safety alertalert exclamation

If you are in danger, please use a safer computer, call 911 or your local hotline or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233 voice), 1-800-787-3224 (tty). There is always a computer trail, but you can click ESCAPE to leave the site quickly.

home>community profiles>Past Communities>

Hampden County, MA (Springfield)

 

Project Name

The Equal Access to Safety Initiative

Partners

Goodwill Industries of the Springfield/Hartford Area This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.ourgoodwill.org/)

YWCA of Western Massachusetts This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.ywworks.org)

Vision

The vision of the Equal Access to Safety Initiative is one of an inclusive service delivery system that provides a safe, accessible, respectful environment for people with disabilities and those who are Deaf who have experienced domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

Mission

The mission of the Equal Access to Safety Initiative in Hampden County is to enhance services for people with disabilities and those who are Deaf who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault so that each organization, both individually and collectively, responds effectively to their needs.  This will be accomplished by enhancing services for people with disabilities and those who are Deaf who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault through:

  • Cultivating a culture and environment that responds in a respectful and inclusive manner.
  • Creating policies and practices that focus on responsiveness, accessibility, safety and the promotion of seamless services.
  • Fostering collaborative and cooperative relationships between members of the collaboration.
  • Integrating each discipline's knowledge and expertise.
  • Eliminating physical, attitudinal, cultural and programmatic barriers that prevent people from accessing services that are timely, supportive and responsive.
  • Ensuring the delivery of appropriate assistance at whatever point a person enters the system.

Contact Information

Goodwill Industries of the Springfield/Hartford Area

Dawn DiStefano
413-233-5286 (v)
Email: dfd@ywworks.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.