Table of Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Needs Assessment Goals 5 3 Information Sources 5 4 Methods 6 4.1 Individual Interviews and Optional Individual Interviews 9 4.2 Manager/Staff Pre-Focus Group Survey 13 4.3 Focus Groups 14 4.4 Community Dialogue 21 5 Consent, Access, Safety and Confidentiality 22 6 Work Plan 26 Appendix Table of Contents 27 Appendix 1 Registration and Consent Forms 1.1 Individual and Survivor with Disability Registration Form 28 1.2 Individual and Survivor with Disability Consent Form-Interview 29 1.3 Individual and Survivor with Disability Consent Form-Focus Group 31 1.4 Adapted Consent Form-Interview 33 1.5 Adapted Consent Form-Focus Group 35 1.6 Service Provider Registration Form 37 Appendix 2 Invitations 2.1 Sample Invitation to Leader 38 2.2 Sample Invitation to Center for Deaf-Blind Persons 39 2.3 Sample Invitation to Managers 40 2.4 Sample Invitation to Staff 41 2.5 Sample Invitation Focus Group 42 2.6 Sample Invitation Community Dialogue 43 Appendix 3 Handouts 3.1 Definitions 44 3.2 Adapted Definitions 47 3.3 Milwaukee Resources 49 Appendix 4 Interviewers Guide: Script & Questions 52 Appendix 5 Pre-Focus Group Survey 87 Appendix 6 Focus Groups Facilitator Guide: Script & Questions 92 Appendix 7 Adapted Questions for Focus Groups and Interviews with Individuals and Survivors with Disabilities 125 Appendix 8 Community Dialogue Facilitator Guide: Script & Questions 127 1 INTRODUCTION The Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (hereafter referred to as MMDI:ACCESS) was created to improve the response to survivors with disabilities who have experienced domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. MMDI:ACCESS is made up of four community programs: (1) IndependenceFirst (lead agency); (2) Task Force on Family Violence; (3) Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and (4) City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention. (1) IndependenceFirst is the independent living center serving Milwaukee County, as well as the three adjoining counties, and serves people with all types of disabilities from birth to death. Over the last ten years IndependenceFirst has become a leader in serving people with disabilities who have been abused or experienced violence in their lives. (2) The Task Force on Family Violence (TFFV) is a private, non-profit organization that provides services for all adult victims of abuse, children who have been abused or have witnessed domestic violence and women perpetrators of violence. TFFV has been at the forefront of fighting intimate partner and family violence in the Greater Milwaukee area, providing advocacy, education and resources to keep people safe. (3) Milwaukee County Disability Services Division (DSD) is made up of four bureaus: The Resource Center, the Children and Family Services Bureau*, the Developmental Disabilities Bureau and the Physical and Sensory Impairment Bureau. The programs offered through DSD are an essential component of the overall disability service delivery system in Milwaukee County. *We will not be working with the Children and Family Services Bureau as it is outside the scope of the grant. (4) The City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention (OVP) provides strategic direction and oversight for the City of Milwaukee’s effort to reduce the risk of violence, through community policing; the development of a citywide comprehensive violence prevention strategic plan; and the development of community crime prevention collaborations for violence prevention. In addition, OVP will support the work of the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and manage the Injury and Violence Prevention Program of the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD). Vision and Mission Statements Vision Statement: Milwaukee area residents with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse will gain access to a network of interdisciplinary service providers who will assist them on their journey from crisis to healing in a timely and comprehensive manner that embodies choice, safety, and justice with the full support of the community. Mission Statement: MMDI:ACCESS will build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. This response will exemplify choice, safety, dignity and justice to empower survivors. MMDI:ACCESS will foster a culture of change within this service network and the collaborating agencies by equipping itself with the tools needed to strengthen its relationships, improve communication and break down barriers that exist for survivors with disabilities. Focus MMDI:ACCESS will focus its efforts on women with disabilities who fall into the following four categories: (1) Cross-disability- MMDI:ACCESS will look at the needs of individuals across the various disability types, as this is the population served by both IndependenceFirst and DSD. (2) Age eighteen to fifty-nine (18-59)- MMDI:ACCESS will focus on individuals who fall between the ages of eighteen to fifty-nine (18-59) as these ages mark the cutoff points for determining which system an individual falls under in Milwaukee County. Anyone under eighteen falls under the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare and anyone over fifty-nine falls under the Department on Aging. (3) Residing in Milwaukee County- MMDI:ACCESS will focus it’s attention on Milwaukee County because approximately 21.9% (n=169,939) of all the people with disabilities in the State of Wisconsin reside in Milwaukee County providing us with access to a large number of persons with disabilities. (4) Survivors of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse-MMDI:ACCESS will focus on the experiences of survivors with disabilities as access to this group can be done through all four of the partners. Sites of Change The four programs that make up MMDI:ACCESS has the capacity and has made a commitment to foster change within our programs. While we will focus on our own organizations to be the sites of change, MMDI:ACCESS has the potential to create a ripple effect of change across the community because of the pre-existing collaborations within the Milwaukee area and the interweaving of the agencies that make up MMDI:ACCESS and other programs in the community. Purpose of the Needs Assessment MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment to inform the collaborative of both strengths/assets and weaknesses/gaps in services from crisis to healing that exist for our target population. The needs assessment will also be used to inform and develop a strategic plan aimed at creating a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. . Back 2 NEEDS ASSESSMENT GOALS MMDI:ACCESS has decided to investigate the following five (5) goals: Goal 1: Identify the policy/procedures/practices that exist at domestic violence/sexual assault and disability organizations that address the needs of persons with disabilities experiencing violence and abuse. Goal 2: Identify the gaps and barriers; and strengths and assets experienced by survivors with disabilities in accessing and receiving services at domestic violence/sexual assault and disability organizations. Goal 3: Identify the gaps and barriers; and strengths and assets of domestic violence/sexual assault and disability organizations in addressing the issues of and providing services to survivors with disabilities. Goal 4: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the existing relationships between domestic violence/sexual assault and disability organizations. Goal 5: Identify opportunities for change and/or solutions for improving services to survivors with disabilities. . Back 3 INFORMATION SOURCES Existing Data There is limited data and/or research that specifically address how domestic violence/sexual assault and disability organizations meet the needs of survivors with disabilities in the Milwaukee area. The results of a statewide survey of Wisconsin domestic violence programs are presented in Meeting the needs of women with disabilities: The accessibility of domestic violence programs in Wisconsin (Myers, 2000). This survey asked domestic violence programs to provide a self-report on their physical, attitudinal and communication accessibility, as well as specific barriers created by policies. We will use this information to compare the access barriers eight years ago to those identified during this needs assessment. In Violence against women: Focus groups with culturally distinct and underserved communities (Sadusky and Obinna, 2002) the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, held focus groups throughout Wisconsin to identify the help seeking behaviors, as well as the focus groups participants’ awareness of domestic and sexual violence issues and programs. Focus groups were held with a variety of underserved groups including people with disabilities and individuals who are Deaf and hard of hearing, several of which were held in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin. This study identified several themes that were consistent across different underserved populations, i.e. “women do not widely use the helping agencies most commonly associated with sexual assault and domestic violence, either because they are unaware of them, the agencies are inaccessible, or women do not believe they can help”. This needs assessment will help us see if the experiences of survivors and people with disabilities, differ from what was found in 2002 or if it has remained the same. In Voices across America: Communities coming together to end crimes against people with disabilities (Myers, 2004), two (2) focus groups were held at a National Council on Independent Living’s (NCIL) annual conference. The purpose was to find out how independent living centers (ILC), across the country, were handling cases of abuse and/or violence and how they saw their role in addressing these issues within the ILC. These groups provided valuable insight into the role ILCs and other disability agencies are taking or believe they should be taking in responding to violence against people with disabilities. This study was instrumental in sparking a national response and will help us look at how much progress has been made on a local level. New Data New data will be gathered during this needs assessment process through individual interviews, pre-focus group surveys, focus groups and a community dialogue. . Back 4 METHODS The methodology that MMDI:ACCESS will use during this needs assessment includes: 1. Individual Interviews with: a. Leaders of the four (4) partner agencies b. Individuals who are Deaf-Blind c. Managers, staff, individuals and survivors with disabilities who opt out of the focus group or whose focus group was canceled because less than four (4) people registered 2. Pre-Focus Group Survey with management and staff 3. Focus Groups with: a. Members of the Board of Directors, program managers, supervisors and division heads b. Staff members c. Individuals with disabilities d. Survivors with disabilities 4. Community Dialogue with the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Note: If at any point during the needs assessment it appears that we have become saturated and are no longer receiving new information from the focus groups or individual interviews; an MMDI:ACCESS meeting with the Vera Program Associate will be held to discuss whether or not to cancel the remaining activities. INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS Target Audience Number Executive Directors, Administrator and Commissioner 4 Individuals who are Deaf-Blind 3-6 Optional Interviews-Program Managers, Supervisors, Board Members, Division Heads Unknown Optional Interviews-Staff Members Unknown Optional Interviews-Individuals with Disabilities Unknown Optional Interviews-Survivors with Disabilities Unknown PRE-FOCUS GROUP SURVEYS/MANAGERS & STAFF Target Audience Number IndependenceFirst-Members of the Board of Directors & Program Managers 4-10 TFFV-Members of the Board of Directors & Program Managers 4-10 DSD-Supervisors 4-10 OVP-Division Heads 4-10 IndependenceFirst-# 1-Staff Members 4-12 IndependenceFirst-# 2-Staff Members 4-12 IndependenceFirst-# 3-Staff Members 4-12 IndependenceFirst-# 4-Staff Members 4-12 TFFV-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #1-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #2-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #3-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #4-Staff Members 4-12 OVP #1-Staff Members 4-12 OVP #2-Staff Members 4-12 FOCUS GROUPS Target Audience Number IndependenceFirst-Members of the Board of Directors & Program Managers 4-10 TFFV-Members of the Board of Directors & Program Managers 4-10 DSD-Supervisors 4-10 OVP-Division Heads 4-10 IndependenceFirst-# 1-Staff Members 4-12 IndependenceFirst-# 2-Staff Members 4-12 IndependenceFirst-# 3-Staff Members 4-12 FOCUS GROUPS Target Audience Number IndependenceFirst-# 4-Staff Members 4-12 TFFV-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #1-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #2-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #3-Staff Members 4-12 DSD #4-Staff Members 4-12 OVP #1-Staff Members 4-12 OVP #2-Staff Members 4-12 Individuals with developmental disabilities #1, using community-based programs* 4-8 Individuals with developmental disabilities #2, who have cases at DSD Developmental Disabilities Bureau 4-8 Individuals who are blind using community-based programs*, DSD and IndependenceFirst 4-8 Individuals who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing using community-based programs*, DSD and IndependenceFirst 4-8 Individuals with mental illness #1, using community-based programs* and IndependenceFirst 4-8 Individuals with mental illness #2, who have cases at Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division 4-8 Individuals across disability types #1, using community-based programs *, DSD and IndependenceFirst 4-8 Individuals across disability types #2, using community-based programs*, DSD and IndependenceFirst 4-8 Individuals across disability types in the inner city 4-8 Individuals using long term support services #1, at community-based programs* and IndependenceFirst 4-8 Individuals using long term support services #2, through DSD 4-8 Survivors with Disabilities #1-Individuals who have/had a case with the IndependenceFirst DART (Disability Abuse Response Team) Program 4-8 Survivors with Disabilities #2-Individuals who are using services at Task Force on Family Violence, Sojourner Truth House and The Healing Center 4-8 *Community-based programs include, but are not limited to ARC, People First, Alliance for the Mentally III Greater Milwaukee, Mental Health Association, Grand Avenue Club, Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Inc., Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, United Cerebral Palsy Of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. and National Spinal Cord Injury Association. COMMUNITY DIALOGUE Target Audience Number Members of the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault 10-30 . Back 4.1 INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS Individual interviews provide an opportunity for a one-on-one interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee. It uses a series of open-ended questions that can be modified to gain additional information or explore new issues brought up during the interview. This method gives the interviewer the opportunity to probe deeper into those issues that may benefit the project and allows the interviewee to communicate their thoughts at their own pace and in their own style. a. Leaders of the Four Partner Agencies Purpose/Goal: Individual interviews will be held with the leaders of each of the four (4) partner agencies. It will allow MMDI:ACCESS the opportunity to gain insight into the agency’s willingness, commitment and ability (including financial) to make changes suggested through the needs assessment. In addition these interviews will help identity what policies and procedures exist at each program that addresses the needs of persons with disabilities experiencing violence and abuse. The interviews with leaders will be held towards the end of the needs assessment process, in order to provide them with information that was gained through the other needs assessment tasks. We believe that this one-to-one interview strategy will give the interviewer the chance to establish a rapport and connection with the interviewee. The interviewer will be responsible for: . Making contact with the agency leader to set a date, time and location for the interview . Asking the interview questions . Taking written notes of the interview . Making an audio recording of the interview (when allowed) . Transcribing the audio tape and combining them with any notes taken and then forwarding the notes and the audio tape to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Reporting back to the other MMDI:ACCESS representatives. Target Audience: The four (4) individual interviews will be held with the leaders of each of the partner agencies: . Lee Schulz, Executive Director of IndependenceFirst . Carmen Pitre, Executive Director of Task Force on Family Violence . Geri Lyday, Administrator, Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, Disability Services Division . Bevan K. Baker, FACHE, Commissioner of Health, Milwaukee Health Department MMDI:ACCESS representatives will conduct these interviews and will be assigned to interview the leader based on their type of program; we believe that matching the interviewer and interviewee in this manner will foster open and honest communication. 1. Non-profits: The MMDI:ACCESS representative from IndependenceFirst will interview the leader from Task Force on Family Violence; the MMDI:ACCESS representative from Task Force on Family Violence will interview the leader from IndependenceFirst. 2. Government: The MMDI:ACCESS representative from Milwaukee County DSD will interview the leader from City of Milwaukee Health Department; the MMDI:ACCESS representative from the City of Milwaukee Health Department, OVP will interview the leader from Milwaukee County DSD Recruitment (Leader Interviews) . MMDI:ACCESS will formally invite each of the agency leaders to take part in these critical conversations. A sample invitation can be found in Appendix 2.1. . These invitations will contain the name and contact information for the MMDI:ACCESS representative assigned to be the interviewer and what to expect during the interview. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative assigned will then make personal contact to follow up with the leader and to set up a date, time and location for the interview. . Appendix 4 contains the Interviewer Guide: Script and Questions. b. Individuals who are Deaf-Blind Purpose/Goal: Interviews will be conducted with individuals who are Deaf-Blind. These interviews will provide us with invaluable information and insight into the existing service system in Milwaukee, the types of access needed and ideas and solutions for improving these services. We believe that this one-to-one interview strategy will give the interviewer the chance to establish a rapport and connection with the interviewee. The interviewer will be responsible for: . Giving definition and resource list handouts (see Appendix 3) to the interviewee . Giving $25.00 stipend to interviewee . Asking the interview questions . Taking written notes of the interview . Making an audio recording of the interview (when allowed) . Transcribing the audio tape and combining them with any notes taken and then forwarding the notes and the audio tape to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Reporting back to the other MMDI:ACCESS representatives. The interviewer will also provide support to the interviewee, should he/she be triggered by the conversation and will use her discretion in taking breaks and even ending an interview early should she sense that the interviewee is having difficulty with the interview. Target Audience: Three to six (3-6) interviews will be conducted with individuals who are Deaf-Blind and are receiving services from the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons in Milwaukee. These interviews will be held at the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons in Milwaukee, as we feel that this location will be familiar to the individual and may be perceived as a safe location for those people willing to participate. Recruitment (Interviews with Individuals who are Deaf-Blind) . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will contact the Executive Director of the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons to discuss the project and set-up two (2) dates with flexible time frames (i.e. Monday 9:00-12:00 and Tuesday 1:00-4:00) for these interviews to take place. . Once this has been done the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will send out an invitation (see Appendix 2.2) to the Executive Director of the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, who can pass it on to the staff to use to inform those individuals that use the Center services about the needs assessment and identify those individuals who are interested in participating. Center staff will be asked to inform all those individuals that use their programs not just those people they believe or know are survivors. . The Center staff will then ask those people interested in being interviewed to complete a registration form. Registration forms will be provided to the Center staff in regular and large prints, Braille and electronically (see Appendix 1.1). Center staff will offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Participants who require a guardian to complete the registration form, will be asked by the Center staff if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian and if the participant says yes, the Center staff will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . After three to six participants are identified and registration forms completed, the Center’s Executive Director will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Each participant will receive a $25.00 stipend for their participation in the interview. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list handout (see Appendix 3) . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the interview, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . A consent form (see Appendix 1.2) will be completed at the beginning of the interview. The interviewer will read through the consent form with the participant and answer any questions. . Those participants with a guardian will have the consent form filled out by the guardian at the same time as their registration form; the interviewer will also read through the consent form with the participant at the beginning of the interview and get the participant’s verbal consent as well. . Appendix 4 contains the Interviewer Guide: Script and Questions. c. Optional Interviews Purpose/Goal: Individual interviews will be offered to managers, staff, survivors and individuals with disabilities: . As an alternate to focus group participation for those individuals and survivors with disabilities who perceive the individual interview format as a safer, less threatening opportunity to participate in the needs assessment process . When a focus group is canceled because there is less than four (4) registered participants . As a reasonable accommodation . For managers and staff who were unable to attend a scheduled focus group . Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . Individuals and survivors with disabilities will be asked to identify their preferred method for participating in the interview; i.e. in-person, by phone or via video relay. The individual will then be asked if this is the safest method and be offered alternatives (i.e. participating in a phone interview from an alternate site) if participation may compromise the individual’s safety. . Managers and staff will be asked to identify their preferred method for participating in the interview; i.e. in-person, by phone or via video relay. . Once the participant has chosen the way they want to participate in the interview, the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will schedule the interview, using the date, time and location most convenient for the participant. The interviewer will be responsible for: . Giving definition and resource list handouts (see Appendix 3) to the interviewee . Giving $25.00 stipend to individuals and survivors with disabilities . Asking the interview questions . Taking written notes of the interview . Making an audio recording of the interview (when allowed) . Transcribing the audio tape and combining them with any notes taken and then forwarding the notes and the audio tape to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Reporting back to the other MMDI:ACCESS representatives. The interviewer will also provide support to the interviewee, should he/she be triggered by the conversation and will use her discretion in taking breaks and even ending an interview early should she sense that the interviewee is having difficulty with the interview. Target Audience: This option will be made available as an alternate to participation in a focus group and will be offered to agency managers and staff, individuals and survivors with disabilities. Recruitment (Optional Interviews): . Individual interviews will be offered as an option to participating in focus groups. The individual can make this choice on the registration form. The individual interview option will be available for managers and staff at the four (4) MMDI:ACCESS agencies and for individuals and survivors with disabilities. . Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . Invitations to participate in focus groups, which include the option for an interview, will be forwarded to local disability or victim services programs, managers and staff. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration forms to local disability or victim services programs and the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency, in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats (see Appendix 1.1 and Appendix 1.6). Staff at local disability or victim services programs and the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency, will offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Staff at local disability or victim services programs will ask participants, who require a guardian to complete the registration form, if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian. If the participant says yes, the staff at local disability or victim services programs will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Staff at local disability or victim services programs and the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will then pull out those forms that indicate the preference for an individual interview and will contact the staff at local disability or victim services programs and the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency to arrange the interviews. . Each individual and survivor with a disability will receive a $25.00 stipend for their participation in the interview. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list handout (see Appendix 3) . Participants will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the interview, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Individuals and survivors with disabilities will complete a consent form (see Appendix 1.2) will be completed by at the beginning of the interview. The interviewer will read the consent form with the participant and answer any questions. . Managers and staff taking part in an interview will be asked to verbally consent on the day of the scheduled interview. . Those participants with a guardian will have the consent form filled out by the guardian at the same time as their registration form; the interviewer will also read through the consent form with the participant at the beginning of the interview and get the participant’s verbal consent as well. . Appendix 4 contains the Interviewer Guide: Script and Questions. . Back 4.2 MANAGER/STAFF PRE-FOCUS GROUP SURVEY A survey is a research method for collecting information from a selected group of people using standardized questionnaires or interviews. Surveys are an efficient way to collect quantitative data from large groups of individuals. Surveys are relatively easy to administer and allow respondents the opportunity to offer their insight in an anonymous manner. The Manager/Staff Pre-Focus Group Survey includes a set of closed questions that provide respondents with a defined set of scaled responses that have a progressive order. Purpose/Goal: The managers and staff of the four MMDI:ACCESS agencies will be asked to fill out the Manager/Staff Pre-Focus Group Survey at the beginning of the focus group. The survey asks respondents to rate the extent to which the core values of MMDI:ACCESS are emphasized and integrated into the organization’s culture and practices. Target Audience: Four to ten (4-10) managers, board members, supervisors and division heads will be asked to fill out the survey at the beginning of each of the four scheduled manager focus groups. In addition five to twenty-five (5-25) staff members, direct service workers, support services workers, etc. will be asked to fill out the survey at the beginning of each of the six scheduled staff focus groups. Recruitment (Pre-Focus Group Survey-Managers/Staff): . The MMDI:ACCESS representatives will secure a date and time for focus groups with the managers and staff from their respective programs. . The MMDI:ACCESS representatives will then contact the leader of their agency to ask them to invite agency managers and staff to take part in the Manager/Staff Pre- Focus Group Survey (as part of the focus group). See Appendix 2.3 for a sample of the invitation to managers and Appendix 2.4 for a sample invitation for staff. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration forms to the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency, in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats. A copy of the registration form for service providers is available in Appendix 1.6. The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will ask managers and staff to complete the registration form and offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . The Pre-Focus Group Survey will be done at the time of the focus group or optional interview. . After participants are identified and registration forms completed, the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the survey, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Managers and staff taking part in the Pre-Focus Group Survey will be asked to verbally consent on the day of the scheduled event. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list handout (see Appendix 3) . Appendix 5 contains the Pre-Focus Group Survey-Managers/Staff . Back 4.3 FOCUS GROUPS Focus groups are moderated discussions that allow communication from a broad and diverse perspective and can be held with a large number of people over a short period of time. The open-ended nature of focus groups allows deeper exploration of the needs assessment goals. MMDI:ACCESS will conduct a series of focus groups during the needs assessment, including focus groups with managers and staff at each of the partner organizations and focus groups with individuals and survivors disabilities. MMDI:ACCESS will ask several community programs to host the focus groups with individuals and survivors with disabilities. Offering focus groups at other community programs will ease transportation issues for participants; it will also help us to ensure that we get the greatest cross-section of Milwaukee residents, including people from various parts of Milwaukee. The structure of the focus groups will be the same across each of the proposed groups and will be staffed by MMDI:ACCESS representatives. Each MMDI:ACCESS representative will be assigned roles including moderator, recorder, floater and support person. The MMDI:ACCESS Focus Group Facilitator Guide: Script and Questions is available in Appendix 6. Moderator: The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will act as the moderator for the focus groups, with the exception of the focus group for people who are Deaf and hard of hearing; this group will be facilitated by an IndependenceFirst staff member who is Deaf. The moderator will be responsible for facilitating the groups and ensuring that participants are offered a safe, pressure-free environment that encourages mutual respect, where everyone has a chance to express their opinions and where every attempt is made to meet the needs of all participants. Recorder: The recorder will be responsible for taking notes of the discussion and if there are no objections, making an audio recording of the group. Once the group is complete the recorder will transcribe this audio recording and combine it with their notes and those of other MMDI:ACCESS representatives. The recorder will note any topics or questions that were difficult for participants, and identify non-verbal reactions by participants. When possible the recorder will be one of the representatives from the Task Force on Family Violence; when that person is unavailable one of the other MMDI:ACCESS representatives will be assigned the recorder role. Floater(s): When MMDI:ACCESS representatives are available to attend focus groups, they will act as floaters and will be responsible for: . Assisting the moderator before the group with set-up and registration . Assisting participants during the group, i.e. escorting him/her to the support person . Assisting the moderator after the group to clean up room and take down the check-in and food tables. . Additional tasks as needed Floaters will also take their own notes; this will give an additional perspective of the session and conversation. These notes will then be complied with those of the recorder. Support Staff: The Task Force on Family Violence will provide an advocate who can provide emotional support to participants during or immediately after the focus group. The advocate will remain outside the room where the focus group is taking place, so the participant can seek help confidentially. Participants will be informed of where the support person is located at the beginning of the group. Individuals in all of these roles will be responsible for attending a post focus group de- briefing session that will be used to compare notes and assess the results of the focus group. MMDI:ACCESS Representatives: There will regular meetings held during the needs assessment process. This will give the representatives a chance to compile data, assess the group and interview process for effectiveness, and make changes as needed. a. Management Purpose/Goal: Focus groups will be held for managers, supervisors, division heads and board members (if applicable) of each of the four (4) partner agencies. The information gained through these groups will help us to assess management and the board’s commitment to change and how these changes can be easily instituted across the various departments. In addition, it will help to identity what policies and procedures exist at each program that addresses the needs of persons with disabilities experiencing violence and abuse. These focus groups will be held towards the end of the needs assessment process in order to provide managers, division heads and board members with information that was gained through the other needs assessment tasks. Target Audience: Focus groups will be held with managers, supervisors, board members at IndependenceFirst and Task Force on Family Violence, and with supervisors and division heads of Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services and City of Milwaukee Health Department. Recruitment (Focus Group-Managers): . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will secure a date, time and place for the focus groups with the managers, supervisors, board members and division heads from their respective programs. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will then contact the leader of their agency to ask them to invite agency managers to take part in the focus group. See Appendix 2.3 for a sample of the invitation to managers. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration forms to the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency, in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats. A copy of the registration form for service providers is available in Appendix 1.6. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will ask managers to complete the registration form and offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . After participants are identified and registration forms completed, the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Managers taking part in the focus group will be asked to verbally consent on the day of the scheduled event. . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the focus group, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list (see Appendix 3) . Appendix 6 contains the Focus Group Facilitator Guide: Script and Questions. b. Staff Purpose/Goal: Focus groups will be conducted with non-management staff at IndependenceFirst, Task Force on Family Violence, City of Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division. The information gained through these groups will help us to assess the staff’s commitment to change, as well as how these changes will affect their ability to do their jobs. In addition, it will help to identity the current practices at each program that address needs of persons with disabilities experiencing violence and abuse, and the types of services being offered by staff. Target Audience: Focus groups will be held with non-management staff at IndependenceFirst, Task Force on Family Violence, City of Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division. Due to the number of non-management staff at IndependenceFirst, OVP and DSD, multiple focus groups will be held at each of these sites. Recruitment (Focus Group-Staff): . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will secure a date, time and place for the focus groups with the staff. The MMDI:ACCESS representatives will then contact the leaders of their agency to invite agency staff to take part in a focus group. See Appendix 2.4 for a sample invitation for staff. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration forms to the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats. A copy of the registration form for service providers is available in Appendix 1.6. . The agency representatives will ask staff to complete the registration form and offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. The individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . After participants are identified and registration forms completed, the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the focus group, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Staff taking part in the focus group will be asked to verbally consent on the day of the scheduled event. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list handout (see Appendix 3) . Appendix 6 contains the Focus Group Facilitator Guide: Script and Questions. c. Individuals with Disabilities Purpose/Goal: The focus groups that will be conducted with individuals with disabilities will give us invaluable information and insight into the existing service system in Milwaukee and will help to generate ideas and solutions for improving these services. Target Audience: Eleven (11) focus groups will be conducted for people with disabilities at locations throughout Milwaukee County. Some of these groups are aimed at specific populations and some will provide a cross disability perspective. Recruitment (Focus Group-Individuals with Disabilities): . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will contact local disability programs to ask for their assistance in the needs assessment process. In addition the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will ask staff from their respective agencies for assistance in the needs assessment process. Dates and times will be established for each of the focus groups and locations for the focus groups will be identified. . Once this has been done the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will send out invitations (see Appendix 2.5) to the leaders at local disability programs and MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies, so their staff can use them inform those individuals that use their services about the needs assessment and identify those individuals who are interested in participating. Staff at local disability programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies will be asked to inform all those individuals that use their programs not just those people they know are survivors or those staff believe are survivors. . The staff at local disability programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies will then ask those people interested in being in the focus group to complete a registration form (see Appendix 1.1). Registration forms will be provided to the local disability programs and MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies n regular and large prints, Braille and electronically. Staff at the local disability programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies will offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Staff at local disability or victim services programs will ask participants, who require a guardian to complete the registration form, if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian. If the participant says yes, the staff at local disability or victim services programs will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . After participants are identified and registration forms completed, the staff at local programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Participants will receive a $25.00 stipend for their participation in the focus group. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list handout (see Appendix 3) . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the focus group, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Consent forms (see Appendix 1.3) will be completed at the beginning of the focus group. The facilitator will read the consent form with the participants and answer any questions. . The other MMDI:ACCESS representatives will provide assistance with the consent form to those individuals who need assistance. . Those participants with a guardian will have the consent form filled out by their guardian at the same time as their registration form. To eliminate the need to single out those individuals with guardians, during the focus groups, the facilitator will have everyone attending the focus group complete the consent form. After the focus group the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will attach the consent form completed by the individual to the consent form completed by their guardian. . Appendix 6 contains the Focus Group Facilitator Guide: Script and Questions. . Focus group with less than four (4) participants will be canceled and those registered participants will be offered two alternate options; attend one of the cross disability focus groups or participate in an individual interview. d. Survivors with Disabilities Purpose/Goal: The focus groups that will target survivors with disabilities will give us invaluable information and insight into the existing service system in Milwaukee and will also help to generate ideas and solutions for improving services. Target Audience: Two (2) focus groups will be conducted for survivors with disabilities. One will include those survivors who have or had cases with the DART Program at IndependenceFirst and the other will include survivors with disabilities identified by Task Force on Family Violence, Sojourner Truth House and The Healing Center. Recruitment (Focus Group-Survivors with Disabilities): . The Survivor with Disability Group #1 will be held at IndependenceFirst and will include those individuals who have/had cases with the DART (Disability Abuse Response Team) Program; such as the DART Transitional Housing Program, counseling, advocacy and skill building. . For this group the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will make personal contact with individuals and invite them to participate in the focus group. . The Survivor with Disability Group #2 will be held at either Task Force on Family Violence, Sojourner Truth House or The Healing Center. The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will contact these programs to ask for their assistance in the needs assessment process; and a date, time and location will be established for this focus group. . Invitations that contain information about the focus group will be sent to the staff at Task Force on Family Violence, Sojourner Truth House and The Healing Center (see Appendix 2.5), so they can share it with members of their support groups. Staff at these programs will be asked to inform all support group participants, not just those that have disclosed they have a disability or those that staff thinks have a disability. . The staff at these three programs or the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will then ask those people interested in being in the focus group to complete a registration form (see Appendix 1.1). Registration forms will be provided to the staff at these three programs in regular and large prints, Braille and electronically. Staff at these three programs or the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . Staff at these programs will ask participants, who require a guardian to complete the registration form, if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian. If the participant says yes, the staff at local disability or victim services programs will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . After participants are identified and registration forms completed, the staff at local programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Participants will receive a $25.00 stipend for their participation in the focus group. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list (see Appendix 3) . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the focus group, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Consent forms (see Appendix 1.3) will be completed at the beginning of the focus group. The facilitator will read the consent form with the participants and answer any questions. . The other MMDI:ACCESS representatives will provide assistance with the consent form to those individuals who need assistance. . Those participants with a guardian will have the consent form filled out by their guardian at the same time as their registration form. To eliminate the need to single out those individuals with guardians, during the focus groups, the facilitator will have everyone attending the focus group complete the consent form. After the focus group the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will attach the consent form completed by the individual to the consent form completed by their guardian. . Appendix 6 contains the Focus Group Facilitator Guide: Script and Questions. . If either focus group with less than four (4) participants, the registered participants will be combined into one survivors with disabilities focus group . Back 4.4 COMMUNITY DIALOGUE Purpose/Goal: A community dialogue is a public forum that allows key stakeholders to share their knowledge, expertise and perspectives. This method provides access to a diverse group of individuals and gives MMDI:ACCESS an opportunity to build the community’s capacity for collaboration across multiple stakeholders. The information gained from holding this community dialogue will give us invaluable information on the available services, beyond those of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs and any existing gaps in trying to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities from crisis to healing. The community dialogue will be structured like the focus groups, MMDI:ACCESS representatives will staff the dialogue and be assigned various tasks including moderator, recorder, support person and floater. Target Audience: The Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is a coordinated community response team that falls under the Office on Violence Prevention. The monthly Commission meetings are open to the public and are attended by agency leaders across disciplines, as well as other key stakeholders. The positions on the Commission are set up through statute, those positions are appointed, and individuals in those seats serve two (2) years. OVP both staffs the Commission and oversees all of the subcommittees and the activities of the Commission. Recruitment (Community Dialogue): . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from OVP will secure a date and time for the community dialogue. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from OVP will send out invitations to the community dialogue. See Appendix 2.6 for a sample of the community dialogue invitation. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration forms to the MMDI:ACCESS agency representative of OVP in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats. A copy of the registration form for service providers is available in Appendix 1.6. . The MMDI:ACCESS agency representative of OVP will ask members of the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to complete the registration form and offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the form independently. . MMDI:ACCESS representatives from OVP will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . The participant will have the opportunity to request accommodations for the community dialogue, via the registration form and IndependenceFirst will secure these accommodations. . Participants taking part in the community dialogue will be asked to verbally consent on the day of the scheduled event. . Each participant will receive a definition and resource list handout (see Appendix 3) . Appendix 8 contains the Community Dialogue Facilitator Guide: Script and Questions. . Back 5 CONSENT, ACCESS, SAFETY, AND CONFIDENTIALITY MMDI:ACCESS will use the following guidelines for individual interviews, the Manager/Staff Pre-Focus Group Survey, focus groups and the community dialogue. Consent Individuals and survivors with disabilities will be asked to sign a consent form (see Appendix 1.2 and Appendix 1.3) on the day of a scheduled focus group or interview. This consent form indicates that the participant is voluntarily taking part in the needs assessment and that he/she gives MMDI:ACCESS the right to use the information gained from the participant for reporting purposes and to develop a strategic plan. The consent form will be read to those individuals who cannot read and assistance will be provided to those individuals who cannot fill it out. An “X” or signature stamp will be accepted for the signature on the consent form. When a guardian is in place, the consent form will be forwarded to the guardian by a MMDI:ACCESS representative, MMDI:ACCESS agency staff, local disability or victim services staff, upon request of the participant and if the participant says that it is safe to do so. Those participants taking part in an interview will also review and read the consent form on the day of their interview and be asked to give verbal consent. In order to avoid signaling out those individuals with guardians taking part in a focus group, individuals will complete the consent form with the other participants and after the focus group is completed, the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will attach the consent form completed by the individual to the consent form completed by their guardian. Managers and staff taking part in an interview, Pre-Focus Group Survey and focus group, as well as those service providers taking part in the community dialogue, will be asked to verbally consent on the day of the scheduled event. Access Everyone taking part in the needs assessment, including interviews, the “Manager/Staff Pre-Focus Group Survey”, focus groups and community dialogue, will be asked to fill out a registration form. See Appendix 1.1 for a copy of the registration form and a copy of the registration form for service providers is available in Appendix 1.6. These form will be used to inform MMDI:ACCESS who is attending and of any accommodations that will be needed to participate. MMDI:ACCESS will provide reasonable accommodations to participants with sufficient notice (two (2) weeks prior to the event). Accommodations available include but are not limited to: Written Material: . Large print . Braille . Electronic or disk format . Audio cassette Individual interviews and focus groups . Interpreters . Note takers . Assistive listening devices . Open captioning . Wheelchair access . Orientation to facility . Special diet requests . Assistant (individuals who use a personal care assistant may have them present at the site of the focus group or interviews, so they are available when needed; but assistants will not be allowed to be present in the room where the focus group or interview is taking place) MMDI:ACCESS will hold the needs assessment events in accessible locations throughout Milwaukee, the sites will be wheelchair accessible and located along a public transportation route. The locations for these events will also be held in locations where people are currently receiving services, as these will be familiar sites and perceived as safe locations. All persons taking part in interviews, the Manager/Staff Pre-Focus Group Survey, focus groups and community dialogue will be informed, prior to their scheduled event, of IndependenceFirst policy on environmental/chemical sensitivities. Participants will be asked to refrain from using any perfumed products such as scented soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, or other heavily scented products such as fabric softeners or bug spray. A smoke-free environment will be required for all sites chosen for the needs assessment activities and participants will be asked to refrain from smoking in the building and in main paths of travel and doorways. As the lead agency, IndependenceFirst will be responsible for ensuring that all request for accommodations are filled. Individuals and survivors with disabilities who require plain/simple language material will be accommodated through an adapted (plain language) consent form (available in Appendix 1.4 and Appendix 1.5), adapted plain language definitions that will be handed out to participants (available in Appendix 3.2) and with adapted (plain language) interview and focus group questions (available in Appendix 7). Safety MMDI:ACCESS has made the safety of participants a priority, as such we will follow the following guidelines: . Rather than advertising needs assessment events, MMDI:ACCESS will use agency staff and other community-based programs to inform individuals with disabilities and survivors with disabilities of the needs assessment activities. . During these events, no outside observers, including personal care workers or guardians, will be allowed to be present in the room where the event is taking place; however, should a person require a personal care worker, these workers will be allowed to be on-site so the person or survivor with a disability can have access to their services. . A participant’s decision whether or not to take part in any of the needs assessment activities will not affect any services he/she receives or will receive from a MMDI:ACCESS partner agency or any of those community programs that assisted in the needs assessment. . Participants are free to discontinue their participation at any time. MMDI:ACCESS does not feel that participating in any of the needs assessment activities poses any risk to the participant, though discussing domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse may make the participant feel uncomfortable. In order to ensure that the participants feels comfortable and safe, MMDI:ACCESS will inform participants that: . They can let the interviewer/facilitator know if they are feeling uncomfortable . They will not be forced to answer questions that makes them feel uncomfortable . They can leave the group or interview, at any time . They will have access to an advocate during focus groups and access to the interviewer, who can act as a support person during the interview . They will have access to resources (in various formats) that identifies additional community-based programs they can seek assistance from . They will have access to those MMDI:ACCESS representatives present before, during and after the focus groups. Stipends, a definitions handout and a resource list (see Appendix 3) will be available for individuals and survivors with disabilities but if the individual feels that it is not safe to take those things home, the participating community program will arrange for these items to remain at their facility and will make them available to the individual upon request. Confidentiality All information gained through the needs assessment process will be kept confidential; no identifying information will be used or associated with any specific statements made. Those individuals who take part in focus groups or the community dialogue will be asked to keep the other participant’s identities and the information discussed confidential, these participants will be assigned numbers and the use of names will be discouraged and will not appear in any written documents. All notes and/or recordings of the events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst and made available only to those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and/or recordings will be destroyed. All MMDI:ACCESS agencies understand that the purpose of this grant is to create systems change and that things may be said during the interviews, Pre-Focus Group Surveys, focus groups or community dialogue that identifies deficits or problems in existing services. These comments are not meant to be derogatory and will not be associated with any one person. However, the agency information will be used, as it will be essential for the strategic planning process. While the purpose of the focus groups and interviews is not to gain information on specific experiences of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, it does not mean that disclosures will not occur. Anytime one of the MMDI:ACCESS representatives that is also a mandated reporter* is present, they will announce this to the individual or group. In the event that a disclosure is made when a mandated reporter is present, the mandated reporter agrees to respect the interview and/or focus group process and offer assistance only at the conclusion of the interview and/or focus group. *Mandatory Reporting: In Wisconsin, anyone can report domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse of an “adult at risk”; the following individuals are mandated reporters: . An employee of any entity that is licensed, certified or approved by or registered with DHFS . Heath care providers . Social workers . Professional counselors . Marriage and family therapists An “Adult at Risk” is any adult who has a physical or mental condition that substantially impairs his/her ability to care for his/her own needs who has experienced, is currently experiencing or is at risk of experiencing abuse, neglect, self-neglect or financial exploitation. Mandated reporter must make a report when: . The “adult at risk” asks them to . There is reasonable cause to believe that the “adult at risk” is at imminent risk of serious bodily harm, death, sexual assault, or significant property loss and is unable to make an informed judgment about whether to report the risk . There are other “adults at risk” that are at imminent risk of serious bodily harm, death, sexual assault or significant property loss inflicted by the suspected perpetrator Even if an adult protective services report is made, APS will only intervene if the individual consents to the intervention. MMDI:ACCESS holds that the offer of assistance will provide that individual the opportunity to accept or reject the offer and as such we will maintain the confidentiality of the group and also meet the requirements of the statute. . Back 6 WORK PLAN Date/Timeframe Key Activities Deliverable May-August 2008 Needs Assessment Plan Development . Develop a methodology for needs assessment . Develop tools for needs assessment Needs Assessment Plan and Tools July 2008 Vera Site Visit N/A August-October 2008* Conduct needs assessment with collaboration, service providers, people and survivors with disabilities N/A October 2008 Project Director and All Site meeting (TBA) N/A November-December 2008* Needs Assessment Report: . Analyze data and write up findings Needs Assessment Report December 2008- January 2009* Strategic Plan: . Review findings from needs assessment . Agree upon priority areas . Develop strategies for change . Draft and finalize plan Strategic Plan January 2009- September 2010* Implementation Phase N/A * After approval of deliverable by OVW . Back Appendix Table of Contents Appendix 1 Registration and Consent Forms 1.1 Individual and Survivor with Disability Registration Form 28 1.2 Individual and Survivor with Disability Consent Form-Interview 29 1.3 Individual and Survivor with Disability Consent Form-Focus Group 31 1.4 Adapted Consent Form-Interview 33 1.5 Adapted Consent Form-Focus Group 35 1.6 Service Provider Registration Form 37 Appendix 2 Invitations 2.1 Sample Invitation to Leader 38 2.2 Sample Invitation to Center for Deaf-Blind Persons 39 2.3 Sample Invitation to Managers 40 2.4 Sample Invitation to Staff 41 2.5 Sample Invitation Focus Group 42 2.6 Sample Invitation Community Dialogue 43 Appendix 3 Handouts 3.1 Definitions 44 3.2 Adapted Definitions 47 3.3 Milwaukee Resources 49 Appendix 4 Interviewers Guide: Script & Questions 52 Appendix 5 Pre-Focus Group Survey 87 Appendix 6 Focus Groups Facilitator Guide: Script & Questions 92 Appendix 7 Adapted Questions for Focus Groups and Interviews with Individuals and Survivors with Disabilities 125 Appendix 8 Community Dialogue Facilitator Guide: Script & Questions 127 . Back APPENDIX 1.1 MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment Registration Form (Individuals & Survivors with Disabilities) Name: Disability (optional): What is the safest way for us to contact you? . Phone/TTY: Safe time to call: Is it safe to leave a message? .Yes .No . E-mail/Instant Message: . Through Service Provider: . Other: Which event are you attending? (If you are uncomfortable participating in a focus group, you may ask for an individual interview) . Individual Interview . Focus Group Accommodations . Large print . Interpreter. Type__________________ . Braille . Note taker . Audio cassette . Assistive listening device . Disk. List format: ________________ . Open captioning . Wheelchair access . Orientation to facility . Special diet. List: ________________ . An assistant. Explain_______________ . Other:___________________________ You will receive a $25 stipend for your participation. If you are unable to take this home with you because of safety, please let us know and we will arrange something so that you can still have access to the money. Environmental/Chemical Sensitivities: For the safety and comfort of those with chemical and environmental sensitivities, IndependenceFirst requests that persons attending agency-sponsored events please refrain from using any perfumed products such as scented soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, or other heavily scented products such as fabric softeners or bug spray. It is also essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment; therefore in addition to not smoking in the building, we ask that you refrain from smoking in main paths of travel and doorways. For Office Use Only . Individual Interview: MMDI:ACCESS Representative Assigned: Date/Time/Location: . Focus Group: Date/Time/Location: . Community Dialogue: Date/Time/Location: APPENDIX 1.2 MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment Consent Form-Interview (Individuals & Survivors with Disabilities) You are being asked to participate in an individual interview about improving services for people with disabilities who have experienced violence and abuse. We ask that you read this form and ask any questions that you may have before agreeing to be in this interview. Purpose of the Needs Assessment In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. I understand that the purpose of this needs assessment is to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who have experienced domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. Description of Assessment Procedures The individual interview will last about one hour. The discussion will be audio recorded and notes will be taken about what is said during the discussion. I understand that these notes and audio recording will not be publicly released and the information gathered will be used by MMDI:ACCESS to develop a needs assessment report and strategic plan. Initial here to give consent for MMDI:ACCESS to make an audio recording of the interview. ____________ Payments I understand that I will receive a $25 stipend for participating in this needs assessment and that I will receive this stipend even if I have to take a break during the interview, reschedule the interview or stop (and not complete) the interview . Voluntary Participation I acknowledge that I am voluntarily participating in this discussion. I know that my decision to participate or not participate will not affect the provision of services I receive from any of the MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies or any of the community programs assisting with the needs assessment. I know that I may feel uncomfortable talking about this topic but I know I do not have to say anything I do not want to. I also understand that if I feel too uncomfortable to continue participating, I am free to leave the individual interview, at any time, without penalty or loss of the stipend. Confidentiality I understand that every effort will be taken to protect my identity, as a participant in this needs assessment. I understand that anything I say in this discussion, or any information I provide on the registration form, will be kept confidential. My name will not be shared with any person, agency or organization that is not connected with this project. I understand that during the interview, I will be referred to only as a number. I understand that all written records and audio tapes will be kept in a locked file at IndependenceFirst, and that the only people with access to this information will be those MMDI:ACCESS representatives working on the needs assessment and/strategic plan. I also understand that these written records and audio tapes will be destroyed once the needs assessment report and strategic plan is complete. I acknowledge that MMDI:ACCESS will do everything possible to keep all of the information I provide completely confidential. Contacts and Questions I understand that I have the right to ask, and have answered, any questions about this needs assessment and I can contact the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director at (414) 226-8381 Direct Voice or (414) 291-7520 (V/TTY), to get further information. Statement of Consent I have read (or have had read to me) this form. I have had an opportunity to ask questions and have had my questions answered. I understand that I will receive a copy of this consent form. I give my consent to participate in this individual interview. Signature of Participant/Guardian Date Printed Name of Participant/Guardian APPENDIX 1.3 MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment Consent Form-Focus Group (Individuals & Survivors with Disabilities) You are being asked to participate in a focus group about improving services for people with disabilities who have experienced violence and abuse. We ask that you read this form and ask any questions that you may have before agreeing to be in this focus group. Purpose of the Needs Assessment In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. I understand that the purpose of this needs assessment is to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who have experienced domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. Description of Assessment Procedures The focus groups will last about two hours. The discussion will be audio recorded and notes will be taken about what is said during the discussion. I understand that these notes and audio recording will not be publicly released and the information gathered will be used by MMDI:ACCESS to develop a needs assessment report and strategic plan. Initial here to give consent for MMDI:ACCESS to make an audio recording of the focus group. ____________ Payments I understand that I will receive a $25 stipend for participating in this needs assessment and that I will receive this stipend even if I have to take a break or leave (and not complete) the focus group. Voluntary Participation I acknowledge that I am voluntarily participating in this discussion. I know that my decision to participate or not participate will not affect the provision of services I receive from any of the MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies or any of the community programs assisting with the needs assessment. I know that I may feel uncomfortable talking about this topic but I know I do not have to say anything I do not want to. I also understand that if I feel too uncomfortable to continue participating, I am free to leave the focus group, at any time, without penalty or loss of the stipend. Confidentiality I understand that every effort will be taken to protect my identity, as a participant in this needs assessment. I understand that any information I provide on the registration form will be kept confidential. I understand that every effort will be taken to keep the information shared during this focus group confidential but because of the nature of the focus group, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. My name will not be shared with any person, agency or organization that is not connected with this project. I understand that during the focus group, I will be referred to only as a number. I agree to keep private anything said by others in the focus group and to keep the identity of others in the group confidential. I understand that all written records and audio tapes will be kept in a locked file at IndependenceFirst, and that the only people with access to this information will be those MMDI:ACCESS representatives working on the needs assessment and/strategic plan. I also understand that these written records and audio tapes will be destroyed once the needs assessment report and strategic plan is complete. I acknowledge that there is always a risk that someone outside of the focus group will be told what is said during the focus group but I know that MMDI:ACCESS will do everything possible to keep all of the information I provide completely confidential. Contacts and Questions I understand that I have the right to ask, and have answered, any questions about this needs assessment and I can contact the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director at (414) 226-8381 Direct Voice or (414) 291-7520 (V/TTY), to get further information. Statement of Consent I have read (or have had read to me) this form. I have had an opportunity to ask questions and have had my questions answered. I understand that I will receive a copy of this consent form. I give my consent to participate in this focus group. Signature of Participant/Guardian Date Printed Name of Participant/Guardian APPENDIX 1.4 MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment Adapted Consent Form-Interview (Individuals & Survivors with Disabilities) You are being asked to participate in an interview about improving services for people with disabilities who have experienced violence and abuse. Please read this form. Ask questions if you have any. Purpose of Needs Assessment A grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women was given to IndependenceFirst and its three partners: 1. Task Force on Family Violence 2. Milwaukee County Disability Services Division 3. City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention The grant will help us make changes in the way people with disabilities, who have experienced violence and abuse, receive help. The project is called MMDI:ACCESS. MMDI:ACCESS is trying to get Milwaukee programs to work together, so if a person with a disability is abused, programs can work together and the abuse can be dealt with quickly. To do this and to make our programs better MMDI:ACCESS is doing these interviews. When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that: . The interview is being done so MMDI:ACCESS can get information. . The interview is being done so MMDI:ACCESS can learn good and bad things about programs for people with disabilities who have been abused. . The information will tell MMDI:ACCESS how to change programs. Description of Assessment Procedures: When you sign this, you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that: . You agree to be in this individual interview . You know that an interview will last about one hour . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will be writing notes about what is said in the interview . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will be making a tape recording of what is said in the interview. Initial here to give consent for MMDI:ACCESS to make an audio recording of the interview. __________ . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will not show anyone else the notes . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will not let anyone else listen to the tape recording . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will use what is said in the interview to write a report Payments: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that you will get $25 for being part of a interview and that I will receive$25 even if I have to: . Take a break . Change the day or time I do the interview . Stop being interviewed Voluntary Participation: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that: . You want to be part of the interview . No one forced you to be part of the interview . If you do not want to be part of the interview you will not get in trouble . If you do not want to be part of the interview no one can take away services . If you feel uncomfortable talking about this topic you don’t have to say anything . If you feel uncomfortable talking about this topic you can leave and still get $25.00 Confidentiality: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that: . MMDI:ACCESS will protect my identity . MMDI:ACCESS will not tell people what I said . MMDI:ACCESS will not tell people what I wrote on my registration form . MMDI:ACCESS will not call me by name but will call me by a number . I can’t tell other people what is said in the interview . MMDI:ACCESS will keep tape recordings and notes in a locked drawer at IndependenceFirst, . Only MMDI:ACCESS can look at the notes . Only MMDI:ACCESS can listen to the tape recording . MMDI:ACCESS will destroyed notes and tape recording when they are done with their plan . MMDI:ACCESS will do everything possible to keep the things you say secret Contacts and Questions: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that: . You can ask questions . You can call the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director at (414) 226-8381 Direct Voice or (414) 291-7520 (V/TTY) Statement of Consent: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that: . You have read this or had someone read it to you . You asked questions and someone answered your questions . You will receive a copy of this consent form . You give MMDI:ACCESS your consent to be in this interview Signature of Participant/Guardian Date Printed Name of Participant/Guardian APPENDIX 1.5 MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment Adapted Consent Form-Focus Group (Individuals & Survivors with Disabilities) You are being asked to participate in a focus group about improving services for people with disabilities who have experienced violence and abuse. Please read this form. Ask questions if you have any. Purpose of Needs Assessment A grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women was given to IndependenceFirst and its three partners: 1. Task Force on Family Violence 2. Milwaukee County Disability Services Division 3. City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention The grant will help us make changes in the way people with disabilities, who have experienced violence and abuse, receive help. The project is called MMDI:ACCESS. MMDI:ACCESS is trying to get Milwaukee programs to work together, so if a person with a disability is abused, programs can work together and the abuse can be dealt with quickly. To do this and to make our programs better MMDI:ACCESS is doing these focus groups. When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that: . The focus group is being done so MMDI:ACCESS can get information. . The focus group is being done so MMDI:ACCESS can learn good and bad things about programs for people with disabilities who have been abused. . The information will tell MMDI:ACCESS how to change programs. Description of Assessment Procedures: When you sign this, you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that: . You agree to be in this focus group. . You know that the focus groups will last about two hours . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will be writing notes about what is said in the focus group . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will be making a tape recording of what is said in the focus group or interview. Initial here to give consent for MMDI:ACCESS to make an audio recording of the focus group. __________ . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will not show anyone else the notes . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will not let anyone else listen to the tape recording . You know that MMDI:ACCESS will use what is said in the focus group to write a report Payments: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that you will get $25 for being part of the focus group and that I will receive$25 even if I have to: . Take a break . Leave the focus group Voluntary Participation: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that: . You want to be part of the focus group . No one forced you to be part of the focus group . If you do not want to be part of the focus group you will not get in trouble . If you do not want to be part of the focus group no one can take away services . If you feel uncomfortable talking about this topic you don’t have to say anything . If you feel uncomfortable talking about this topic you can leave and still get $25.00 Confidentiality: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS you understand: . MMDI:ACCESS will protect my identity . MMDI:ACCESS will not tell people what I said . MMDI:ACCESS will not tell people what I wrote on my registration form . MMDI:ACCESS will not call me by name but will call me by a number . MMDI:ACCESS can not promise that other people in the group will not say things about the focus group . I can’t tell other people what is said in the focus group . I can’t tell other people who else is in a focus group . MMDI:ACCESS will keep tape recordings and notes in a locked drawer at IndependenceFirst, . Only MMDI:ACCESS can look at the notes . Only MMDI:ACCESS can listen to the tape recording . MMDI:ACCESS will destroyed notes and tape recording when they are done with their plan . It is possible that someone else in the focus group will tell other people what was said in the focus group . It is possible that someone else in the focus group will tell other people who else was in the focus group . MMDI:ACCESS will do everything possible to keep the things you say secret Contacts and Questions: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that you understand that: . You can ask questions . You can call the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director at (414) 226-8381 Direct Voice or (414) 291-7520 (V/TTY) Statement of Consent: When you sign this you are telling MMDI:ACCESS that: . You have read this or had someone read it to you . You asked questions and someone answered your questions . You will receive a copy of this consent form . You give MMDI:ACCESS your consent to be in a focus group Signature of Participant/Guardian Date Printed Name of Participant/Guardian APPENDIX 1.6 MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment Registration Form (Service Provider) Name: Disability (optional): Agency: What is the safest way for us to contact you? . Phone/TTY: Safe time to call: Is it safe to leave a message? .Yes .No . E-mail/Instant Message: . Through Service Provider: . Other: Which event are you attending? (If you are uncomfortable participating in a focus group, you may ask for an individual interview) . Individual Interview . Focus Group . Community Dialogue Accommodations . Large print . Interpreter. Type__________________ . Braille . Note taker . Audio cassette . Assistive listening device . Disk. List format: ________________ . Open captioning . Wheelchair access . Orientation to facility . Special diet. List: ________________ . An assistant. Explain_______________ . Other:___________________________ Environmental/Chemical Sensitivities: For the safety and comfort of those with chemical and environmental sensitivities, IndependenceFirst requests that persons attending agency-sponsored events please refrain from using any perfumed products such as scented soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, or other heavily scented products such as fabric softeners or bug spray. It is also essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment; therefore in addition to not smoking in the building, we ask that you refrain from smoking in main paths of travel and doorways. .Back For Office Use Only . Individual Interview: MMDI:ACCESS Representative Assigned: Date/Time/Location: . Focus Group: Date/Time/Location: . Community Dialogue: Date/Time/Location: APPENDIX 2.1 MMDI:ACCESS Memo To: "[Click here and type name]" From: MMDI:ACCESS Date: August 26, 2010 Re: MMDI:ACCESS Needs Assessment-Individual Interview Request (Leader) Dear "[Click here and type name]" , The members of MMDI:ACCESS would like to thank you for being a part of this grant project and to inform you that we have completed three of the five deliverables required for Phase 1 of the OVW Grant; the Collaborative Charter, the Narrowing the Focus memo, and the Needs Assessment Plan. We are now implementing the needs assessment process and would like to extend an invitation to take part in an interview with"[Click here and type name]" , she is the MMDI:ACCESS representative from "[Click here and type name]" (414) ___-____ x ____, ____@______. "[Click here and type name]" will be contacting your directly to set up an interview time that is convenient for you. The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. In preparation for this interview we want to provide you with some of the feedback we have received from agency staff and managers, as well as individuals and survivors with disabilities: 1. 2. 3. Again thank you for your time and commitment, Leslie Myers, MMDI:ACCESS Project Director APPENDIX 2.2 MMDI:ACCESS Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors With Disabilities From Crisis to Healing To: Individuals Using the Programs and Services of the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons MMDI:ACCESS cordially invites yous to take part in an interview In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. To do this we will be conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. When: Between __:00 and __:00 on ________, 2008 Where: _____________________ Refreshments will be served Environmental/Chemical Sensitivities: For the safety and comfort of those with chemical and environmental sensitivities, IndependenceFirst requests that persons attending agency-sponsored events please refrain from using any perfumed products such as scented soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, or other heavily scented products such as fabric softeners or bug spray. It is also essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment; therefore in addition to not smoking in the building, we ask that you refrain from smoking in main paths of travel and doorways. **For additional information and to complete a registration form please see ______________ APPENDIX 2.3 APPENDIX 2.4 APPENDIX 2.5 MMDI:ACCESS In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. To do this we will be conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors With Disabilities From Crisis to Healing MMDI:ACCESS cordially invites you to take part in a focus group for people with disabilities When: ____, ____ at ___ Where: _________________ **For additional information and to complete a registration form please see ______________ Refreshments will be served Environmental/Chemical Sensitivities: For the safety and comfort of those with chemical and environmental sensitivities, IndependenceFirst requests that persons attending agency-sponsored events please refrain from using any perfumed products such as scented soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, or other heavily scented products such as fabric softeners or bug spray. It is also essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment; therefore in addition to not smoking in the building, we ask that you refrain from smoking in main paths of travel and doorways. **For additional information and to complete a registration form please see ______________ APPENDIX 2.6 Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Community Dialogue In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. To do this we will be conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. When: Thursday ____, ____ at 9:00 Location: _________________ Topic: Providing Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Services from Crisis to Healing to Women with Disabilities in Milwaukee Please fill out the attached Registration Form and return to Leslie Myers via e-mail: lmyers@independencefirst.org or fax (414) 226-8155 Refreshments will be served Environmental/Chemical Sensitivities: For the safety and comfort of those with chemical and environmental sensitivities, IndependenceFirst requests that persons attending agency- sponsored events please refrain from using any perfumed products such as scented soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, or other heavily scented products such as fabric softeners or bug spray. It is also essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment; therefore in addition to not smoking in the building, we ask that you refrain from smoking in main paths of travel and doorways. .Back Appendix 3 Handout 3.1 DEFINITIONS MMDI:ACCESS has agreed on the following definitions. These may be useful to you during this focus group/interview. If you cannot safely take this home, let us know and we will arrange for it to be left here. You can then access it when you want. Abuse: Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. For the purpose of this collaboration MMDI:ACCESS further categorizes abuse into emotional abuse/neglect, financial exploitation, physical abuse/neglect and sexual abuse. Accessibility: A term used to describe the degree to which as many people as possible can use a product, services or place. It is often used to describe a facility or amenity to assist people with disabilities, like “wheelchair accessible”. There are four categories of access: physical, programmatic, communication and attitudinal. Adults at Risk: An adult, between the ages of eighteen to fifty-nine (18-59), who has any physical or mental impairment that substantially restricts his or her ability to care for his or her needs, and who has experienced or is at risk of abuse or neglect (Wisconsin Act 388, 2006). Barriers: Structures or objects that impede free movement; any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective, anything serving to maintain separation by obstructing vision or access. There are four categories of barriers: physical, communication, attitudinal and systemic. Physical barriers interfere or impede a person with a disability from accessing the particular location or service. Communication barriers make it so individuals are unable to access information in a format they can use. Attitudinal barriers are inaccurate beliefs or perceptions about a person’s ability. Systemic barriers occur when practices of an organization discriminate individuals by screening them out from participation. From: http://www.gwbarrierfree.org/barriers.htm) Collaboration: A mutually beneficial and well-defined relationship entered into by two or more organizations that are more likely to achieve the desired results together than alone. Continuum of Care: This phrase refers to the process of coordinating and linking resources to avoid duplication of services and to facilitate seamless and timely movement among care settings and services. Culture: The attitudes and behavior that is characteristic of a particular social group or organization. Disability: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as someone who: 1. Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; 2. Has a record of such an impairment; or 3. Is regarded as having such an impairment Categories of disabilities include mental health (i.e. depression, AODA, anxiety, etc.), sensory (i.e. Deaf, hard of hearing, blindness or low vision), cognitive (i.e. traumatic brain injury, Down’s syndrome, learning disabilities, etc.) or physical (i.e. spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia, chemical sensitivities, etc.) Disability Organizations: Agencies that serve individuals with disabilities, including: private organization and those that are part of the city or county government; programs that are for profit or not for profit; provide direct services to individuals with disabilities, provide services to family members and those that provide advocacy or information and referral services. IndependenceFirst and Milwaukee County Disability Services Division are the two disability organizations in this collaboration. Domestic Violence and/or Domestic Abuse: Domestic violence/abuse is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can take many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Justice: What is right, fair, appropriate and deserved; justice is achieved when an unjust act is redressed and the survivor feels whole again. Justice also means the offender is held accountable for his behavior. Least Restrictive Environment: This phrase refers to the setting that least restricts opportunities for persons with disabilities. Mandated Reporter: In Wisconsin mandated reporters for “adults at risk” include an employee of any entity that is licensed, certified or approved by or registered with DHFS; a heath care provider, a social worker, professional counselor and marriage and family therapists. Mandated reporters must make a report when: . They are asked to by the “adult at risk” . When there is reasonable cause to believe that the “adult at risk” is at imminent risk of serious bodily harm, death, sexual assault, or significant property loss and is unable to make an informed judgment about whether to report the risk . When other “adults at risk” are at imminent risk of serious bodily harm, death, sexual assault or significant property loss inflicted by the suspected perpetrator Neglect: Neglect is the failure of an individual to provide treatment or services necessary to maintain the health or safety and basic needs of the individual in their care. People First Language: This is a respectful language to use for referring to people with disabilities. It puts the person before their disability. It can also be used when referring to people who have experienced violence/abuse, by putting the person before the violence/abuse committed against them. Self-Sufficiency: Is a term that means the individual does not require any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival. Sexual Violence, Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Abuse: Sexual violence, assault or abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature and violates a person’s sense of trust and/or feeling of safety. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver, while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Sexual violence, sexual assault and/or sexual abuse includes covert offenses (Hands-Off), Overt Offenses (Hands-On) and harmful genital practices (see Appendix 4 on page 29 for additional information). Social Change: Change in the nature, the social institutions, the social behavior or the social relations of a society, community of people, or other social structures. Survivor: A survivor is anyone who has experienced violence and/or abuse. Stakeholders: The individuals or organizations that stand to gain or lose from the success or failure of MMDI:ACCESS. Systems Change: Creating meaningful and long-term changes that are not dependent on special initiatives or funding to be sustained and which become integrated into the system and organizations. Universal Design: This term refers to the design of products, environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities. Violence Against Women Organizations: Agencies that primarily serve women (though men can participate in many of the services offered by these programs), who have been victims of sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence and dating violence. The Task Force on Family Violence and The Office on Violence Prevention are the violence against women organizations in this collaboration. 