearing partner agencies.
  • Increasing our communication capacity and eliminating roadblocks to appropriately and effectively communicate with Deaf and hard of hearing survivors, from crisis to healing by utilizing ASL certified interpreters and the latest, state of the art communication technologies.
  • Establishing and building strong relationships between hearing and Deaf agencies, to set an example to the communities at large, to overcome thenegative attitudes, oppression, and communication barriers experienced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic and sexual violence.
  • Changing existing policies, procedures, job descriptions, practices and budgets within our agencies to reflect our learned best practices in providing services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic and sexual violence in Oakland County and its surrounding cities.
  • Advocating for external systems change in areas such as criminal justice, health care, and the legal arena, to make services more accessible and responsive to Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Contact Information

HAVEN

Christine Giresi
248-334-1284, ext. 359 (v)
Email: cgiresi@haven-oakland.org

Related Links

  • Collaboration Charter
    The collaboration charter summarizes and memorializes the decisions the collaboration agreed upon including: a vision and a mission; shared values; decision making and conflict resolution protocols; policies on confidentiality; communications and work plans; and relevant definitions.
  • Needs Assessment Plan
    The needs assessment plan documents the collaboration’s approach to determining the strengths and gaps in their organizations. It includes their methodologies, recruitment strategies, and questions for each audience.
  • Needs Assessment Report
    The needs assessment report documents what the collaboration found when they interviewed or conducted focus groups with key audiences within their organizations.
  • Strategic Plan
    The strategic plan documents the collaboration’s plans for improving services for survivors with disabilities and Deaf survivors. It includes the collaboration’s justification for each initiative and the timelines for completion.