I. INTRODUCTION 
Background 

For many years the Syracuse Area Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition has recognized 
and sought to improve community response to people with disabilities and d/Deaf people who 
experience domestic and sexual violence. Agencies, including ARISE, who advocate with, and 
provide service to, individuals having disabilities recognized an unmet need. They were sure 
that they were involved with people with disabilities and d/Deaf people who had experienced 
domestic and sexual violence, but they wanted to be more explicitly helpful. In addition, 
agencies with long histories of serving people who experience domestic and sexual violence 
wanted to become more accessible to people with disabilities and Deaf people. The need in 
our community has always been great, and yet the ability to come together around this issue 
had been a consistent challenge. The time was right for collaboration. 

Many in our community were energized when Vera House and ARISE received a three year 
grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, Education and Technical Assistance Grants 
to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities Grant Program. The receipt of these funds 
enabled Vera House and ARISE to form a collaborative relationship called Project EMERGE. 
The initial goals of the collaboration were to formalize our relationship through the 
development of a document that guides our work process- our Collaboration Charter. The 
team then moved to convene the Accessibility Task Force, a new committee of the Syracuse 
Area Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition. 

In an effort to move our work forward, the team planned and conducted a comprehensive 
Needs & Assets Assessment. This is the first step for Project EMERGE in understanding the 
opportunities and gaps in our community for systematic change. This report has been written 
to summarize the results of a Needs & Assets Assessment that has been conducted by Project 
EMERGE during March, April and May 2008. The findings in this report will be utilized as 
Project EMERGE moves forward with developing a Strategic Plan for our work in the 
community. That plan will provide the specifics around how we will implement change to 
improve our community response for women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who have 
experienced domestic and sexual violence. 

Understanding Project EMERGE 

Vera House and ARISE have joined the expertise of the personnel at each agency to create 
Project EMERGE. This partnership is structured around INTERDEPENDENCE, rather than our 
two agencies just Ôworking together.Õ Together we are working to create a system of resourcing 
each other to better deliver services. This collaboration will¥ 


¥ 
Seek input from and listen to people with disabilities and Deaf people who are survivors 
of domestic and sexual violence 
¥ 
Create, provide, and improve accessibility at our agencies. 
¥ 
Co-influence each otherÕs policies, procedures, and practices 

¥ 
Learn from each other how to better assist all people, including people with 
disabilities and Deaf people who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. 
¥ 
Provide training to service providers 
It is also important to understand what Project EMERGE is not able to focus on with the 
current funding from the Office of Violence Against Women. Project EMERGE is prohibited 
from providing direct service to survivors with disabilities or d/Deaf survivors. The project also 
can not do specific work within the criminal justice system. These issues may be part of the 
long range planning of Project EMERGE as we work to create sustainable systems change. 

Overview of Needs & Assets Assessment 

Project EMERGE conducted a Needs & Assets Assessment, hereafter referred to as NA, 
which examined the policies and practices in Onondaga County with a focus on our own 
organizations. Findings from the NA will be utilized to develop a strategic plan for Project 
EMERGE. 

The purpose of the NA was to gather information on Vera House, ARISE, and community 
agency policies and practices, as well as the experiences of women with disabilities and 
d/Deaf women who experience domestic and sexual violence. 

Global Questions: Our team sought to understand what it is like for service providers 
to do their job in our community. We were especially interested in how women with 
disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence 
experience services from Vera House and ARISE, as well as other local service 
agencies. Some of the key global questions explored in the NA included: 

-What are the gaps or barriers experienced by survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf 
survivors when they seek and navigate services at Vera House? 
-What are the gaps or barriers at ARISE that discourage survivors with disabilities and 
d/Deaf survivors from being connected to and receiving appropriate domestic violence 
and sexual assault services? 
-Where are the opportunities at Vera House and ARISE to strengthen partnership 
through collaborative services to better serve to women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence? 
-What is working well and where are the weaknesses in the current community wide 
service delivery system in response to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who 
are victims/survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence? 

II. METHODOLOGY OF THE NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT 
Project EMERGE developed a Needs & Assets Assessment that included participants at all 
different levels at Vera House, ARISE and in the community of people and agencies serving 
women with disabilities and d/Deaf women, as well as survivors of domestic and/or sexual 
violence. The voices of leadership, direct service providers, and consumers all are present in 
the data that was gathered. The NA listened to the feelings and opinions of all of these players 
in an effort to create a complete picture of services in the community and at ARISE and 
Vera House. 