3.2 ADAPTED DEFINITIONS These are words that MMDI:ACCESS uses. They may be of help during this focus group/interview. If you cannot take this home, let us know and we will arrange for it to be left here. You can then access it when you want. Abuse: Abuse is when someone hurts a person with a disability. Abuse can be: . Emotional . Financial . Physical . Sexual Accessibility: A word used to describe how well a program or place assist people with disabilities. Accessibility includes: . Physical . Programmatic . Communication . Attitudinal Adults at Risk: An adult with a disability who might be abused. An adult with a disability who has been abused. Barriers: Barriers are things that keep people with disabilities from using a program or place. Barriers can be: . Physical . Communication . Attitudinal . Systemic Collaboration: This means that people or programs that work with each other. Continuum of Care: This means that everyone in a person’s life works together. Culture: The way people in programs and communities behave and think. Disability: A person with a disability is . Someone who has a physical or mental impairment that makes it hard to do all the things they need to do . Someone who used to have an impairment . Someone that other people think has an impairment Sometimes a disability makes it hard for someone to walk. It may make it hard for the person to learn or see. A person may also have a hard time talking or hearing. Disability Organization: Agencies that help people with disabilities Domestic Violence and/or Domestic Abuse: Abuse that happens in the home by: . A husband or wife; or a boyfriend or girlfriend . A person in the family . People who live together Abuse can be: . Physical . Sexual . Financial . Emotional Justice: This is when someone pays for his or her bad behavior. It includes things that are right, fair, appropriate and deserved. Least Restrictive Environment: The place that gives someone with a disability the most freedom Mandated Reporter: This is someone who has to tell that someone is being hurt. Neglect: When someone does not do what he or she are suppose to do for a person with a disability. People First Language: This is putting the person before their disability. Self-Sufficiency: This means that someone does not need any outside help, support, or interaction, for survival. Sexual Violence, Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Abuse: When someone touches or says things that are sexual without your consent. Social Change: This means changes in places, behavior and society. Survivor: A survivors is a person that experienced violence and/or abuse. Stakeholders: People and programs that get something if MMDI:ACCESS does well. People and programs that lose something if MMDI:ACCESS does not do well. Systems Change: Making changes that last a long time because they are part of the system or program. Universal Design: This means that all people can use things and places. Violence Against Women Organizations: Agencies that help people who have been hurt by sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence and dating violence. 3.3 MILWAUKEE RESOURCES CRISIS/HELP LINES A-CALL (shelter and housing assistance) 302-6633 Adult Protective Services 289-6660 or 289-8559 (TTY) Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare 220-SAFE (7233) Community Information Line 211 or 773-0211 Department on Aging (Elder abuse and neglect hotline 60 years old and older) 289-6874 & 289-8591 (TTY) Domestic Violence Hotline/Sojourner Truth House 933-2722 Milwaukee Women’s Center Crisis Line and Shelter 671-6140 National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) & 1-800- 787-3224 (TTY) Parent Helpline 671-0566 Psychiatric and Suicide Prevention Hotline 257-7222 Safe Path (questions about sexual violence) 271-9523 Sexual Assault Treatment Center 219-5555 Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline- Hmong-speaking 1-888-345-5898 SHELTERS Casa Maria 344-5745 La Causa Crisis Nursery 647-5990 Hope House 645-2122 Milwaukee Women’s Center Refuge 671-6140 Salvation Army 265-6360 Sojourner Truth House 933-2722 & 643-1777 (Admin) Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center 647-8200 COUNSELING / SUPPORT Asha Family Services 875-1511 Aurora Family Service Of Milwaukee 342-4560 Beacon Support Group (Victims of Sexual Assault) 282-4414 Belle Resource Center for Women and Children 344-4466 Catholic Charities 771-2881 CHAI–A Jewish Response to Relationship Abuse 390-5800 The Counseling Center of Milwaukee 271-2565 & 271-4633 (TTY) E.V.E. Ending Violence through Education (Same sex and women batterers-Task Force on Family Violence) 276-1911 & 727-2342 (TTY) The Healing Center (adult survivors of sexual abuse) 671-HEAL (4325) & 672-3301 (TTY) MILWAUKEE RESOURCES Hmong American Friendship Association Family Strengthening Project 344-6575 KidsMatter, Inc. (Support for foster and kinship families) 344-1220 Latina Resource Center (A program of UMOS) 389-6500 Lutheran Social Services 281-4400 Milwaukee LGBT Community Center 271-2656 ext 123 & 292-3072 Milwaukee Public Schools Psychological Services 475-8156 The Parenting Network (offering parenting support groups and parenting classes) 671-5575 Parents Anonymous Peer Support Groups 671-0566 Refugee Family Strengthening Program (Serving the Russian speaking community) 276-4162 Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Services (Archdiocesan response to sexual abuse within the Catholic Church) 758-2232 LEGAL District Attorney’s Office Sensitive Crimes Unit 278-5019 District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit 278-4792 Sojourner Truth House Advocates 278-4978 Task Force on Family Violence of Milwaukee, Inc. 276-1911 & 727-2342 (TTY) o Legal Advocacy and Restraining Orders 278-5079 o Legal Emergency Assistance Project 276-1911 & 727-2342 (TTY) o Children’s Advocacy Program 276-1911 & 727-2342 (TTY) Centro Legal Por Derechos Humanos (Sliding scale legal services family law & criminal misdemeanor) 384-7900 Child Support Enforcement 278-5160 Divorce Pro Se, Inc. (Do-it-yourself divorce) 643-6215 Lawyer Referral of The Milwaukee Bar Association 274-6768 Legal Action of Wisconsin (Low income legal services) 278-7722 or 1-800-278-6033 & 278-1270 (TDD) & 1-800-947-3529 (TTY,VCO, HDC) Legal Aid (Low income legal services) 765-0600 MEDICAL AIDS Resource Center (ARCW) 273-1991 Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin - Urgent Care 266-2280 Child Protection Center 277-8980 City of Milwaukee Health Department Information 286-3521 & 286-2025 (TTY) General Assistance Medical Program (GAMP) 289-5700 Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center 383-9526 Health Care for the Homeless 374-2400 MILWAUKEE RESOURCES Hispanic Medical Center 384-8930 Marquette Clinic for Women and Children 755-6970 Milwaukee Health Services 372-8080 Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) Sexual Assault Treatment Center (Aurora Medical Center) 219-5555 Sixteenth Street Community Health Center 672-1353 Westside Healthcare Association 934-9465 OTHER RESOURCES 10-34 Wisconsin, Inc. (Preventing child sexual abuse, and providing online safety) 267-2494 Community Advocates (Advocacy for low income people) 449-4777 Daystar (Long term housing for single women leaving abusive relationships) 385-0334 Impact (Assessment and referrals for alcohol and drug related problems) 276-8487 IndependenceFirst (Assistance for victims with disabilities) 226-8381 & 291-7520 (V/TTY) Mental Health America of Wisconsin (Mental health information and patient advocacy) 276-3122 & (877) 642-4630 Milwaukee 9 to 5 (sexual harassment & job related advocacy for working women) 274-0920 Mobile Urgent Treatment Team (MUTT) 257-7621 Project Ujima at Children’s Hospital (Victim assistance program) 266-2557 & 266-2465 (TDD-TTY) (Main CHW Switchboard) Wisconsin Victim Resource Center (Referral, information and advocacy helpline) 1-800-446-6564 YWCA Transitional Housing Program (Long term housing for homeless women and their children only) 442-7880 Wisconsin Humane Society (temporary shelter for pets of domestic violence victims) 431-6106 **If you cannot safely take this home, let us know and we will arrange for it to be left here. You can then access it when you want. .Back APPENDIX 4 MMDI:ACCESS Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors With Disabilities From Crisis to Healing Interviewer’s Guide Individual Interviews Contents: . Pre-Interview Preparation Page 53 . Interviewer Script and Questions-Leaders Page 55 . Interviewer Script and Questions-Individuals who are Deaf-Blind Page 60 . Interviewer Script and Questions-Optional-Manager/Staff Page 66 . Interviewer Script and Questions-Optional-Individuals with Disabilities Page 73 . Interviewer Script and Questions-Optional-Survivors with Disabilities Page 79 . Post-Interview Tasks Page 86 Pre-Interview Preparation INTERVIEWS WITH LEADERS . MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency: Send the invitation (see Appendix 2.1) to the leader from their own organization and offer to answer any questions related to the needs assessment . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: MMDI:ACCESS representatives will be assigned leader interviews based on their type of program. . Interviewer: Make contact with leader to set up an interview time (approximately 1 hour) and decide on a location that is convenient for the agency leader. INTERVIEWS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: Contact the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons in Milwaukee to explain MMDI:ACCESS and what activities we are doing though the OVW grant and to arrange dates and times that we could meet with individuals using services at the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons for individual interviews. . Provide the Center staff with an invitation (see Appendix 2.2) they can use to inform individuals using their services about the individual interviews. . The Center for Deaf-Blind Persons: Identify 3-6 individuals who are willing to participate in the needs assessment interviews, assist any individual who needs help completing the registration form (see Appendix 1.1). . Staff at the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons will ask participants, who require a guardian to complete the registration form, if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian. If the participant says yes, the staff at local disability or victim services programs will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Return registration to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director via mail, e-mail or fax. . Staff at The Center for Deaf-Blind Persons will send a consent form (see Appendix 1.2) at the same time as the registration form, to the guardians of those participants with a legal guardian in place. After the guardian has completed the forms he/she will return the forms to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: Assign a MMDI:ACCESS representative to do interviews . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will secure the accommodations requested, the monies to be paid out as stipends and the refreshments. OPTIONAL INTERVIEWS . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: Look at all registration forms from all sources to see if an individual interview is requested. . Once the need for an interview is determined, a MMDI:ACCESS representative will be assigned to conduct the interview. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will secure the accommodations requested, the monies to be paid out as stipends (for individuals and survivors with disabilities). Interviewer Script & Questions INTERVIEW WITH LEADERS INTRODUCTION Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join me today to participate in this interview, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this interview, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, do you have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential. I will not use any identifying information and instead will refer to you by a number, of course there is always the possibility that people may assume that answers came from you since there are only 4 partners on this grant, and therefore only four leaders that we will be interviewing. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, I will be taking notes, I would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound alright to you? Is it okay for me to record this interview? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: I have a copy of these definitions for you (provide definitions (see Appendix 3) to participant) First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver, either while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). By staying here, you are giving your consent to participate in this interview. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR LEADERS During the needs assessment, we have found out some things that we expected and some things that were unexpected. (Share positive feedback received during the needs assessment; talking points will be developed after focus groups and interviews have been completed). 1. What about your organization contributes to those strengths/positives? We also found that ____. (Share those areas of improvement identified during the needs assessment; talking points will be developed after focus groups and interviews have been completed). 2. Why do you think people responded this way? 3. Where do see opportunities for enhancing services? [In your policies? In practice? In training staff and volunteers? In hiring?] 4. Which changes would have the greatest impact on serving survivors with disabilities? 5. Which changes are most feasible/doable/important in your organization? 6. What would it take to make these changes, especially in this climate of limited resources? a. How can we help? Who else can help? b. Do these connections need to be developed? c. How important is this initiative compared to others? 7. What partnerships is your organization a part of to help survivors with disabilities? a. What is your organizations relationship to (partner agencies)? [IndependenceFirst, TFFV, Milwaukee County DSD and City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention] b. What are the barriers to these relationships? How can they be improved? 8. How does change happen in your organization (in terms of)? [Policies? Relationship with other organizations? Training? Budgets? Hiring?] CONCLUSION Well that concludes our interview, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through the focus groups, other interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. Thank you again for participating, good-bye. Go to Post-Interview Tasks on page 86 Interviewer Script & Questions INTERVIEW- INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND INTRODUCTION If it appears that the participant does not understand or is confused about what is being said, the interviewer will use her discretion and re-word or adapt the script, while making sure that all points are still covered. Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join me today to participate in this interview, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this interview, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, I will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. We can make this call together if you want and we can wait until after the focus group ends. Just so you know, even if a report to adult protective services is needed, you will not be forced to accept their help because you do still have choices. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, do you have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential. I will not use any identifying information and instead I will refer to you by a number. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, I will be taking notes, I would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with you? Is it okay for me to record this interview? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. I want you to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. I do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let me know. [Consent Forms] Here is a consent form. I would like to go through with you and have you sign. Let us go through this together and if you have any questions or if you need assistance, please let me know. [Read entire form (see Appendix 1.2 for a copy of the consent form or 1.4 for an adapted consent form). [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: I have a copy of these definitions for you (provide definitions (see Appendix 3) to participant) [Adapted definitions are also available in Appendix 3, for those who need them.] First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant) INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND 1. What are some things service providers need to do to inform people with disabilities about violence/abuse? What things can services providers do to inform people with disabilities about the help that is available? [Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?] a. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can access information? [Doctors offices? Day programs?] b. Do you know about IndependenceFirst, TFFV, Milwaukee County DSD and City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 2. What are some important things that violence against women organizations (like sexual assault or domestic violence agencies) need to know to help people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? Referral sources?] 3. What are some important things that disability programs need to know to help people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] 4. What types of things can violence against women organizations do that would make individuals with disabilities feel comfortable enough to talk about their disability? [Believe story? Accessible office? Offer accommodations?] 5. What types of things can disability programs do that would make individuals with disabilities feel comfortable enough to talk about abuse or being hurt by another person? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse? Trust?] 6. What is needed to create accessible and responsive services/programs for individuals with disabilities hat have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Staff training? Work with other service providers?] 7. What would the ideal service delivery system look like for people with disabilities who experience violence and abuse? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] CONCLUSION Well that concludes our interview, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through the focus groups, other interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. Is there anything I can do for you before you leave? Here are some resources, if it is not safe for you to take this home, let me know and we can leave it here so that you can access it when you want to. Thank you again for participating, good bye. Go to Post-Interview Tasks on page 86 Interviewer Script & Questions OPTIONAL INTERVIEW-MANAGERS/STAFF INTRODUCTION Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join me today to participate in this interview, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this interview, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, I will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. If you talk about something that has happened to someone that you are working with who has a disability, I trust that you have made all the necessary actions required of you. If you feel that you need to make a report, I will ask that you save that until after the interview. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, do you have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential. I will not use any identifying information and instead I will refer to you by a number. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, I will be taking notes, I would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with you? Is it okay for me to record this interview? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. I want you to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. I do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let me know. [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: I have a copy of these definitions for you (provide definitions (see Appendix 3) to participant) [Adapted definitions are also available in Appendix 3, for those who need them.] First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). By staying here, you are giving your consent to participate in this interview. SURVEY Here is a Pre-Focus Group Survey [Hand out surveys to participant] (See Appendix 5 for a copy of the Pre-Focus Group Survey), please take a few minutes to complete the survey, do not over think the questions; these are your perceptions so there is no right or wrong answers. Just give it back to me when you are through. . OPTIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- MANAGER/STAFF OF ALL PROGRAMS 1. What does your organization do to create a welcoming and safe environment for survivors with disabilities, one in which they are able to disclose abuse or request accommodations to get an appropriate response? [Are there policies in place? What is the philosophy of the organization? How accessible is the organization? What are the standard practices of the organization?] 2. How can this be better and/or improved? [Policies? Philosophy? Accessibility? Practices? Collaboration? Other?] 3. What connections/relationships do you have with organizations that serve survivors or people with disabilities? Who do you refer survivors or people with disabilities to? Why? How can these relationships be improved? a. What about IndependenceFirst? b. Task Force on Family Violence? c. Milwaukee County Disability Services Division? d. City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 4. What do disability or violence against women organizations need to best serve survivors with disabilities? OPTIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- MANAGER/STAFF OF DISABILITY PROGRAMS 5. How would your organization respond to disclosures of abuse? Are there policies in place that tell you how to respond? a. How comfortable are you talking about abuse? b. How prepared do you feel in handling disclosures of abuse? 6. What are the strengths and shortcomings of this response? 7. What services are available, at your organization, to individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence/abuse? Are the services adapted to meet the survivor’s safety needs? 8. Does the disability affect the way the organization responds? What about the type of violence? What about the relationship between the survivor and the perpetrator? OPTIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- MANAGER/STAFF OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PROGRAMS 5. If someone with a disability comes to your program, how would your organization respond? Are their policies in place that tells you how to respond to request for accommodations? a. How comfortable are you working with people who have different types of disabilities? b. How prepared do you feel in working with people who have different types of disabilities? 