Collaboration 
Charter 
Just 
ASK: 
Autonomy 
and 
Safety 
of 
Kansas 


Collaboration 
Background 


The 
Just 
ASK 
collaboration 
is 
comprised 
of 
three 
partner 
organizations: 


Kansas 
Association 
of 
Centers 
for 
Independent 
Living 
(KACIL) 
The 
Kansas 
Association 
of 
Centers 
for 
Independent 
Living 
(KACIL) 
provides 
a 
powerful 
framework 
so 
that 
member 
Centers 
for 
Independent 
Living 
(CILs) 
excel 
in 
advocacy 
and 
services 
ensuring 
that 
all 
Kansans 
with 
disabilities 
have 
opportunities 
for 
independent 
living 
and 
enjoy 
their 
civil 
and 
human 
rights. 


KACIL 
advocates 
at 
the 
state 
and 
national 
level 
for 
the 
rights 
of 
all 
people 
with 
disabilities 
to 
live 
in 
the 
communities 
of 
their 
choice. 
KACIL 
works 
through 
facilitating 
collective 
work 
among 
member 
CILs 
resulting 
in 
the 
strongest 
state 
association, 
driving 
change 
for 
people 
with 
disabilities. 


The 
Kansas 
Coalition 
Against 
Sexual 
and 
Domestic 
Violence 
(KCSDV) 
is 
a 
network 
of 
sexual 
assault 
and 
domestic 
violence 
advocacy 
programs 
reaching 
across 
the 
state 
of 
Kansas. 
The 
major 
work 
of 
the 
Coalition 
is 
to 
support 
this 
network 
of 
services 
by 
increasing 
public 
awareness 
through 
education 
and 
advocacy, 
exploring 
new 
options 
for 
services 
and 
funding, 
and 
by 
working 
for 
social 
change. 


Kansas 
Department 
of 
Health 
and 
Environment 
(KDHE) 
is 
a 
state 
agency 
with 
a 
vision 
of 
healthy 
Kansans 
living 
in 
safe 
and 
sustainable 
environments. 
The 
Injury 
Prevention 
Program 
of 
KDHE 
aims 
to 
build 
a 
solid 
infrastructure 
to 
improve 
the 
health 
of 
Kansans 
by 
increasing 
awareness 
and 
action 
to 
reduce 
unintentional 
injuries. 
The 
Kansas 
Disability 
and 
Health 
Program 
within 
KDHE 
strives 
to 
develop 
sustain 
and 
support 
activities 
to 
improve 
the 
health 
and 
quality 
of 
life 
for 
people 
with 
disabilities. 


The 
organizations 
that 
comprise 
the 
Just 
ASK: 
Autonomy 
and 
Safety 
of 
Kansas 
Collaborative 
have 
a 
long 
history 
of 
working 
together 
to 
end 
violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities. 
In 
1997 
the 
Disability 
and 
Health 
Program 
of 
KDHE 
surveyed 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
parents 
of 
children 
with 
disabilities 
on 
risk 
and 
protective 
factors 
that 
affect 
their 
health. 
Respondents 
voiced 
strong 
support 
for 
abuse 
and 
violence 
prevention 
efforts. 
As 
a 
result 
of 
this 
survey 
the 
Abuse 
and 
Violence 
Against 
Women 
with 
Disabilities 
Steering 
Committee, 
also 



known 
as 
the 
Steering 
Committee, 
was 
formed 
in 
2000. 
KACIL 
and 
KCSDV 
were 
active 
members 
along 
with 
several 
other 
local 
and 
state-wide 
agencies. 


As 
a 
result 
of 
the 
work 
of 
the 
Steering 
Committee, 
KACIL, 
KCSDV 
and 
KDHE 
applied 
for 
and 
were 
awarded 
the 
Education 
and 
Training 
Grant 
to 
End 
Violence 
Against 
Women 
with 
Disabilities 
in 
2002. 
While 
the 
efforts 
of 
the 
partnering 
organizations 
were 
successful 
in 
providing 
extensive 
community 
trainings, 
it 
became 
apparent 
that 
the 
needs 
of 
Kansas 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
would 
only 
be 
addressed 
by 
changing 
the 
systems 
responding 
to 
violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities. 
The 
three 
organizations 
continued 
the 
partnership 
after 
funding 
ended 
due 
to 
each 
organization’s 
commitment 
to 
ending 
violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities 
in 
Kansas. 


The 
current 
Just 
ASK 
Collaboration 
grew 
from 
this 
existing 
partnership. 
KACIL, 
KCSDV 
and 
KDHE 
are 
engaged 
in 
creating 
change 
made 
possible 
by 
the 
Education, 
Training 
and 
Enhanced 
Services 
to 
End 
Violence 
Against 
and 
Abuse 
of 
Women 
with 
Disabilities 
Grant 
Program 
of 
2006 
(henceforth 
referred 
to 
as 
the 
grant 
program) 
from 
the 
Office 
on 
Violence 
against 
Women 
(OVW.) 
OVW 
has 
designated 
the 
Vera 
Institute 
of 
Justice 
(henceforth 
known 
as 
Vera) 
as 
the 
national 
technical 
assistance 
provider. 
Vera 
has 
and 
continues 
to 
provide 
the 
essential 
technical 
assistance 
needed 
to 
develop 
tools 
and 
resources 
necessary 
for 
lasting 
systems 
change. 
This 
charter 
documents 
the 
formalized 
structure, 
values, 
process 
and 
philosophy 
of 
the 
current 
collaboration. 
The 
partners 
consciously 
considered 
the 
challenges 
and 
successes 
of 
the 
previous 
partnership, 
guidance 
provided 
by 
Vera 
and 
the 
parameters 
of 
the 
OVW 
grant 
program. 


Vision 
Statement 


Just 
ASK 
envisions 
a 
society 
where 
women 
with 
disabilities 
who 
are 
survivors 
of 
sexual 
and 
domestic 
violence 
are 
fully 
supported 
in 
their 
rights 
to 
safety 
and 
autonomy. 
This 
vision 
includes 
barrier-free 
access 
to 
sexual 
assault, 
domestic 
violence 
and 
disability 
services; 
where 
sexual 
assault, 
domestic 
violence 
and 
disability 
advocates 
are 
supported 
in 
their 
efforts 
to 
provide 
accessible 
and 
responsive 
services; 
and, 
where 
policies 
and 
practices 
reflect 
an 
understanding 
of 
sexual 
assault, 
domestic 
violence 
and 
disability 
issues. 


Mission 
Statement 


To 
increase 
access 
points 
for 
women 
with 
disabilities 
who 
are 
survivors 
of 
sexual 
assault 
or 
domestic 
violence 
through 
the 
joint 
leadership 
of 
KACIL, 
KCSDV 
and 
KDHE 
by 
connecting 
centers 
for 
independent 
living 
and 
sexual 
assault 
and/or 
domestic 
violence 
programs 
around 
common 
definitions 
of 
sexual 
assault, 



domestic 
violence 
and 
disability; 
common 
values 
and 
assumptions; 
supporting 
targeted, 
local 
collaborations 
as 
they 
form 
their 
relationships; 
and 
promoting 
increased 
safety 
and 
autonomy 
for 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
through 
changes 
in 
structures, 
policies, 
procedures 
and 
environments 
of 
both 
centers 
for 
independent 
living 
and 
sexual 
assault 
and/or 
domestic 
violence 
programs. 