The NA included three assessment methods- Interviews, Listening Circles (focus groups), and 
a web based survey of direct service providers at community based agencies serving women 
with disabilities, d/Deaf woman, and survivors/victims of domestic and sexual violence. As we 
anticipated, this Needs & Assets Assessment did not only work to measure the capacity and 
opportunities in the community for change, but also connected with the community and gave 
various audiences the opportunity to express their views and participate in our process and 
mission. 

Key Stakeholder Interviews 

Key Stakeholder Interviews provided Project EMERGE with a global, policy perspective on the 
strengths and weakness in Onondaga County. The Interviews were conducted with leadership 
at ARISE, Vera House, and a diverse group of community based agencies who have rich 
experience in their field and our community. These individuals have a high level of experience 
at their agencies and insider knowledge of the systems they provide leadership to. 

Each interview was structured through five main questions. The questions began by asking 
about the intervieweeÕs perspective on the strengths and gaps in Onondaga County in 
addressing the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims/survivors 
of domestic and sexual violence. Interviewees were also asked to provide perspective on 
policy and culture that ARISE and other disability agencies operate under, as well as Vera 
House and other agencies providing victim/survivor services. The opportunity to offer ideas on 
specific improvements concluded the interviews. 

In total, we conducted 27 Key Stakeholder Interviews. Below is a breakdown of who the 
interviews were conducted with in comparison to the goal that Project EMERGE set. 

Key Stakeholder Goal Completed 
Leadership at ARISE 8 6 
Leadership at Vera House 6 6 
Leadership at other agencies in 
Onondaga County who provide 
domestic and/or sexual violence 
services 
4 4 
Leadership at other agencies in 
Onondaga County who provide 
disability and/or d/Deaf services 
6 11 
TOTAL 24 27 


Scheduling and conducting the Key Stakeholder Interviews proved to be quite easy. 
Connecting with leaders at each agency and in the community also created the opportunity to 
update leadership on the process that Project EMERGE is utilizing to create change in our 
community. At ARISE, we were slightly under our goal due to challenges scheduling with some 
managers, but we feel that we were able to engage a diverse array of leadership at ARISE, 
thus yielding balanced data. 

[Please see Attachment A. Key Stakeholder Interview Questions] 

Listening Circles 

The Listening Circles were the main source of group research and were structured as 
organized discussions. The Ôfocus groupÕ format was particularly well-suited to obtaining a 
variety of perspectives, by encouraging a diverse group of participants (both consumers and 
direct service providers) to share their attitudes, feelings, beliefs, experiences and perceptions 
regarding access to and delivery of trauma and disability services at Vera House and ARISE, 
in a safe and supportive environment. The main purpose of the Listening Circles was to 

provide a forum to examine in-depth and detailed views on the intersection of disability and 
deafness with domestic and sexual violence through the personal experiences of survivors 
with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors, and focus on how best to build empowerment into the 
delivery of services. 

Listening Circle Goal Completed Total 
Number of 
Participants 
Women who identified as survivors of 
Domestic and Sexual Violence (who may or 
may not necessarily identify as having a 
disability and/or being d/Deaf) 
2 2 11 
Women with Disabilities (who may or may 
not have disclosed that they are victims or 
survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual 
Violence) 
2 2 18 
d/Deaf women (who may or may not have 
disclosed that they are victims or survivors 
of Domestic and/or Sexual Violence) 
1 1 5 
Direct Service Providers at Vera House, Inc. 1 1 7 
Direct Service Providers at ARISE, Inc. 1 1 9 
TOTAL 50 

The Listening Circles proved to be the richest aspect of our NA. The first Listening Circle that 
we conducted for women with disabilities included fourteen participants. Survivors and women 
with disabilities were eager to participate. Recruitment of participants for both the survivor and 
women with disabilities Listening Circles was not a challenge. The first Listening circle that was 
held for each focus population was attended in greater numbers than the second circle in each 
group. 

The planning of the Listening Circle for d/Deaf survivors was a learning process for our Project 
Director and the Project EMERGE team. The planning and recruitment around this Listening 


Circle required more careful thought. Both securing a Deaf woman to co-facilitate the group 
and assembling a team of interpreters proved to be a very time consuming process. After 
discussion with allies in the Deaf community, our team learned about the true importance of 
earning trust and patiently interacting with our Deaf partners. The planning and implementation 
of the Listening Circle with d/Deaf women provided just as many lessons as the data collected 
at the Circle. 