6. What are the strengths and shortcomings of this response? 7. What services are available for survivors with disabilities at your organization? Are these services, including safety planning, adapted to fit the accommodation/person’s needs? 8. Does the disability affect the way the organization responds? What about the type of violence? What about the relationship between the survivor and the perpetrator? OPTIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTION-MANAGERS ONLY 9. How does your organization recruit, hire and evaluate staff, board and volunteers in terms of their ability to effectively serve survivors with disabilities? CONCLUSION Well that concludes our interview, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through the focus groups, other interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. Is there anything I can do for you before you leave? Here is a list of Milwaukee area resources. Thank you again for participating, good-bye. Go to Post-Interview Tasks on page 86 Interviewer Script & Questions OPTIONAL INTERVIEW- INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES INTRODUCTION If it appears that the participant does not understand or is confused about what is being said, the interviewer will use her discretion and re-word or adapt the script, while making sure that all points are still covered. Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join me today to participate in this interview, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this interview, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, I will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. We can make this call together if you want and we can wait until after the focus group ends. Just so you know, even if a report to adult protective services is needed, you will not be forced to accept their help because you do still have choices. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, do you have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential. I will not use any identifying information and instead I will refer to you by a number. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, I will be taking notes, I would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with you? Is it okay for me to record this interview? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. I want you to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. I do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let me know. [Consent Forms] Here is a consent form. I would like to go through with you and have you sign. Let us go through this together and if you have any questions or if you need assistance, please let me know. [Read entire form (see Appendix 1.2 for a copy of the consent form or 1.4 for an adapted consent form). [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: I have a copy of these definitions for you (provide definitions (see Appendix 3) to participant) [Adapted definitions are also available in Appendix 3, for those who need them.] First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant) OPTIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES 1. What are some things service providers need to do to inform people with disabilities about violence/abuse? What things can services providers do to inform people with disabilities about the help that is available? [Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?] c. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can access information? [Doctors offices? Day programs?] d. Do you know about IndependenceFirst, TFFV, Milwaukee County DSD and City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 2. What are some important things that violence against women organizations (like sexual assault or domestic violence agencies) need to know to help people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? Referral sources?] 3. What are some important things that disability programs need to know to help people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] 4. What types of things can violence against women organizations do that would make individuals with disabilities feel comfortable enough to talk about their disability? [Believe story? Accessible office? Offer accommodations?] 5. What types of things can disability programs do that would make individuals with disabilities feel comfortable enough to talk about abuse or being hurt by another person? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse? Trust?] 6. What is needed to create accessible and responsive services/programs for individuals with disabilities hat have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Staff training? Work with other service providers?] 7. What would the ideal service delivery system look like for people with disabilities who experience violence and abuse? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] CONCLUSION Well that concludes our interview, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through the focus groups, other interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. Is there anything I can do for you before you leave? Here are some resources, if it is not safe for you to take this home, let me know and we can leave it here so that you can access it when you want to. Thank you again for participating, good bye. Go to Post-Interview Tasks on page 86 Interviewer Script & Questions OPTIONAL INTERVIEW- SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES INTRODUCTION If it appears that the participant does not understand or is confused about what is being said, the interviewer will use her discretion and re-word or adapt the script, while making sure that all points are still covered. Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join me today to participate in this interview, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this interview, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, I will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. We can make this call together if you want and we can wait until after the focus group ends. Just so you know, even if a report to adult protective services is needed, you will not be forced to accept their help because you do still have choices. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, do you have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential. I will not use any identifying information and instead I will refer to you by a number. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, I will be taking notes, I would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with you? Is it okay for me to record this interview? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. I want you to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. I do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let me know. [Consent Forms] Here is a consent form. I would like to go through with you and have you sign. Let us go through this together and if you have any questions or if you need assistance, please let me know. [Read entire form (see Appendix 1.2 for a copy of the consent form or 1.4 for an adapted consent form). [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: I have a copy of these definitions for you (provide definitions (see Appendix 3) to participant) [Adapted definitions are also available in Appendix 3, for those who need them.] First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant) OPTIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES 1. How did you find out about the programs/services available to you as a person with a disability experiencing violence/abuse? 2. How can services providers improve the way they inform people with disabilities about the help that is available? (Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?) a. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can access information? (Doctors offices? Day programs?) b. Do you know about IndependenceFirst, TFFV, Milwaukee County DSD and City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 3. When you were receiving domestic violence/sexual assault services, what were some of the positive things that service providers did? a. What were some of the negative things that service providers did? 4. How did the disability service providers you work with respond to your experience of violence/abuse? [Positive? Negative?] 5. If someone you know who has a disability were experiencing violence/abuse what advice would you give him/her? a. Who might the person tell? b. What things make people with disabilities feel safe enough to disclose/talk about violence/abuse? c. What steps could he/she take? d. What organizations might he/she go to for help? What could they help him/her with? 6. What are some things you would like to tell violence against women organizations about helping people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? Referral sources?] a. What types of things can violence against women organizations do that would make it safe for a person experience violence/abuse to disclose that they have a disability? [Believe story? Accessible office? Offer accommodations?] 7. What are some things you would like to tell disability service providers about helping people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] a. What types of things can disability organizations do that would make it safe for a person with a disability to disclose that something is happening to them? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse? Trust?] 8. What is needed to create accessible and responsive services/programs for individuals with disabilities? [Staff training? Work with other service providers?] a. What would the ideal service delivery system look like for people with disabilities who experience violence and abuse? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] CONCLUSION Well that concludes our interview, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through the focus groups, other interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. Is there anything I can do for you before you leave? Here are some resources, if it is not safe for you to take this home, let me know and we can leave it here so that you can access it when you want to. Thank you again for participating, good bye. Go to Post-Interview Tasks on page 86 Post-Interview Tasks INTERVIEWER Interviewer: Upon completion of the interview, the interviewer will transcribe the audio tape and combine this with any notes taken and then forward the notes and the audio tape to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. MMDI:ACCESS: Once all Interviews are complete the representatives from MMDI:ACCESS will meet to put together a final report on these interviews, which will later be incorporated into the needs assessment report, and the strategic plan. This meeting will also be used to debrief and provide insight into what is working and what is not working, so that changes can be made if needed. .Back APPENDIX 5 Pre-Focus Group Survey for Managers and Staff Part 1: MMDI:ACCESS has outlined a group of governing values that will guide the collaborative. Each of the values listed below are viewed with equal importance and are core to the work of the collaborative. From your prospective, please indicate to what extent these values are integrated into your organization’s culture. **Milwaukee County Employees, use Disability Services Division as your organization and City of Milwaukee Employees, use Department of Health as your organization 1. The collaborative recognizes the inherent worth and dignity of all people regardless of their ability. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 2. MMDI:ACCESS believes that safety is a basic human right and that everyone has the right to live free of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 3. The collaborative believes that freedom is a basic human right, and that all people regardless of disability should have the power to act, speak or think without externally imposed restraints. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 4. Survivors with disabilities are the “experts” on domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse of people with disabilities. MMDI:ACCESS values each person’s experiences and will listen to their stories, to more fully inform the work of the collaborative. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 5. In order to help survivors with disabilities become empowered, collaboration members will give voice to their stories, and will promote change within organizations so that survivors with disabilities will have the information and resources necessary to make their own decisions and the tools to help them stand up for their rights and effect change in their lives. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 6. MMDI:ACCESS also believes that everyone should be given the information and options needed to make informed choices. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 7. The collaboration embraces the concept of self-determination, which acknowledges the rights of survivors with disabilities to take charge of and responsibility for their lives. MMDI:ACCESS also acknowledges that the individual has the right to make his/her own decisions and to create his/her own opportunities. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 8. A person-centered approach will be adopted by the collaborative, making the survivor with a disability the focal point. The survivor with a disability will not need to “change” to fit into the existing service delivery system but rather the service delivery system will adapt to the survivor’s preferences, strengths, capacities, needs and desired outcomes/goals. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 9. MMDI:ACCESS will utilize a strength based philosophy that focuses on a person’s existing strengths and skills, rather than on deficits, problems, and pathologies. We will also apply this philosophy to the service system in our community by focusing on each individual program’s potential and not their current level of service delivery. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 10. MMDI:ACCESS will ensure that the information shared within the collaborative is treated as confidential and will restrict access to and dissemination of any personal information. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 11. MMDI:ACCESS will incorporate people first language when referring to people with disabilities and survivors of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 12. Respectful and nonjudgmental communication will be utilized within the collaborative and in all communication with survivors with disabilities. Recognizing that everyone has the right to say what they want, we ask that it not be said in an abusive, bullying or harsh manner. Even though personal opinions are very important within the collaborative we will refrain from making judgments based solely on our personal opinions or standards. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 13. MMDI:ACCESS is committed to ensuring that the survivors with disabilities represented in this project, reflect the diversity of the Metro-Milwaukee area and that all survivors with disabilities, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities and/or religion will be treated with respect and acceptance. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 14. The collaboration believes that agencies, primarily serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse need to ensure programmatic, communication, physical and attitudinal accessibility; and those agencies, primarily serving people with disabilities, need to be accessible and responsive to the individuals they serve who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 15. The collaboration believes that agencies serving survivors of domestic and need to also ensure that survivors with disabilities have access to community-based services, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio- economic status, age, physical abilities and/or religion. In my organization, this value is___ . FULLY integrated into my organization’s culture . PARTIALLY integrated into my organization’s culture . NOT integrated into my organization’s culture . Unknown 16. If an “ideal” service delivery system was developed for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse, which of the above values would you make “core” to this system? Please indicate the top five (5) using the number associated above. 17. My organization is responsive to the needs of individuals who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. . FULLY responsive . PARTIALLY responsive . NOT responsive . Unknown 18. My organization is aware of the types of community-based services that are available for survivors with disabilities. . FULLY aware . PARTIALLY aware . NOT aware . Unknown 19. Indicate how often you see people that are or have experienced: a Domestic Violence . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never b Abuse by Caregiver . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never c Sexual Assault . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never d Abuse in an Institution . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never e Hate Crimes . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never f Robbery . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never g Assault . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never h Financial Exploitation . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never i Emotional Abuse . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never j Other:_______________ . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never 20. Indicate how often you see people with these types of disabilities: a Mental Health Disability . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never (i.e. depression, anxiety) b Cognitive Disability . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never (i.e. Down Syndrome, traumatic brain injury c Physical Disability . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never (i.e. spinal cord injury, amputation, fibromyalgia) d Sensory Disability . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never (i.e. Deaf and hard of hearing, blindness and low vision) e Multiple Disabilities . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never f Other:_______________ . Very often . Sometimes . Rarely/Never .Back APPENDIX 6 MMDI:ACCESS Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors With Disabilities From Crisis to Healing Facilitator’s Guide Focus Group Contents: . Pre-Focus Group Preparation Page 93 . Focus Group Preparation Tasks Page 97 . Focus Group Tasks Page 98 . Facilitator Script and Questions-Manager/Staff Page 99 . Facilitator Script and Questions- Individuals with Disabilities Page 108 . Facilitator Script and Questions-Survivors with Disabilities Page 115 . Post-Focus Group Tasks Page 123 Pre-Focus Group Preparation MANAGERS/STAFF FOCUS GROUPS . The MMDI:ACCESS representatives will secure a date and time for focus groups with the managers and staff from their respective programs. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will then contact the leader of their agency to ask them to invite agency managers and staff to take part in the a focus group. See Appendix 2.3 for a sample of the invitation to managers and Appendix 2.4 for a sample of the invitation to the staff. . The MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration forms to the MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats. A copy of the registration form for service providers is available in Appendix 1.6. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will ask managers and staff to complete the registration form and offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the forms independently. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . MMDI:ACCESS representative from each agency will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will secure the accommodations requested and the refreshments. INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES FOCUS GROUPS . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: will contact local disability programs to ask for their assistance in the needs assessment process. . MMDI:ACCESS representatives: will ask staff from their respective agencies for assistance in the needs assessment process. Dates and times will be established for each of the focus groups and locations for the focus groups will be identified. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: will send out invitations to the contact person at the local disability program (see Appendix 2.5) and the MMDI:ACCESS partner agency. These can then be distributed to staff that can use them to inform those individuals that use their services about the needs assessment and identify those individuals who are interested in participating. Staff at local disability programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies will be asked to inform all those individuals that use their programs not just those people they believe or know are survivors. . Staff at local disability programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies: will ask those people interested in being in the focus group to complete a registration form (see Appendix 1.1). Registration forms will be provided to the local disability programs in regular and large prints, Braille and electronically. . Staff at local programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies: will ask participants, who require a guardian to complete the registration form, if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian. If the participant says yes, the staff at local disability or victim services programs will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . Staff at local programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies: will return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Staff at local programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies: will send a consent form (see Appendix 1.3) at the same time as the registration form, to the guardians of those participants with a legal guardian in place. After the guardian has completed the forms he/she will return the forms to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will secure the accommodations requested, the monies to be paid out as stipends and the refreshments. SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES . Survivor with Disability Group #1-MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will make personal contact with individuals who have/had cases with the DART (Disability Abuse Response Team) Program. This includes those individuals who have gone through the DART Transitional Housing Program, and those individuals who have been seen for counseling, advocacy and skill building; and invite them to participate in the focus group. . Survivor with Disability Group #2-MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will contact Sojourner Truth House, Task Force on Family Violence and the Healing Center to ask for their assistance in the needs assessment process; and a date, time and location will be established for this focus group. . Survivor with Disability Group #2-MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: will send out invitations to the contact person at these three programs (see Appendix 2.5). These can then be distributed to staff who can use them to inform those individuals that use their services about the needs assessment and identify those individuals who are interested in participating. Staff at Task Force on Family Violence, Sojourner Truth House and The Healing Center will be asked to inform all those individuals that use their programs not just those people have disclosed they have a disability or those they believe have a disability. . Staff at these three programs or the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will then ask those people interested in being in the focus group to complete a registration form (see Appendix 1.1). Registration forms will be provided to the staff at these three programs in regular and large prints, Braille and electronically. . Staff at these three programs or the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director: will ask participants, who require a guardian to complete the registration form, if it is safe for this form to go to the guardian. If the participant says yes, the staff at local disability or victim services programs will contact the guardian with the individual and the form will be forwarded for signature and then returned to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Participants who do not want to be part of the focus group but choose instead to be interviewed will note that on the registration form. Individual interviews will be held before and after scheduled focus group, or at a date, time and place determined by the participant. . Staff at these three programs: will return the registration forms via mail, e- mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . Staff at local programs and from MMDI:ACCESS partner agencies: will send a consent form (see Appendix 1.3) at the same time as the registration form, to the guardians of those participants with a legal guardian in place. After the guardian has completed the forms he/she will return the forms to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will secure the accommodations requested, the monies to be paid out as stipends and the refreshments. Focus Group Preparation Tasks RECORDER AND MMDI:ACCESS REPRESENTATIVES . Meet thirty (30) minutes prior to the focus group to set-up room and take care of last minute details. Each representative will prepare for their roles. . Make sure the room is set up (comfortable chairs in a circle, away from distracting noise or interruptions) . Set-up check-in table and set-up a table for food/drinks (Mark food that is for those requesting a special diet) . Bring laptop and set it up in a place outside the circle in order to comfortably take notes . Use audio recorder if there is no objections from participants . Hand out Pre-Focus Group Surveys to managers and staff . Hand out definitions and resource list to participants (see Appendix 3). Let them know that if it is not safe for them to take the definitions and resource list home, they can have the program (where focus group is being held) hang on to them and explain that they can have access to it when it is safe to do so. . Hand out stipends to individuals and survivors with disabilities as they check- in. Let them know that if it is not safe for them to take the money home, they can have the program (where focus group is being held) hang on to the money and explain that they can have access to it when it is safe to do so. . Hand out consent forms to individuals and survivors with disabilities as they check-in Focus Group Tasks RECORDER AND MMDI:ACCESS REPRESENTATIVES . Keep an eye on time . Provide assistance to individuals and survivors with disabilities in completing the consent form . Answer any questions participants may have . Direct participants to restrooms, support person, etc. . Collect completed consent forms . Monitor group participation o Watch for indications that quieter members of the group are trying to say something. o Help the facilitator call for ideas and response from all group members. o Keep handwritten/typed notes during the group discussion. Some additional things to look for and record: . Chaining….Times when people become nonverbal and verbally animated….they embroider, elaborate and add their story to someone else’s…..people nod, agree and participate in the story/discussion…. . Conflict….Times when people become animated but because they disagree or see things differently….Voices become louder…several people may talk at once….positions become somewhat polarized….. . Memorable Quotes….Times when someone says something in a way that is moving, insightful, or otherwise striking…..Tracking such quotes can be very helpful for both the evaluation research and for use in articulating the concerns and issues of the community being interviewed. Facilitator Script & Questions FOCUS GROUP-MANAGER/STAFF INTRODUCTION Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join us today to participate in this focus group, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this focus group, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. If you talk about something that has happened to someone that you are working with who has a disability, I trust that you have made all the necessary actions required of you. If you feel that you need to make a report, I will ask that you save that until after the interview. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, does anyone have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential, but because of the nature of focus groups we cannot guarantee confidentiality. We will not use any identifying information and instead have given you each a number that we will refer to, so please, if you are responding to someone or something someone has said, please refer to their number rather than calling them by name. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, we will be taking notes, we would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with everyone? Is it okay for us to record this focus group? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. We want everyone to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. We do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let one of us know. For your convenience, _____ an advocate from the Task Force on Family Violence is here to provide support if needed [Advocate should stand up and wave and then head out of the room]. She will be in room _____________, which is located_____________ [Ground Rules] We would like to hear from everyone who wants to talk, so I may need to interrupt you to give others a chance to make remarks and to keep the discussion moving. Some additional ground rules for this focus group include: o There are no “right” or “wrong” answers and there are no “stupid” questions, so please feel free to express yourselves o We would like you to be respectful of one another –you can disagree with ideas, but do it respectfully. o We are interested in your opinions – and getting varied, divergent ideas; we are not trying to get group consensus. o We will be taking a short break but feel free to leave or take a break whenever you want o We would like you to give others a chance to express themselves, please don’t interrupt others, when they are talking o We would like to maintain confidentiality, so please refer to one another by the number assigned. o The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. o Finally, we would like to ask you to keep whatever is said in this group, be kept in the group. [Introduce MMDI:ACCESS Representatives and their roles] Now, I would like to introduce you to the other members of MMDI:ACCESS and what role they are playing here today. (Have each representative introduce herself). Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: You each should have received a handout with some definitions. Did everyone get these? (Handout definitions (see Appendix 3) to anyone who has not received them) First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Does anyone need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). By staying here, you are giving your consent to participate in this focus group. SURVEY-MANAGERS/STAFF Everyone should have received a Pre-Focus Group Survey, does anyone need one? [Hand out surveys to anyone who does not have one] (See Appendix 5 for a copy of the Pre-Focus Group Survey). Okay, now if everyone can take a few minutes to complete the survey, don’t over think the questions, these are your perceptions so there is no right or wrong answers. When you are through, please place them in the box on this table (point to where box is located]. [Give participants about 10 minutes to complete the survey, as soon as most people have placed the surveys in the box, re-start the focus group] FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS- MANAGER/STAFF OF ALL PROGRAMS 1. What does your organization do to create a welcoming and safe environment for survivors with disabilities, one in which they are able to disclose abuse or request accommodations to get an appropriate response? [Are there policies in place? What is the philosophy of the organization? How accessible is the organization? What are the standard practices of the organization?] 2. How can this be better and/or improved? [Policies? Philosophy? Accessibility? Practices? Collaboration? Other?] 3. What connections/relationships do you have with organizations that serve survivors or people with disabilities? Who do you refer survivors or people with disabilities to? Why? How can these relationships be improved? a. What about IndependenceFirst? b. Task Force on Family Violence? c. Milwaukee County Disability Services Division? d. City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 4. What do disability or violence against women organizations need to best serve survivors with disabilities? FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS- MANAGER/STAFF OF DISABILITY PROGRAMS 5. How would your organization respond to disclosures of abuse? Are there policies in place that tell you how to respond? a. How comfortable are you talking about abuse? b. How prepared do you feel in handling disclosures of abuse? 6. What are the strengths and shortcomings of this response? 7. What services are available, at your organization, to individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence/abuse? Are the services adapted to meet the survivor’s safety needs? 8. Does the disability affect the way the organization responds? What about the type of violence? What about the relationship between the survivor and the perpetrator? FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS- MANAGER/STAFF OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PROGRAMS 5. If someone with a disability comes to your program, how would your organization respond? Are their policies in place that tells you how to respond to request for accommodations? a. How comfortable are you working with people who have different types of disabilities? b. How prepared do you feel in working with people who have different types of disabilities? 6. What are the strengths and shortcomings of this response? 7. What services are available for survivors with disabilities at your organization? Are these services, including safety planning, adapted to fit the accommodation/person’s needs? 8. Does the disability affect the way the organization responds? What about the type of violence? What about the relationship between the survivor and the perpetrator? FOCUS GROUP QUESTION- MANAGERS ONLY 13. How does your organization recruit, hire and evaluate staff, board and volunteers in terms of their ability to effectively serve survivors with disabilities? CONCLUSION Well that concludes our focus group, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through our other focus groups, interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. If there anything we can do for you before you leave, please feel free to talk to any of us, we will be here for a little while. There are some resources on the table, please feel free to take what you want, thank you again for participating, good bye. Go to Post-Focus Group Tasks on page 123 Facilitator Script & Questions FOCUS GROUP- INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES INTRODUCTION If it appears that participants do not understand or are confused about what is being said the facilitator will use her discretion and re-word or adapt the script, while making sure that all points are still covered. Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join us today to participate in this focus group, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this focus group, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. We can make this call together if you want and we can wait until after the focus group ends. Just so you know, even if a report to adult protective services is needed, you will not be forced to accept their help because you do still have choices. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, does anyone have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential, but because of the nature of focus groups, we cannot guarantee confidentiality. We will not use any identifying information and instead have given you each a number that we will refer to, so please, if you are responding to someone or something someone has said, please refer to their number rather than calling them by name. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, we will be taking notes, we would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with everyone? Is it okay for us to record this focus group? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. We want everyone to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. We do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let one of us know. For your convenience, _____ an advocate from the Task Force on Family Violence is here to provide support if needed [Advocate should stand up and wave and then head out of the room]. She will be in room _____________, which is located_____________ [Ground Rules] We would like to hear from everyone who wants to talk, so I may need to interrupt you to give others a chance to make remarks and to keep the discussion moving. Some additional ground rules for this focus group include: o There are no “right” or “wrong” answers and there are no “stupid” questions, so please feel free to express yourselves o We would like you to be respectful of one another –you can disagree with ideas, but do it respectfully. o We are interested in your opinions – and getting varied, divergent ideas; we are not trying to get group consensus. o We will be taking a short break but feel free to leave or take a break whenever you want o We would like you to give others a chance to express themselves, please don’t interrupt others, when they are talking o We would like to maintain confidentiality, so please refer to one another by the number assigned. o The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. o Finally, we would like to ask you to keep whatever is said in this group, be kept in the group. [Introduce MMDI:ACCESS Representatives and their roles] Now, I would like to introduce you to the other members of MMDI:ACCESS and what role they are playing here today. (Have each representative introduce herself). Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). [Consent Forms] Everyone should have received a consent form does anyone need one? [Hand out consent form to anyone who does not have one]. Let us go through this together and if you have any questions or if you need assistance, please raise your hand and one of us can help you. [Read entire form (see Appendix 1.3 for a copy of the consent form or 1.5 for an adapted consent form). Have each person sign the form. MMDI:ACCESS representatives should collect the forms from participants] [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: You each should have received a handout with some definitions. Did everyone get these? (Handout definitions (see Appendix 3) to anyone who has not received them) [Adapted definitions are also available in Appendix 3, for those who need them.] First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participants) FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS- INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES 1. What are some things service providers need to do to inform people with disabilities about violence/abuse? What things can services providers do to inform people with disabilities about the help that is available? [Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?] e. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can access information? [Doctors offices? Day programs?] f. Do you know about IndependenceFirst, TFFV, Milwaukee County DSD and City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 2. What are some important things that violence against women organizations (like sexual assault or domestic violence agencies) need to know to help people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? Referral sources?] 3. What are some important things that disability programs need to know to help people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] 4. What types of things can violence against women organizations do that would make individuals with disabilities feel comfortable enough to talk about their disability? [Believe story? Accessible office? Offer accommodations?] 5. What types of things can disability programs do that would make individuals with disabilities feel comfortable enough to talk about abuse or being hurt by another person? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse? Trust?] 6. What is needed to create accessible and responsive services/programs for individuals with disabilities hat have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Staff training? Work with other service providers?] 7. What would the ideal service delivery system look like for people with disabilities who experience violence and abuse? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] CONCLUSION Well that concludes our focus group, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through our other focus groups, interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. If there is anything we can do for you before you leave, please feel free to talk to any of us, we will be here for a little while, thank you again for participating, good- bye. Go to Post-Focus Group Tasks on page 123 Facilitator Script & Questions FOCUS GROUP- SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES INTRODUCTION If it appears that participants do not understand or are confused about what is being said the facilitator will use her discretion and re-word or adapt the script, while making sure that all points are still covered. Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join us today to participate in this focus group, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this focus group, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. [Mandated reporters should add] I need to let you know that I am a mandated reporter, which means that if you tell me that something (abuse) is happening, the law says that I need to contact adult protective services. We can make this call together if you want and we can wait until after the focus group ends. Just so you know, even if a report to adult protective services is needed, you will not be forced to accept their help because you do still have choices. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, does anyone have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential, but because of the nature of focus groups, we cannot guarantee confidentiality. We will not use any identifying information and instead have given you each a number that we will refer to, so please, if you are responding to someone or something someone has said, please refer to their number rather than calling them by name. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, we will be taking notes, we would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with everyone? Is it okay for us to record this focus group? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. We want everyone to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. We do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let one of us know. For your convenience, _____ an advocate from the Task Force on Family Violence is here to provide support if needed [Advocate should stand up and wave and then head out of the room]. She will be in room _____________, which is located_____________ [Ground Rules] We would like to hear from everyone who wants to talk, so I may need to interrupt you to give others a chance to make remarks and to keep the discussion moving. Some additional ground rules for this focus group include: o There are no “right” or “wrong” answers and there are no “stupid” questions, so please feel free to express yourselves o We would like you to be respectful of one another –you can disagree with ideas, but do it respectfully. o We are interested in your opinions – and getting varied, divergent ideas; we are not trying to get group consensus. o We will be taking a short break but feel free to leave or take a break whenever you want o We would like you to give others a chance to express themselves, please don’t interrupt others, when they are talking o We would like to maintain confidentiality, so please refer to one another by the number assigned. o The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. o Finally, we would like to ask you to keep whatever is said in this group, be kept in the group. [Introduce MMDI:ACCESS Representatives and their roles] Now, I would like to introduce you to the other members of MMDI:ACCESS and what role they are playing here today. (Have each representative introduce herself). Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). [Consent Forms] Everyone should have received a consent form does anyone need one? [Hand out consent form to anyone who does not have one]. Let us go through this together and if you have any questions or if you need assistance, please raise your hand and one of us can help you. [Read entire form (see Appendix 1.3 for a copy of the consent form or 1.5 for an adapted consent form). Have each person sign the form. MMDI:ACCESS representatives should collect the forms from participants] [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: You each should have received a handout with some definitions. Did everyone get these? (Handout definitions (see Appendix 3) to anyone who has not received them) [Adapted definitions are also available in Appendix 3, for those who need them.] First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participants) FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS- SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES 1. How did you find out about the programs/services available to you as a person with a disability experiencing violence/abuse? 2. How can services providers improve the way they inform people with disabilities about the help that is available? (Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?) a. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can access information? (Doctors offices? Day programs?) b. Do you know about IndependenceFirst, TFFV, Milwaukee County DSD and City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 3. When you were receiving domestic violence/sexual assault services, what were some of the positive things that service providers did? a. What were some of the negative things that service providers did? 4. How did the disability service providers you work with respond to your experience of violence/abuse? [Positive? Negative?] 