Values 
and 
Assumptions 


The 
collaboration 
operates 
under 
certain 
values 
and 
assumptions 
that 
are 
shared 
jointly 
by 
all 
three 
partners. 


• 
Violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities 
is 
a 
community 
problem. 
Violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities 
is 
supported 
by 
community 
silence, 
societal 
myths 
and 
cultural 
societal 
frameworks 
that 
stigmatize, 
isolate 
and 
blame 
survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
Just 
ASK 
believes 
the 
locus 
of 
the 
problem 
lies 
not 
with 
individuals 
but 
with 
the 
larger 
framework 
that 
encourages 
ineffective 
and 
often 
harmful 
systems 
response. 


• 
Survivors 
with 
disabilities 
have 
a 
right 
to 
safety 
and 
autonomy. 
Systems 
can 
best 
support 
women 
through 
survivor-centered 
advocacy 
that 
is 
empowerment-based, 
confidential 
and 
accessible. 
The 
collaborative 
believes 
supporting 
this 
philosophy 
within 
each 
partner 
organization 
and 
the 
target 
sites 
will 
lead 
to 
an 
enhanced 
systems 
response. 
• 
Difference 
amongst 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
is 
tremendous. 
Each 
person’s 
experience 
of 
disability, 
of 
violence 
or 
of 
systems 
will 
vary 
greatly. 
The 
collaboration 
recognizes 
this 
diversity 
and 
rejects 
models 
that 
depict 
a 
monolithic 
image 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
Embracing 
this 
diversity 
further 
strengthens 
Just 
ASK’s 
commitment 
to 
a 
survivor-centered 
philosophy 
and 
to 
creating 
system 
responses 
which 
respect 
each 
survivor’s 
individuality. 
• 
Systems 
change 
is 
necessary 
to 
increase 
safety 
and 
autonomy 
for 
survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
Systems 
responding 
to 
violence 
and 
systems 
responding 
to 
disability 
have 
not 
been 
designed 
with 
women 
with 
disabilities 
at 
the 
center. 
Women 
with 
disabilities 
have 
often 
received 
inadequate 
responses 
from 
these 
systems, 
therefore, 
change 
must 
occur 
at 
the 
systems 
level. 
• 
Partner 
organizations 
must 
be 
willing 
to 
change. 
Each 
partnering 
organization’s 
commitment 
to 
collaboration 
includes 
a 
process 
of 
changing 
their 
own 
systems 
to 
better 
reflect 
accessibility 
and 
support 
the 
safety 
and 
autonomy 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
In 
moving 
towards 
more 
accessible 
and 
responsive 
systems, 
partner 
organizations 
can 
often 
identify 
crucial 
steps 
that 
may 
otherwise 
go 
unrecognized. 
Engaging 
in 
this 
process 
of 
self-

reflection 
and 
constructive 
criticism 
with 
the 
collaboration 
partners 
increases 
expertise 
and 
credibility 
in 
working 
with 
target 
sites. 


• 
Lasting 
organizational 
change 
is 
created 
through 
careful 
collaboration 
with 
attention 
to 
process, 
confidentiality 
and 
respect. 
Each 
partner’s 
level 
of 
influence 
increases 
dramatically 
as 
organizational 
relationships 
deepen 
and 
create 
increased 
trust 
between 
partners. 
Key 
to 
the 
collaboration’s 
foundation 
is 
a 
commitment 
to 
respect 
for 
each 
individual, 
each 
partner 
organization 
and 
each 
movement’s 
history 
and 
culture. 
The 
collaboration’s 
effectiveness 
relies 
on 
maximizing 
organizational 
buy-in 
(see 
Roles 
and 
Contributions, 
p. 
5), 
conscious 
communication 
within 
the 
group 
and 
with 
stakeholders 
(see 
Communication 
Plan, 
p. 
8), 
and 
dedication 
to 
change 
as 
an 
on-going 
process. 


• 
A 
common 
language 
is 
critical 
to 
collaborative 
work. 
Collaboration 
requires 
intense 
working 
relationships 
that 
must 
bridge 
separate 
movement 
and 
organizational 
cultures. 
Just 
ASK 
examines 
language 
deliberately 
to 
ensure 
partners 
have 
a 
shared 
understanding 
of 
complex 
issues 
such 
as 
confidentiality, 
autonomy, 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
• 
Confidentiality 
is 
essential 
to 
the 
work 
of 
the 
collaboration. 
Historically 
neither 
survivors 
of 
sexual 
assault/domestic 
violence 
nor 
individuals 
with 
a 
disability 
have 
had 
control 
over 
their 
own 
information. 
Honoring 
an 
individual’s 
confidentiality 
is 
central 
to 
both 
the 
sexual 
assault/domestic 
violence 
movement 
and 
the 
independent 
living 
movement. 
Confidentiality 
is 
also 
paramount 
in 
building 
trust 
between 
organizations. 
Each 
partner 
has 
committed 
to 
maintain 
the 
confidentiality 
of 
collaboration 
discussions 
as 
well 
as 
strict 
confidentiality 
with 
any 
survivor’s 
information 
(see 
Confidentiality 
Statement, 
p. 
13). 
• 
Full 
accessibility 
and 
genuine 
safety 
involve 
an 
ongoing 
process. 
Ensuring 
universal 
access 
is 
an 
ongoing 
process 
of 
examining 
organizational 
language, 
attitude, 
documents 
and 
other 
products, 
policies 
and 
procedures, 
physical 
structures 
and 
social 
environment. 
Universal 
access 
is 
not 
a 
destination. 
It 
requires 
a 
commitment 
to 
continually 
reexamining 
one’s 
own 
system 
and 
honest 
dialogue 
about 
barriers. 
Likewise, 
true 
and 
sustainable 
safety 
is 
not 
a 
destination. 
Safety 
concerns 
for 
survivors 
are 
ever 
evolving. 
They 
require 
an 
ongoing 
critique 
of 
system 
responses 
to 
domestic 
and 
sexual 
violence. 
They 
require 
the 
acknowledgement 
of 
emerging 
risks 
and 
unintended 
consequences 
of 
each 
partner’s 
own 
strategies. 
Just 
ASK 
will 
account 
for 
both 
safety 
considerations 
and 
accessibility 
considerations 
in 
every 
decision-making 
process. 



Roles 
and 
Contributions 


KACIL, 
KCSDV 
and 
KDHE 
have 
consciously 
created 
the 
Just 
ASK 
Collaborative 
to 
maximize 
effectiveness, 
capitalize 
on 
the 
strengths 
of 
each 
partnering 
organization 
and 
institutionalize 
the 
relationships 
between 
each 
organization. 
Each 
organization 
has 
made 
a 
commitment 
to 
internal 
change 
and 
fostering 
systems 
change 
within 
the 
pilot 
sites 
(examples 
of 
which 
may 
include 
an 
examination 
of 
organizational 
policies, 
organizational 
language 
or 
physical 
structures.) 
To 
support 
these 
change 
efforts, 
the 
partners 
have 
each 
committed 
to 
the 
following 
structure, 
roles 
and 
responsibilities. 


Structure: 
Each 
organization 
has 
one 
dedicated 
staff 
person 
that 
make 
up 
the 
co-
director 
level. 
Additionally, 
each 
organization 
commits 
to 
have 
the 
supervisor 
of 
the 
co-director 
serve 
on 
the 
collaboration. 
These 
supervisors 
make 
up 
the 
managers. 
The 
three 
managers 
and 
the 
three 
co-directors 
together 
make 
up 
the 
full 
collaborative. 


Organizations: 
Each 
organization 
has 
committed 
to 
meeting 
the 
practical 
needs 
of 
the 
project 
such 
as 
office 
space 
for 
staff 
and 
administrative 
support. 


The 
Full 
Collaborative: 
Members 
of 
the 
collaborative 
share 
a 
responsibility 
to 
keep 
one 
another 
informed, 
to 
work 
to 
change 
their 
own 
organizations 
and 
to 
stay 
engaged 
in 
the 
collaborative 
process. 
As 
such, 
each 
partnering 
organization 
makes 
the 
following 
commitments: 


• 
to 
work 
towards 
and 
support 
change, 
beginning 
with 
fostering 
change 
in 
each 
partner 
organization 
which 
requires 
acknowledging 
each 
system’s 
protocols, 
structures 
and 
idiosyncrasies 
; 
• 
to 
commit 
to 
collaboration 
as 
the 
vehicle 
for 
sustainable 
change 
including 
but 
not 
limited 
to 
attending 
all 
collaboration 
meetings, 
providing 
a 
timely 
response 
when 
feedback 
is 
requested 
and 
to 
abide 
by 
the 
agreements 
as 
laid 
out 
in 
the 
collaboration 
charter 
(for 
example, 
utilizing 
the 
decision 
making 
model 
or 
the 
conflict 
resolution 
procedure); 
• 
to 
keep 
the 
collaboration 
informed 
of 
emerging 
issues 
that 
impact 
this 
work 
together; 
• 
to 
ensure 
the 
activities 
of 
the 
collaborative 
are 
in 
keeping 
with 
the 
goals 
and 
parameters 
of 
the 
grant 
program; 

• 
to 
ensure 
all 
products 
appropriately 
reflect 
the 
diversity 
and 
values 
of 
each 
movement 
and 
organizational 
cultures, 
and; 
• 
to 
educate 
each 
partner 
on 
the 
other’s 
movements, 
systems, 
culture 
and 
politics 
to 
ensure 
maximum 
impact 
of 
the 
collaborative 
efforts. 
Co-Directors: 
Just 
ASK’s 
three 
co-directors, 
one 
from 
each 
partner 
organization, 
act 
as 
primary 
staff 
of 
the 
project. 
Just 
ASK 
has 
chosen 
a 
structure 
with 
co-
directors 
to 
reflect 
the 
value 
of 
joint 
leadership, 
to 
recognize 
each 
partner’s 
expertise 
and 
to 
operationalize 
trust 
in 
one 
another. 
The 
co-directors 
manage 
the 
day-to-day 
operations 
and 
share 
the 
role 
of 
Project 
Director. 
As 
such 
they 
have 
a 
particular 
responsibility 
to 
support 
the 
momentum 
of 
the 
collaborative, 
to 
ensure 
a 
consistent 
focus 
on 
the 
Vision 
and 
Mission 
of 
Just 
ASK 
and 
to 
the 
daily 
work 
required 
to 
meet 
the 
goals. 
Specifically, 
co-directors 
have 
joint 
responsibility 
to: 


• 
act 
as 
primary 
contact 
and 
technical 
assistance 
providers 
for 
local 
target 
sites; 
• 
act 
as 
conduits 
for 
external 
communication 
with 
Vera, 
OVW, 
and 
as 
needed 
communication 
with 
member 
programs 
and 
allied 
agencies 
in 
accordance 
with 
the 
communication 
policy 
(see 
Communication 
Plan, 
p. 
8), 
• 
ensure 
the 
work 
with 
target 
sites 
is 
consistent 
with 
the 
goals 
of 
the 
grant 
program; 
• 
support 
the 
managers’ 
involvement 
in 
key 
aspects 
of 
the 
project 
by 
providing 
information 
from 
target 
sites, 
Vera 
and 
OVW 
to 
inform 
the 
larger 
organization; 
• 
nurturing 
the 
Just 
ASK 
collaboration, 
and; 
• 
ensure 
the 
diversity 
of 
member 
programs’ 
resources, 
philosophy 
and 
environments 
are 
reflected 
in 
strategy 
for 
both 
internal 
change 
and 
change 
efforts 
at 
target 
sites. 
Managers: 
Just 
ASK’s 
three 
managers, 
one 
from 
each 
partner 
organization, 
provide 
guidance 
to 
the 
project. 
Each 
manager 
supervises 
their 
organization’s 
co-
director. 
They 
are 
the 
primary 
conduit 
of 
information 
from 
the 
collaboration 
to 
the 
leadership 
of 
the 
larger 
organization, 
the 
Boards 
of 
Directors, 
member 
programs 
and 
other 
policy 
makers. 
Managers 
have 
a 
responsibility 
to 
ensure 
greater 
institutional 
support 
for 
the 
collaborative. 
Specifically, 
the 
managers 
have 
joint 
responsibility 
to: 


• 
create 
an 
environment 
that 
supports 
the 
work 
of 
the 
co-directors 
including 
supervision, 
mentoring 
and 
valuing 
collaborative 
work; 

• 
ensure 
institutional 
support 
for 
the 
process 
of 
internal 
change 
(including 
appropriate 
policy 
changes 
and 
implementation); 
• 
inform 
the 
work 
of 
the 
co-directors 
in 
responding 
to 
emerging 
issues 
that 
impact 
the 
work 
of 
the 
collaborative 
(such 
as 
legislative 
changes, 
funding 
streams 
or 
political 
dynamics) 
and 
to 
assist 
the 
co-directors 
in 
strategizing 
to 
create 
long-lasting 
change 
; 
• 
act 
as 
primary 
conduits 
for 
external 
communication 
with 
member 
programs 
(not 
including 
the 
target 
sites) 
and 
allied 
agencies 
and, 
as 
needed, 
communication 
with 
Vera 
and 
OVW, 
and; 
• 
manage 
the 
financial 
arrangements 
for 
the 
collaborative. 
Fiscal 
Agent: 
KCSDV 
has 
a 
unique 
role 
as 
fiscal 
agent. 
The 
KCSDV 
co-director 
has 
a 
primary 
role 
in 
communication 
with 
OVW 
and 
Vera. 
The 
KCSDV 
manager 
has 
a 
responsibility 
to 
ensure 
grant 
reports 
and 
financials 
are 
submitted 
to 
OVW 
as 
required. 