5. If someone you know who has a disability were experiencing violence/abuse what advice would you give him/her? a. Who might the person tell? b. What things make people with disabilities feel safe enough to disclose/talk about violence/abuse? c. What steps could he/she take? d. What organizations might he/she go to for help? What could they help him/her with? 6. What are some things you would like to tell violence against women organizations about helping people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? Referral sources?] a. What types of things can violence against women organizations do that would make it safe for a person experience violence/abuse to disclose that they have a disability? [Believe story? Accessible office? Offer accommodations?] 7. What are some things you would like to tell disability service providers about helping people with disabilities that have been hurt by violence/abuse? [How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] a. What types of things can disability organizations do that would make it safe for a person with a disability to disclose that something is happening to them? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse? Trust?] 8. What is needed to create accessible and responsive services/programs for individuals with disabilities? [Staff training? Work with other service providers?] a. What would the ideal service delivery system look like for people with disabilities who experience violence and abuse? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] CONCLUSION Well that concludes our focus group, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through our other focus groups, interviews and the community dialogue. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. If there is anything we can do for you before you leave, please feel free to talk to any of us, we will be here for a little while, thank you again for participating, good- bye. Go to Post-Focus Group Tasks on page 123 Post-Focus Group Tasks Facilitator, Support Person, Recorder and Floaters: Immediately following the focus groups everyone will take part in a debriefing session, using the debriefing form below as a guide. Debriefing Form Group: Date: Time: Location: Facilitator: Recorder: Number of Participants: Make brief notes (phrases, sentence fragments, any memorable quotes) about key points. Note issues which generated animated group response (chaining) or conflict/secondary tension. Memorable Quotes: Chaining: Conflict/Secondary Tension: Record your impressions and reactions to the group discussion. What was surprising to you? Not surprising? What was new information for you? What were the two or three most valuable things you’ve learned in this focus group? Identify what went well; what went wrong, what can be changed to make future groups more successful: Recorder: Type up completed notes and send them to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. MMDI:ACCESS: MMDI:ACCESS will meet to put together a final report on the focus groups, which will later be incorporated into the needs assessment report, and the strategic plan. This meeting will also be used to debrief and provide insight into what is working and what is not working, so that changes can be made if needed. APPENDIX 7 ADAPTED QUESTIONS-INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES 1. How can these programs tell people with disabilities about the help they can get? (Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?) a. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can get it? (Doctors offices? Day programs?) b. Do you know about: . IndependenceFirst . Task Force on Family Violence . Milwaukee County Disability Services Division . City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 2. What things do you want programs that help victims to know about people with disabilities? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? Referral sources?] 3. What things do you want disability programs to know about helping people that have been hurt [by violence/abuse]? [How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] 4. What do we need to do to make people [with disabilities] feel safe? [Believe story? Accessible office? Offer accommodations?] 5. What can we do to make people [with disabilities] trust us? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse?] 6. What can we do to better help people [with disabilities] that have been hurt [by violence and abuse]? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] ADAPTED QUESTIONS-SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES 1. How did you find out about the program that helped you (with the violence/abuse)? 2. How can these programs tell people with disabilities about the help they can get? (Put information on the internet? Accessible formats?) a. Where is the best place to put information so people with disabilities can get it? (Doctors offices? Day programs?) b. Do you know about: . IndependenceFirst . Task Force on Family Violence . Milwaukee County Disability Services Division . City of Milwaukee Health Department-Office on Violence Prevention? 3. When you were getting help (from domestic violence/sexual assault providers) what things did they do good? a. What things did they do that were not so good? 4. If you found out that another person with a disability was being hurt, what would you tell them? a. Who can the person tell? b. What steps could he/she take? c. Where can he/she go for help? What can they help him/her with? 5. What do you want us to know about helping people with disabilities (hurt by violence/abuse)? [Accommodations? Differences between types of disabilities? How to treat people with disabilities? How to ask about violence/abuse? Referral sources?] a. What do we need to do to make people with disabilities feel safe? [Talk without other people around? Ask questions about violence/abuse?] b. What can we do to make people with disabilities trust us? [Believe story?] 6. What can we do to better help people with disabilities that have been hurt [by violence and abuse]? [Not getting turned away? Everyone works together? Help without barriers?] .Back APPENDIX 8 MMDI:ACCESS Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors With Disabilities From Crisis to Healing Facilitator’s Guide Community Dialogue Contents: . Pre-Community Dialogue Preparation Page 128 . Community Dialogue Preparation Tasks Page 129 . Community Dialogue Tasks Page 130 . Facilitator Script and Questions Page 131 . Post-Community Dialogue Tasks Page 138 Pre- Community Dialogue Preparation . MMDI:ACCESS representative from OVP will secure a date and time for the community dialogue. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from OVP will then send out invitations to the members if the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. See Appendix 2.6 for a sample of the community dialogue invitation. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will provide registration/consent forms to the MMDI:ACCESS agency representative of OVP in regular and large prints, Braille and electronic formats. A copy of the service provider registration/consent form is available in Appendix 1.6. . The MMDI:ACCESS agency representative of OVP will ask members of the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to complete the registration/consent form and offer assistance to anyone that cannot complete the forms independently. . The MMDI:ACCESS representative from OVP will then return the registration forms via mail, e-mail or fax to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. . MMDI:ACCESS Project Director will secure accommodations requested and the refreshments. Community Dialogue Preparation Tasks RECORDER AND MMDI:ACCESS REPRESENTATIVES . Meet thirty (30) minutes prior to the community dialogue to set-up room and take care of last minute details. Each representative will prepare for their roles. . Make sure the room is set up (comfortable chairs in a circle, away from distracting noise or interruptions) . Set-up check-in table and set-up a table for food/drinks (Mark food that is for those requesting a special diet) . Bring laptop and set it up in a place outside the circle in order to comfortably take notes . Use audio recorder if there is no objections from participants . Hand out definition and resource list to participants (see Appendix 3) Community Dialogue Tasks RECORDER AND MMDI:ACCESS REPRESENTATIVES . Keep an eye on time . Answer any questions participants may have . Direct participants to restrooms, etc. . Monitor group participation o Watch for indications that quieter members of the group are trying to say something. o Help the facilitator call for ideas and response from all group members. o Keep handwritten/typed notes during the group discussion. Some additional things to look for and record: . Chaining….Times when people become nonverbal and verbally animated….they embroider, elaborate and add their story to someone else’s…..people nod, agree and participate in the story/discussion…. . Conflict….Times when people become animated but because they disagree or see things differently….Voices become louder…several people may talk at once….positions become somewhat polarized….. . Memorable Quotes….Times when someone says something in a way that is moving, insightful, or otherwise striking…..Tracking such quotes can be very helpful for both the evaluation research and for use in articulating the concerns and issues of the community being interviewed. Facilitator Script & Questions COMMUNITY DIALOGUE INTRODUCTION Good morning/afternoon, my name is ______________, and I am with_________. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to join us today to participate in this community dialogue, as your opinions are really valuable to us. To help give you an understanding of why we have asked you here today I am going to start by providing you with some background information on our Collaboration, and the purpose of conducting this community dialogue, which is a part of a larger needs assessment. [Background] In 2007, IndependenceFirst and it’s three partners: Task Force on Family Violence; Milwaukee County Disability Services Division; and City of Milwaukee Office on Violence Prevention, were awarded a grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to create systems change in Milwaukee County for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. This collaboration is called the “Metro-Milwaukee DART Initiative: A Community Collaborative Effort Serving Survivors with Disabilities from Crisis to Healing (MMDI:ACCESS). The mission of MMDI:ACCESS is to build an interdisciplinary service network that offers Milwaukee area residents with disabilities, a seamless, comprehensive and timely response to their experience of domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse. To accomplish this mission, and improve the current service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who experience domestic and sexual violence and/or abuse, MMDI:ACCESS is conducting this needs assessment in Milwaukee County. This needs assessment will seek to gather information and learn about the strengths and weaknesses in programs and services for individuals with disabilities who experience violence and abuse. We are conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys and a community dialogue with individuals and survivors with disabilities, leaders, managers and staff from each of the four MMDI:ACCESS programs, as well as other key community leaders. The information gained during the needs assessment will directly inform the collaboration on how to make effective and sustainable change to the existing service delivery system. Up to this point, we have talked with leaders, management and staff from each of our agencies and individuals and survivors with disabilities in order to identify ways we (the four partner organizations) can improve the service delivery system for individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. While the Commission falls under the Office on Violence Prevention, it’s relationship is distinctly different then what exist in the various Bureaus of Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division, for example . Yet since none of our organizations operate in a vacuum; we are using this relationship as an opportunity to look not only at what we can change within our organizations but also the ways we can change that will benefit and fill the potential gaps that exist in the community as a whole. The Commission represents the entire service delivery system in Milwaukee and for us to accomplish our mission we must look at how we (the four partner organizations) fit into this larger system. We will be looking to you for help in identifying these gaps. The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. Once all the needs assessment modalities are completed, MMDI:ACCESS will develop a strategic plan that will guide the work of the collaborative over the next two years and help us to create a targeted initiative towards the development of a seamless, comprehensive and timely response for survivors with disabilities. I hope this gives you a little overview on what MMDI:ACCESS is doing and why you are here today, does anyone have any questions? [Allow time to answer any questions]. Now I would like to go over a few things before we get started: [Confidentiality] First, I want to discuss how we are going to use the information that you share with us today. MMDI:ACCESS will be using the information gained through this needs assessment in a final report and to develop a strategic plan. To the extent possible, everything you say will be kept confidential, but because of the nature of a community dialogue, we cannot guarantee confidentiality. We will not use any identifying information and instead have given you each a number that we will refer to, so please, if you are responding to someone or something someone has said, please refer to their number rather than calling them by name. In order to assure accuracy and document the information shared, we will be taking notes, we would also like to make an audio recording. All notes and recordings made during the needs assessment events will be kept in a locked file cabinet at IndependenceFirst; only those MMDI:ACCESS representatives who are actively involved with the needs assessment process and the development of the strategic plan, will have access to these notes and recordings. Once the strategic plan is complete, all notes and recordings will be destroyed. Does that sound all right with everyone? Is it okay for us to record this focus group? (If not proceed without notes and/or recorder). [Safety] The second thing I want to discuss is your safety and comfort level. We want everyone to know that if at anytime you decide you want to stop or take a break, feel free to leave. We do not want you to feel uncomfortable but there is always the possibility that this topic may trigger something, so please just let one of us know. For your convenience, _____ an advocate from the Task Force on Family Violence is here to provide support if needed [Advocate should stand up and wave and then head out of the room]. She will be in room _____________, which is located_____________ [Ground Rules] We would like to hear from everyone who wants to talk, so I may need to interrupt you to give others a chance to make remarks and to keep the discussion moving. Some additional ground rules for this focus group include: o There are no “right” or “wrong” answers and there are no “stupid” questions, so please feel free to express yourselves o We would like you to be respectful of one another –you can disagree with ideas, but do it respectfully. o We are interested in your opinions – and getting varied, divergent ideas; we are not trying to get group consensus. o We will be taking a short break but feel free to leave or take a break whenever you want o We would like you to give others a chance to express themselves, please don’t interrupt others, when they are talking o We would like to maintain confidentiality, so please refer to one another by the number assigned. o The information/experiences with services you have to share are extremely important to us, and while we are aware that violence and abuse touches the lives of many people in Milwaukee, we will not be asking about these specifics experiences during our limited time together. Instead, we will be focusing on your experiences with the service delivery system. o Finally, we would like to ask you to keep whatever is said in this group, be kept in the group. [Introduce MMDI:ACCESS Representatives and their roles] Now, I would like to introduce you to the other members of MMDI:ACCESS and what role they are playing here today. (Have each representative introduce herself). Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). [Definitions] Okay, the final thing I want to go through before we get started is some of the definitions we will be using during this focus group: You each should have received a handout with some definitions. Did everyone get these? (Handout definitions (see Appendix 3) to anyone who has not received them) First is the term “survivor”, I am using survivor to identify those individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. I am using the term “survivor” rather than “victim” because I believe it embodies strength and empowerment. . Disability is hard to define because there are numerous definitions being used, for example there are many different definition used in laws, a definition that is used only by schools and a definition used by social security. So disability means something different depending on who is using it. Since many people think of disability as someone using a wheelchair, I thought I would give you some examples of different types of disabilities. There are far too many disabilities to mention but this should give you an idea about who we are referring to, in this needs assessment. For example mental health disabilities, which include people with depression or people who have anxiety; cognitive disabilities like a traumatic brain injury or someone with Down’s syndrome; physical disabilities like a spinal cord injury or a heart condition; and sensory disabilities like people who are blind or Deaf. In your definitions handout you will find the Americans with Disabilities Act definition, this is the one that MMDI:ACCESS has agreed to use in our work. Abuse is any treatment of an adult with a disability that places his/her life, health and/or emotional welfare in jeopardy; any treatment that is likely to result in impairment of the person’s physical or emotional health or well being. Abuse can be emotional, financial, physical and sexual. Sexual abuse is a verbal or physical act that is sexual in nature. Sexual violence includes rape or other sexual assault/abuse by a date or acquaintance, a partner, a caregiver, a family member or a stranger. It also includes any sexual activity with an adult or child with a disability by a caregiver while providing a service for which he/she receives financial compensation or at a care giving facility or program. Sexual assault occurs when the person does not give consent, is unable to give consent or when the sexual conduct, is occurring with a licensed professional or service provider. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship in which one person, gains or maintains power and control over another person. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and/or emotional/psychological abuse. Domestic violence can occur between husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who are dating or have dated in the past, people who have lived together, extended family members and personal care attendants and/or caregivers. Are these clear? Do you need me to expand or explain them any further? [Allow time for clarification] Do you have any questions of me before we get started? (Allow time to answer any questions brought up by the participant). By staying here, you are giving your consent to participate in this community dialogue. COMMUNITY DIALOGUE QUESTIONS As I said earlier, we have talked with leaders, management and staff from each of our agencies and individuals and survivors with disabilities. We have heard some of the ways we (the four partner organizations) can improve our response to individuals with disabilities who have experienced violence and/or abuse. We would also like to share some of the things we heard. (Share feedback received during the needs assessment; talking points will be developed after focus groups and interviews have been completed). 1. What do you think might be some opportunities for enhancing our (the four MMDI:ACCESS agencies) service delivery system? a. What do you see as the challenges for enhancing our (the four MMDI:ACCESS agencies) service delivery system? 2. Which 4 or 5 of these opportunities would have the greatest impact on serving survivors with disabilities in Milwaukee? a. Which 4 or 5 of these opportunities would have the greatest impact on our (the four MMDI:ACCESS agencies) service delivery system? b. Which 4 or 5 of these opportunities would have the greatest impact on the service delivery system (represented by the Commission) as a whole? 3. How do we (the four partner organizations) fit into the larger service delivery system (represented by the Commission)? 4. What would the ideal service delivery system look like for people with disabilities who experience violence and abuse? a. What might the Commission’s role be in creating the ideal service delivery system? CONCLUSION Well that concludes our community dialogue, we will take the information you just gave us and combine it with the information gained through the focus groups and interviews. We will be using the information gathered during this needs assessment to develop a strategic plan to help guide us through the next 2 years of the grant. If there anything we can do for you before you leave, please feel free to talk to any of us, we will be here for a little while. Thank you again for participating, good bye. Go to Post-Community Dialogue Tasks on page 138 Post-Community Dialogue Tasks Facilitator, Support Person, Recorder and Floaters: Immediately following the community dialogue everyone will take part in a debriefing session, using the debriefing form below as a guide. Debriefing Form Group: Date: Time: Location: Facilitator: Recorder: Number of Participants: Make brief notes (phrases, sentence fragments, any memorable quotes) about key points. Note issues which generated animated group response (chaining) or conflict/secondary tension. Memorable Quotes: Chaining: Conflict/Secondary Tension: Record your impressions and reactions to the group discussion. What was surprising to you? Not surprising? What was new information for you? What were the two or three most valuable things you’ve learned in this community dialogue? Identify what went well; what went wrong, what can be changed to make future groups more successful: Recorder: Type up completed notes and send them to the MMDI:ACCESS Project Director. MMDI:ACCESS: MMDI:ACCESS will meet to put together a final report on the community dialogue, which will later be incorporated into the needs assessment report, and the strategic plan. This meeting will also be used to debrief and provide insight into what is working and what is not working, so that changes can be made if needed. .Back