Communication 
Plan 


Just 
ASK 
has 
a 
unique 
structure 
that 
lends 
itself 
to 
multiple 
layers 
of 
communication. 
As 
a 
result 
of 
the 
multiple 
layers 
of 
communication 
there 
is 
a 
need 
for 
regular 
communication 
in 
a 
variety 
of 
formats 
such 
as 
in-person, 
email, 
collaboration 
meetings, 
via 
telephone 
or 
through 
public 
presentation. 
All 
communication, 
whether 
formal 
or 
informal, 
must 
be 
done 
in 
the 
spirit 
of 
ethical 
communication 
(see 
Definitions, 
p. 
17). 
Communication 
must 
also 
occur 
in 
ways 
that 
safeguard 
the 
trust 
of 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
by 
abiding 
by 
the 
confidentiality 
guidelines. 
There 
are 
three 
specific 
groups 
to 
consider 
for 
this 
communication 
plan: 
internal, 
member 
programs 
and 
external. 


Internal 
communication: 
Just 
ASK 
recognizes 
two 
areas 
of 
internal 
communication. 
This 
section 
details 
guidelines 
for 
communication 
within 
the 
collaboration 
as 
well 
as 
communication 
that 
occurs 
between 
a 
collaboration 
member 
and 
their 
coworkers 
who 
are 
not 
directly 
involved 
in 
Just 
ASK. 


• 
Within 
the 
collaborative: 
Communication 
within 
the 
collaborative 
must 
be 
candid 
and 
free-flowing. 
This 
is 
necessary 
for 
the 
broad 
development 
of 
ideas 
and 
honest 
exchange 
of 
perspectives 
that 
systems 
change 
requires. 
Formal 
meetings 
of 
the 
full 
collaborative 
will 
occur 
no 
less 
than 
monthly. 
Meeting 
duration 
averages 
two 
hours, 
however, 
the 
actual 
meeting 
duration 
is 
process 
driven. 
The 
co-directors 
meet 
no 
less 
than 
weekly, 
most 
often 
for 
full 
day 
meetings. 
More 
informal 
communication 
happens 
continually 
between 
collaborative 
partners 
via 
email 
and 
telephone 
conversations. 
• 
Within 
home 
organizations: 
Close 
communication 
with 
coworkers 
at 
a 
home 
agency 
is 
crucial 
to 
ensuring 
agency-wide 
commitment 
to 
the 
goals 
of 
the 
collaborative. 
Collaboration 
members 
have 
a 
need 
for 
latitude 
in 
communicating 
with 
coworkers 
at 
their 
home 
organizations. 
Multiple 
positions 
at 
the 
home 
organization 
may 
be 
involved 
or 
impacted 
by 
the 
proposed 
change 
efforts, 
therefore, 
a 
greater 
amount 
of 
information 
may 
need 
to 
be 
shared 
within 
the 
organization. 
Additionally, 
the 
work 
of 
the 
collaborative 
must 
be 
informed 
by 
the 
other 
projects 
at 
each 
organization. 
For 
example, 
information 
learned 
by 
a 
coworker 
may 
alert 
the 
collaborative 
to 
an 
emerging 
issue. 
Although 
there 
is 
a 
high 
level 
of 
trust 
with 
coworkers 
at 
home 
organizations, 
all 
interactions 
must 
honor 
the 
confidentiality 
guidelines 
especially 
with 
respect 
to 
politically 
sensitive 
information. 
Member 
Programs: 
Both 
KACIL 
and 
KCSDV 
are 
membership 
based 
organizations 
with 
member 
program 
representation 
on 
their 
boards. 
The 



collaboration 
recognizes 
that 
both 
formal 
and 
informal 
communication 
with 
member 
programs 
will 
be 
ongoing. 
Just 
ASK 
will 
be 
selecting 
2-3 
target 
sites 
with 
whom 
to 
work 
intensively. 
Communication 
with 
these 
target 
sites 
will 
be 
markedly 
different 
than 
communication 
with 
member 
programs 
in 
general. 


• 
Target 
sites: 
Communication 
with 
target 
sites 
will 
consist 
largely 
of 
intensive 
technical 
assistance. 
This 
technical 
assistance 
will 
be 
individualized 
to 
each 
site 
and 
may 
include 
assistance 
with 
policy 
analysis, 
collaboration 
development 
support, 
information 
and 
resource 
sharing, 
and 
support 
for 
organizational 
change. 
Consistency 
is 
critical 
to 
providing 
effective 
technical 
assistance 
to 
target 
sites. 
The 
full 
collaborative 
will 
craft 
key 
content 
that 
will 
provide 
a 
common 
basis 
for 
the 
messages 
to 
target 
sites, 
allowing 
each 
individual 
collaboration 
member 
to 
speak 
in 
a 
consistent 
way. 
The 
technical 
assistance 
will 
be 
proactive, 
however, 
it 
is 
also 
likely 
to 
include 
emerging 
or 
unexpected 
issues. 
In 
such 
situations, 
the 
immediate 
response 
will 
be 
to 
provide 
support 
in 
the 
face 
of 
crisis, 
to 
clarify 
the 
question 
or 
issue 
at 
hand, 
and 
to 
consult 
the 
collaboration 
for 
input. 
A 
more 
individualized 
and 
detailed 
communication 
plan 
with 
target 
sites 
will 
be 
created 
once 
the 
target 
sites 
are 
selected. 
• 
Member 
Programs 
in 
general: 
Just 
ASK 
has 
a 
number 
of 
communication 
needs 
with 
member 
programs 
who 
are 
not 
selected 
as 
target 
sites. 
Member 
programs 
receive 
formal 
updates 
on 
the 
status 
of 
Just 
ASK 
as 
part 
of 
their 
role 
as 
board 
members. 
These 
formal 
reports 
contain 
general 
information 
regarding 
Just 
ASK’s 
goals 
as 
agreed 
upon 
by 
the 
full 
collaborative. 
There 
are 
additional 
communications 
to 
member 
programs 
to 
keep 
them 
informed 
of 
upcoming 
opportunities. 
Examples 
of 
such 
communications 
might 
include 
the 
Request 
for 
Application 
(RFA) 
or 
training 
announcements 
which 
are 
available 
to 
programs 
beyond 
the 
target 
sites. 
Informal 
communication 
may 
also 
occur 
due 
to 
the 
close 
working 
relationships 
between 
KACIL, 
KCSDV 
and 
their 
member 
programs. 
All 
Just 
ASK 
partners 
agree 
to 
be 
conservative 
in 
sharing 
information 
informally 
with 
member 
programs 
and 
to 
strictly 
adhere 
to 
the 
confidentiality 
guidelines. 
External 
communication: 
External 
communication 
will 
be 
highly 
coordinated 
within 
and 
by 
the 
collaborative. 
Collaboration 
members 
will 
pay 
special 
attention 
to 
confidentiality 
and 
utilize 
a 
process 
that 
results 
in 
a 
unified 
voice 
for 
the 
collaborative. 


• 
Communication 
with 
OVW 
and 
Vera: 
Regular 
communication 
with 
OVW 
is 
necessary 
for 
the 
approval 
of 
official 
products, 
to 
clarify 
grant 
parameters 
and 
to 
ensure 
that 
grant 
goals 
are 
met. 
KCSDV 
is 
the 
primary 
contact 
for 
communication 
with 
OVW 
such 
as 
delivery 
of 
grant 
reports 
and 
submitting 

Just 
ASK 
documents. 
The 
content 
of 
such 
communications 
is 
agreed 
upon 
by 
the 
full 
collaborative. 
Continual 
communication 
with 
Vera 
is 
necessary 
in 
order 
to 
receive 
the 
intensive 
technical 
assistance 
needed 
to 
achieve 
the 
collaboration’s 
goals. 
Though 
KCSDV 
has 
a 
primary 
role 
in 
initiating 
technical 
assistance, 
all 
partners 
communicate 
fully 
and 
openly 
when 
engaging 
in 
technical 
assistance. 


• 
Communication 
with 
media: 
Any 
media 
statement 
regarding 
the 
Just 
ASK 
collaborative 
requires 
the 
prior 
approval 
of 
the 
full 
collaborative. 
Any 
media 
requests 
inquiring 
as 
to 
the 
intersections 
of 
violence 
against 
women 
and 
the 
independent 
living 
movement 
in 
Kansas 
will 
be 
returned 
after 
the 
full 
collaborative 
has 
an 
opportunity 
to 
agree 
upon 
a 
statement. 
Key 
messages 
for 
any 
statement 
will 
include 
the 
following 
messages: 
• 
Centers 
for 
independent 
living, 
local 
health 
departments 
and 
sexual 
assault/domestic 
violence 
programs 
have 
varying 
levels 
of 
cooperation 
and 
collaboration 
across 
the 
state; 
• 
These 
are 
emerging 
issues 
for 
both 
movements, 
and; 
• 
Strong 
ties 
between 
centers 
for 
independent 
living 
and 
sexual 
assault/domestic 
violence 
programs 
are 
key 
to 
ending 
violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities. 
• 
Communication 
with 
allied 
organizations: 
Allied 
organizations 
are 
systems 
with 
a 
critical 
role 
in 
responding 
to 
violence 
against 
women 
with 
disabilities. 
Examples 
might 
include 
the 
Statewide 
Independent 
Living 
Council 
of 
Kansas 
(SILCK) 
or 
the 
Kansas 
Crime 
Victims 
Compensation 
Board. 
Communication 
with 
such 
key 
organizations 
will 
be 
on 
an 
as 
needed 
basis 
with 
the 
consent 
of 
the 
full 
collaborative. 
The 
full 
collaborative 
must 
craft 
the 
central 
content 
to 
be 
shared 
with 
any 
allied 
organization. 

Decision-Making 
Policy 


Decisions 
will 
be 
made 
by 
consensus 
of 
the 
collaborative 
members. 
All 
major 
decisions 
will 
be 
considered 
in 
keeping 
with 
the 
Vision 
and 
Mission 
of 
Just 
ASK. 
In 
order 
to 
keep 
an 
open 
dialogue 
throughout 
the 
decision-making 
process, 
the 
collaborative 
uses 
a 
5-point 
gradient 
decision-making 
scale, 
leaving 
space 
for 
formal 
disagreement 
that 
will 
not 
block 
consensus 
agreement. 


Decision 
Making 
Scale 


1 
= 
Total 
Disagreement: 
This 
option 
will 
not 
be 
considered. 
It 
is 
in 
direct 
conflict 
with 
the 
Vision 
or 
Mission 
of 
Just 
ASK 
or 
it 
is 
a 
conflict 
of 
interest 
for 
one 
of 
the 
partner 
organizations. 


2 
= 
Moderate 
Disagreement: 
There 
are 
serious 
concerns 
about 
this 
option. 
Discussion 
can 
be 
continued 
but 
as 
it 
appears 
now 
this 
option 
is 
not 
in 
the 
best 
interest 
of 
the 
collaborative. 


3 
= 
Neutral: 
A 
greater 
understanding 
(through 
more 
data 
or 
more 
discussion) 
is 
needed 
before 
assessing 
this 
option. 


4 
= 
Moderate 
Agreement: 
There 
is 
tentative 
agreement 
about 
this 
option. 
Discussion 
should 
be 
continued 
to 
clarify 
the 
specific 
implications 
of 
this 
option. 


5 
= 
Total 
Agreement: 
This 
option 
supports 
the 
Vision 
and 
Mission 
of 
the 
collaborative 
completely. 
All 
partners 
are 
in 
agreement 
to 
move 
forward 
with 
this 
option. 


The 
charter 
recognizes 
three 
levels 
of 
decision-making 
(see 
Roles 
and 
Contributions, 
p. 
5): 
co-directors, 
managers, 
and 
the 
full 
collaborative 
(made 
up 
of 
co-directors 
and 
managers). 


Levels 
of 
Decision-Making 


Co-Director 
Level: 
Co-directors 
make 
decisions 
that 
exclusively 
affect 
the 
co-
director 
level 
or 
the 
day-to-day 
operations 
of 
the 
project. 
Co-directors 
engage 
in 
the 
following: 


• 
determine 
co-directors’ 
meeting 
schedule 
and 
agenda 
as 
directed 
by 
the 
full 
collaborative; 

• 
analyze 
internal 
organization 
policy 
and 
procedures 
and 
make 
recommendations 
to 
managers 
for 
internal 
system’s 
change; 
• 
create 
Just 
ASK 
products 
with 
input 
from 
full 
collaborative 
and 
technical 
assistance 
from 
Vera; 
• 
approve 
products 
as 
ready 
for 
review 
by 
the 
full 
collaborative; 
• 
determine 
when 
to 
seek 
informal 
technical 
assistance 
or 
guidance 
from 
Vera, 
and; 
• 
provide 
technical 
assistance 
to 
target 
sites 
and 
determine 
when 
to 
seek 
additional 
expertise 
in 
responding 
to 
technical 
assistance 
needs 
of 
target 
sites. 
Manager 
Level: 
Managers 
make 
decisions 
that 
impact 
the 
project 
or 
impact 
the 
work 
of 
member 
programs 
but 
that 
fall 
outside 
the 
scope 
of 
the 
project. 
Decisions 
include: 


• 
revision 
of 
budget/financial 
agreements; 
• 
examining 
broader 
organization 
policies/procedures 
and 
make 
recommendations 
to 
full 
collaborative 
or 
organization 
leadership, 
and; 
• 
determining 
parameters 
or 
co-directors’ 
work 
as 
being 
within/outside 
the 
scope 
of 
the 
project 
as 
directed 
by 
OVW. 
Full 
Collaborative 
Level: 
The 
full 
collaborative 
makes 
decisions 
that 
affect 
the 
direction 
of 
the 
collaborative 
including: 


• 
formal/public 
communication 
with 
parties 
outside 
the 
collaborative; 
• 
decisions 
that 
change/impact 
the 
scope 
of 
the 
project; 
• 
setting 
full 
collaborative 
meeting 
schedule 
and 
agenda; 
• 
determining 
target 
sites 
in 
accordance 
to 
agreed 
upon 
criteria; 
• 
determining 
formal 
request 
for 
technical 
assistance 
from 
Vera; 
• 
approving 
products 
(such 
as 
the 
collaboration 
charter, 
RFA, 
strategic 
plan 
etc.) 
as 
ready 
to 
be 
sent 
to 
OVW 
for 
approval, 
and; 
• 
directing 
the 
technical 
assistance 
to 
target 
sites 
during 
implementation 
of 
the 
strategic 
plan. 

Collaboration 
Confidentiality 
Statement 


The 
Just 
ASK 
Collaborative 
agrees 
to 
use 
the 
following 
confidentiality 
statements 
as 
guidance 
in 
the 
collaboration 
work. 
This 
statement 
is 
based 
on 
a 
thorough 
review 
of 
the 
confidentiality 
guidelines 
of 
each 
partner 
organization 
including 
the 
requirements 
of 
the 
Violence 
against 
Women 
and 
Department 
of 
Justice 
Reauthorization 
Act 
of 
2005. 
Paramount 
is 
the 
recognition 
that 
strict 
confidentiality 
measures 
are 
critical 
when 
working 
with 
any 
survivor’s 
information. 
Confidentiality 
is 
also 
essential 
to 
the 
ongoing 
work 
of 
the 
collaborative. 
This 
confidentiality 
agreement 
is 
meant 
to 
address 
the 
treatment 
of 
records 
and 
data 
as 
well 
as 
conversations 
that 
happen 
within 
the 
collaborative. 
A 
heightened 
attention 
to 
confidentiality 
is 
reflected 
in 
the 
way 
all 
activities 
are 
conducted. 


1. 
Each 
partner 
organization 
has 
a 
policy/procedure 
about 
treatment 
of 
records 
and 
data. 
The 
Just 
ASK 
Collaborative 
agrees 
to 
abide 
by 
the 
most 
secure 
of 
these 
policies. 
The 
result 
of 
a 
review 
found 
that 
KCSDV 
has 
the 
most 
detailed 
protections 
for 
a 
survivor’s 
information. 
This 
policy 
will 
direct 
Just 
ASK’s 
treatment 
of 
information. 
Confidential 
records 
will 
be 
securely 
stored 
once 
personally 
identifying 
information 
is 
redacted. 
Upon 
disposal, 
all 
confidential 
records 
will 
be 
shredded. 
Each 
member’s 
professional 
attitude 
when 
engaging 
in 
formal 
or 
informal 
conversation, 
even 
after 
the 
collaboration 
has 
ended 
or 
after 
termination 
of 
employment, 
shall 
uphold 
the 
confidentiality 
of 
all 
information. 
2. 
Just 
ASK 
will 
keep 
all 
personally 
identifying 
information 
about 
survivors 
confidential. 
Personal 
identifiers 
may 
include 
race, 
religion, 
age, 
sexual 
orientation, 
specific 
disability, 
location, 
language 
or 
specifics 
of 
an 
assault. 
Demographic 
information 
accompanying 
a 
quote 
from 
a 
focus 
group 
will 
be 
kept 
to 
a 
minimum. 
For 
example, 
the 
document 
may 
list 
“a 
survivor 
from 
Topeka” 
or 
“a 
Deaf 
survivor”, 
but 
not 
both. 
3. 
Just 
ASK 
will 
treat 
all 
politically 
sensitive 
information 
discussed 
in 
collaboration 
meetings 
as 
confidential 
information. 
Politically 
sensitive 
information 
is 
defined 
as 
information 
that 
has 
a 
potentially 
negative 
impact 
on 
the 
relationship 
with 
or 
status 
of 
a 
target 
site, 
member 
program 
and/or 
the 
partnering 
organizations. 
Examples 
may 
include 
a 
sexual 
assault 
or 
domestic 
violence 
program 
that 
is 
struggling 
with 
the 
Americans 
with 
Disabilities 
Act 
(ADA) 
compliance 
or 
a 
center 
for 
independent 
living 
that 
is 
struggling 
with 
workplace 

policies 
that 
impact 
an 
employee 
who 
is 
a 
survivor. 
Any 
disclosures 
of 
such 
information 
will 
require 
the 
unanimous 
consent 
of 
the 
collaboration. 


4. 
Due 
to 
the 
current 
makeup 
of 
the 
collaboration, 
the 
requirements 
of 
Kansas 
law, 
and 
the 
types 
of 
activities 
to 
be 
undertaken, 
the 
partners 
are 
not 
mandatory 
reporters 
with 
regard 
to 
the 
abuse 
or 
neglect 
of 
adults. 
(See 
K.S.A. 
39-1431; 
Attorney 
General 
Opinion 
No. 
2002-5.) 
Target 
sites 
may 
be 
impacted 
differently 
by 
mandatory 
reporting 
laws 
and 
Just 
ASK 
will 
support 
target 
sites 
in 
clarifying 
their 
mandatory 
reporting 
obligations. 
5. 
Each 
collaboration 
meeting 
will 
conclude 
with 
a 
review 
of 
the 
meeting 
to 
clarify 
which 
discussions 
or 
decisions 
that 
may 
be 
shared 
informally 
or 
formally 
with 
member 
programs, 
allied 
professionals 
or 
other 
parties. 

Conflict 
Resolution 


Conflict 
is 
a 
vital 
part 
of 
Just 
ASK’s 
growth 
and 
development. 
Just 
ASK 
embraces 
conflict 
as 
a 
natural 
part 
of 
collaborative 
work. 
The 
following 
guidelines 
are 
established 
by 
the 
collaboration 
partners 
as 
necessary 
to 
feel 
comfortable 
when 
conflict 
occurs 
among 
group 
members 
and 
to 
provide 
an 
environment 
where: 


• 
Partners 
can 
learn 
from 
each 
other 
and 
talk 
through 
conflict. 
• 
Individuals 
listen 
carefully 
to 
each 
other 
and 
can 
trust 
one 
another. 
• 
Partners 
can 
acknowledge 
passion 
about 
issues, 
the 
complexity 
of 
issues 
and 
different 
processing 
styles. 
Disagreement 
should 
not 
be 
equated 
with 
a 
lack 
of 
commitment 
to 
the 
issues. 
• 
Partners 
have 
an 
equal 
role 
and 
are 
valued. 
• 
The 
principles 
of 
ethical 
communication 
(see 
Definitions, 
p. 
17) 
will 
be 
utilized 
in 
all 
interactions. 
Collaboration 
partners 
will 
take 
the 
following 
steps 
if 
there 
are 
interpersonal 
conflicts: 


• 
Individuals 
will 
communicate 
the 
source 
of 
conflict 
directly 
with 
each 
other. 
• 
If 
direct 
communication 
does 
not 
resolve 
conflict 
between 
two 
co-directors, 
individuals 
will 
seek 
supervisory 
resolution. 
For 
example, 
if 
the 
two 
individuals 
are 
unable 
to 
resolve 
a 
conflict, 
the 
supervisors 
will 
be 
asked 
to 
mediate 
the 
dispute. 
• 
If 
an 
interpersonal 
conflict 
between 
two 
managers 
is 
not 
resolved 
by 
direct 
communication, 
the 
manager 
of 
the 
third 
partner 
will 
be 
asked 
to 
mediate. 
• 
If 
interpersonal 
conflict 
cannot 
be 
resolved 
through 
mediation 
within 
the 
collaborative, 
partners 
will 
request 
assistance 
from 
Vera 
to 
resolve 
the 
conflict. 
Collaboration 
partners 
will 
take 
the 
following 
steps 
in 
sequence 
if 
there 
is 
conflict 
among 
the 
partners: 


• 
Partners 
will 
use 
the 
Vision 
and 
Mission 
statements 
as 
guidelines 
for 
resolution 
of 
the 
issue(s). 
• 
If 
not 
resolved, 
partners 
will 
put 
rationale 
for 
position 
in 
writing 
and 
discuss 
issues. 
• 
If 
not 
resolved, 
partners 
will 
request 
mediation 
through 
Vera. 

Definitions 


• 
Accessibility: 
People 
with 
disabilities 
have 
the 
right 
to 
an 
equal 
opportunity 
to 
participate 
in 
the 
community 
including 
employment, 
accessing 
government 
programs, 
public 
accommodations, 
transportation 
and 
communication. 
Accessibility 
means 
that 
disability 
is 
accounted 
for 
in 
all 
aspects 
of 
life 
and 
that 
structures, 
processes 
and 
environments 
are 
designed 
to 
maximize 
inclusivity. 
• 
Autonomy: 
Every 
individual’s 
inherent 
human 
right 
to 
direct 
their 
own 
destiny, 
make 
choices 
and 
to 
define 
their 
own 
experiences. 
• 
Cultural 
competency: 
Operating 
with 
a 
level 
of 
understanding 
that 
each 
cultural 
group—for 
example 
ethnic 
groups, 
independent 
living 
groups 
or 
feminist 
groups—has 
a 
diverse 
set 
of 
dynamics 
including 
their 
own 
customs, 
language, 
norms, 
humor 
and 
values. 
To 
act 
with 
cultural 
competency 
is 
to 
respect 
difference 
and 
to 
interact 
with 
people 
from 
a 
place 
of 
understanding 
their 
context. 
• 
Collaboration: 
A 
conscious 
and 
dynamic 
relationship 
made 
by 
two 
or 
more 
organizations 
with 
formalized 
agreements 
to 
share 
influence 
and 
resources 
in 
order 
to 
achieve 
mutually 
beneficial 
results 
they 
could 
not 
achieve 
individually. 
(This 
definition 
is 
based 
heavily 
on 
work 
by 
the 
Fieldstone 
Alliance.) 
• 
Confidentiality: 
Creating 
deliberate 
protections 
for 
information 
that 
is 
given 
to 
an 
individual 
or 
to 
an 
organization 
with 
the 
expectation 
that 
the 
information 
is 
not 
shared 
without 
specific 
permission 
from 
the 
individual 
who 
owns 
the 
information. 
• 
Disability: 
To 
meet 
the 
ADA 
definition 
of 
disability 
a 
person 
must 
have 
a 
physical 
or 
mental 
impairment 
that 
substantially 
limits 
a 
major 
life 
activity, 
has 
a 
record 
of 
such 
an 
impairment 
or 
is 
regarded 
as 
having 
such 
an 
impairment. 
An 
emerging 
definition 
of 
disability 
focuses 
on 
the 
environment 
as 
a 
barrier, 
rather 
than 
a 
person’s 
functional 
limitations. 
This 
environment 
can 
include 
the 
social/political, 
informational, 
communication 
as 
well 
as 
the 
physical 
environment. 
People 
with 
disabilities 
are 
also 
a 
cultural 
group 
and 
constitute 
the 
nation’s 
largest 
minority. 
This 
group 
is 
simultaneously 
inclusive 
and 
diverse 
crossing 
all 
ages, 
religions 
and 
ethnic 
groups, 
socioeconomic 
levels, 
genders 
and 
sexual 
orientations. 
• 
Diversity: 
A 
recognition 
of 
the 
infinite 
number 
of 
ways 
there 
are 
to 
be 
human 
and 
to 
move 
through 
the 
world. 
Diversity 
is 
an 
acknowledgement 
of 
differences 
in 
identity, 
background, 
history, 
experiences 
and 
options. 
There 
is 
often 
a 
focus 
on 
gender, 
disability, 
race, 
economic 
background, 
religion, 

sexual 
orientation 
or 
rural/urban 
issues. 
This 
collaborative’s 
definition 
includes 
these 
but 
also 
other 
elements 
and 
recognizes 
the 
multiple 
ways 
people 
can 
identify 
within 
each 
group. 


• 
Domestic 
violence 
is 
a 
pattern 
of 
abusive 
and 
coercive 
behavior 
used 
to 
establish 
power 
and 
control 
over 
another 
person 
through 
fear 
and 
intimidation. 
Domestic 
violence 
occurs 
within 
intimate 
relationships, 
and 
abusers 
can 
be 
spouses, 
partners, 
boyfriends/girlfriends, 
family 
members, 
or 
caregivers. 
Batterers 
take 
away 
the 
victim’s 
fundamental 
right 
to 
maintain 
control 
over 
their 
own 
lives. 
They 
do 
this 
by 
using 
various 
abusive 
tactics 
including 
use 
of 
violence 
and 
threats 
of 
violence, 
controlling 
the 
victim’s 
mobility, 
isolating 
the 
victim, 
threats 
to 
hurt 
the 
victim 
and 
the 
victim’s 
family, 
controlling 
the 
victim’s 
money 
and 
using 
fear, 
intimidation 
and 
shame 
to 
silence 
the 
victim. 
• 
Empowerment: 
A 
philosophy 
of 
supporting 
each 
individual’s 
right 
to 
autonomy 
especially 
in 
directing 
that 
individual’s 
relationship 
with 
an 
advocate. 
Empowerment 
means 
possessing 
the 
power 
and 
control 
to 
make 
decisions 
about 
one’s 
own 
life. 
• 
Ethical 
communication: 
A 
commitment 
to 
being 
open 
and 
honest 
in 
identifying 
self-interest, 
and 
to 
communicate 
directly 
with 
members 
of 
the 
collaborative 
even 
in 
the 
face 
of 
conflict 
or 
tension. 
• 
Safety: 
An 
environment 
that 
attends 
to 
the 
physical, 
emotional 
and 
spiritual 
needs 
of 
each 
individual, 
thereby 
allowing 
them 
to 
exercise 
their 
autonomy. 
• 
Sexual 
Assault: 
Any 
type 
of 
sexual 
activity 
to 
which 
a 
person 
has 
not 
freely 
consented. 
It 
is 
a 
form 
of 
violence 
that 
uses 
sex 
and 
sexuality 
to 
humiliate, 
intimidate, 
control 
or 
instill 
fear 
in 
another 
person. 
Sexual 
assault 
can 
be 
committed 
by 
the 
use 
or 
threat 
of 
force 
or 
under 
circumstances 
where 
a 
person 
is 
incapable 
of 
consenting. 
It 
ranges 
from 
intimidation 
to 
inappropriate 
touching 
to 
penetration 
or 
intercourse. 
It 
also 
can 
be 
verbal, 
visual, 
audio, 
or 
any 
other 
form 
which 
forces 
a 
person 
to 
participate 
in 
unwanted 
sexual 
contact 
or 
attention. 
Sexual 
assault 
includes 
rape 
and 
attempted 
rape, 
child 
molestation, 
voyeurism, 
exhibitionism, 
incest, 
and 
sexual 
harassment. 
It 
can 
happen 
in 
different 
situations, 
such 
as 
date 
rape, 
personal 
assistant 
or 
domestic 
or 
intimate 
partner 
violence, 
or 
by 
a 
stranger. 
• 
Survivor-centered 
advocacy: 
A 
philosophy 
where 
survivors 
are 
valued 
as 
the 
experts, 
where 
each 
survivor’s 
individual 
experience 
is 
the 
starting 
place 
for 
advocacy. 
Survivor-centered 
advocacy 
uses 
a 
framework 
that 
is 
responsive 
to 
the 
survivor 
as 
a 
whole 
person 
by 
acknowledging 
risks 
generated 
by 
the 
perpetrator, 
systems 
and 
society. 

• 
Systems 
Change: 
A 
method 
of 
impacting 
the 
culture 
of 
an 
organization 
by 
focusing 
on 
the 
structures, 
policies 
and 
procedures 
of 
the 
organization. 
This 
results 
in 
a 
sustainable 
shift 
in 
attitudes, 
practices 
and 
services 
provided 
by 
that 
institution. 
• 
Technical 
Assistance: 
The 
proactive 
provision 
of 
prescribed 
or 
requested 
specialized 
support, 
help 
and 
information 
on 
specific 
topics 
or 
activities. 
It 
may 
be 
delivered 
in-person, 
by 
telephone, 
electronically 
or 
in 
writing. 
The 
assistance 
is 
provided 
in 
a 
timely, 
specific, 
respectful 
and 
thorough 
manner. 

Work 
plan 
for 
planning 
phase 


Note: 
this 
work 
plan 
is 
based 
on 
a 
30 
day 
guideline 
for 
feedback 
from 
OVW 
and 
Vera 
on 
products. 
Actual 
timeline 
may 
move 
faster. 


October-December, 
2006 


• 
Site 
visit 
with 
Vera 
• 
Hiring 
process 
and 
initial 
orientation 
to 
the 
grant 
• 
Attend 
first 
grantee 
meeting 
in 
San 
Jose, 
CA 
January-March 
2007 


• 
Development 
of 
collaboration 
charter: 
definitions, 
vision 
statement, 
mission 
statement, 
roles 
and 
responsibilities 
• 
Establish 
and 
define 
co-project 
director 
roles 
• 
Cross 
training, 
information 
sharing 
April 
2007 


• 
Development 
of 
collaboration 
charter: 
definitions, 
vision 
statement, 
mission 
statement, 
roles 
and 
responsibilities 
in 
consultation 
with 
Vera 
• 
Establish 
and 
define 
co-project 
director 
roles 
• 
Cross 
training, 
information 
sharing 
• 
Retreat 
planning 
for 
May 
May 
2007 


• 
Complete 
Just 
ASK 
team 
with 
hire 
of 
KDHE 
Coordinator 
• 
Attend 
grantee 
meeting 
in 
Providence, 
RI 
• 
Hold 
3-day 
retreat 
for 
continued 
cross 
training, 
development 
of 
collaboration 
charter 
and 
TA 
from 
Vera 
June 
2007 


• 
Develop 
confidentiality 
agreement 
from 
organization 
confidentiality 
statements. 
• 
Disseminate 
formalized 
charter. 
• 
Feedback 
project 
July 
2007 


• 
Develop, 
review 
RFA 
in 
consultation 
with 
Vera. 
• 
Develop 
Needs 
Assessment 
plan 
in 
consultation 
with 
Vera 

• 
Accessible 
tool 
• 
Review 
by 
individuals 
and 
groups 
for 
accessibility 
August 
2007 


• 
Continue 
work 
on 
collaboration 
charter 
with 
feedback 
from 
OVW 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
RFA 
with 
input 
from 
Vera 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
in 
consultation 
with 
Vera 
September-October 
2007 


• 
Submit 
collaboration 
charter 
to 
OVW 
for 
approval 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
collaboration 
charter 
with 
feedback 
from 
OVW 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
RFA 
with 
input 
from 
Vera 
• 
Continued 
development 
of 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
and 
tools 
with 
on-going 
TA 
support 
from 
Vera-
November 
2007 


• 
Continue 
work 
on 
Collaboration 
Charter 
and 
RFA 
(feedback 
from 
Vera) 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
needs 
assessment 
• 
Attend 
third 
All 
Site 
Meeting 
for 
2006 
Grantees 
December 
2007 


• 
Continue 
work 
on 
Collaboration 
Charter 
and 
RFA 
with 
input 
from 
Vera 
• 
TA 
site 
visit 
from 
Vera 
• 
Finalize 
Collaboration 
Charter 
and 
RFA 
with 
support 
from 
Vera 
• 
Submit 
Collaboration 
Charter 
to 
OVW 
for 
final 
approval 
January 
2008 


• 
Submit 
RFA 
to 
OVW 
for 
final 
approval 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
with 
support 
from 
Vera 
February 
2008 


• 
Submit 
RFA 
to 
KDHE 
for 
approval 
• 
Continue 
work 
on 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
with 
support 
from 
Vera 
• 
Submit 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
and 
tools 
to 
OVW 
for 
approval 
• 
Distribute 
RFA 
to 
member 
programs 

March 
2008 


• 
Select 
and 
notify 
target 
sites 
• 
Coordinate 
focus 
groups 
• 
Orient 
target 
sites 
to 
the 
program 
and 
collaboration-building 
process 
April 
2007 


• 
Conduct 
focus 
groups 
(work 
with 
local 
projects 
to 
recruit 
pwd 
and 
survivors; 
work 
with 
local 
sites 
to 
find 
locations 
that 
are 
safe 
and 
accessible; 
work 
with 
local 
sites 
to 
ensure 
universal 
access 
of 
focus 
group 
tools 
etc.) 
• 
Conduct 
surveys 
• 
Review 
other 
data 
sources 
(organization 
policy 
etc.) 
May 
2008 


• 
Conduct 
additional 
focus 
groups 
(as 
needed) 
• 
Write 
needs 
assessment 
report 
with 
input 
from 
Vera 
• 
Submit 
needs 
assessment 
report 
to 
OVW 
• 
Site 
visit 
from 
Vera 
to 
begin 
strategic 
plan 
process 
June 
2008 


• 
Submit 
strategic 
plan 
to 
OVW 
for 
approval 
• 
Begin 
implementation 
of 
strategic 
plan