[Please see Attachment D. Listening Circle Questions] 

Direct Service Provider Web-based Survey 

The survey focused on exploring the strengths and gaps of the service delivery system from 
the perspective of the direct service provider as well as their experiences with implementing 
policy at their agencies. We surveyed direct service staff at ARISE and Vera House in order to 
examine our current ability serve consumers across disciplines and identify opportunities at 
Vera House and ARISE to strengthen our partnership. 

Two surveys were utilized; the first explored the opinions of sexual assault and domestic 
violence service providers and the second targeted disability and d/Deaf service providers. The 
questions focused on examining areas of improvement and methods to achieve physical and 
attitudinal accessibility and establish an improved referral and response system. Methods to 
accomplish community collaboration in regard to the issues of domestic violence and/or sexual 
abuse towards women with disabilities and d/Deaf women were also explored. 

The surveys contained mainly closed ended questions with multiple choice, categorical and 
Likert scale answers. The surveys also contained open-ended questions, where participants 
responded in their own words. Both service provider surveys were distributed through the use 
of a web based system, called SurveyMonkey. Although it was offered through numerous 
methods, no one requested assistance with the survey or requested a paper version of the 
survey. 

Survey Type Goal Total Started 
Survey 
Completed 
Service Providers who work with 
People with Disabilities and 
d/Deaf People 
75 65 44 (67%) 
Service Providers who work with 
Survivors of Domestic and/or 
Sexual Violence 
75 69 36 (52%) 
TOTAL 150 134 80 

All efforts were made in accordance with our NA plan to encourage service providers to 
complete the survey. While we are very please with our response rate on the survey, feedback 
from Vera House and ARISE staff was that survey was long. A vast majority of participants 
completed the survey in a thorough manner, but some respondents skipped sections or did not 
complete the open ended questions in the survey. Overall, the survey provided rich information 
about Vera House and ARISE and the perspectives of their direct service providers. 


[Please see Attachment B & C. Service Providers who work with People with Disabilities 
and d/Deaf People Survey and the Service Providers who work with Survivors of Domestic 
and/or Sexual Violence Survey] 

III. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FROM THE NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT 
ÒAbused women with disabilities have a double whammy. I didnÕt know whether to deal 
with my abuse first or my disability. I didnÕt know where to turn, and I lost all hope.Ó survivor 
in a Listening Circle 

This woman eloquently summarized the experiences of many of her peers. It is a core belief of 
Project EMERGE that we will only be successful in creating true systems change if we honor 
the voices and experiences of survivors with disabilities and D/deaf survivors in our 
community. This Needs & Assets Assessment sought to seek out those often silenced or 
invisible voices. 

Overall, the three methodologies used in our NA proved to be very successful in creating a 
broad, accurate picture of the perspectives of survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors in 
Onondaga County. Throughout the process, information was gathered from survivors with 
disabilities and/or d/Deaf survivors as well as from providers. 

Findings are grouped by the major key finding categories of- trust, knowledge and practice, 
outreach to d/Deaf women, merger of strengths, and survivor centered services. Under 
each key finding an explanation of variables within that category are explored and supported 
with examples from the data. 

Key Finding #1- TRUST 

TRUST 

Summary: 

Women with disabilities who have experienced domestic and sexual violence do not 
trust the current service delivery systemÕs ability to holistically meet their needs. This is 
particularly true for women with mental health disabilities. 

1. Survivors report not being believed when they disclosed experiences of domestic 
and sexual violence. 
Survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors reported that, time after time, they were not 
believed by service providers, law enforcement, medical professionals, caregivers, or family 
members when they disclosed experiences of domestic violence and sexual abuse or assault. 
Women with disabilities stated that they have not been seen as having the capacity to 
accurately articulate what their experience has been, or it has been assumed by others that 
they do not have the capacity to differentiate abuse from non-violent interactions. Women who 
are survivors of domestic violence, who often also identified as living with disabilities, 
explained that sometimes, because they rely on their violent partner or caregiver for basic care 


and freedom, disclosing the abuse caries extra fears of the loss of freedom. They also 
shared that if and when they did disclose, they were discredited, often by service providers in 
the disability or mental health fields. 

ÒPeople with psychiatric illnesses are often not taken seriously by the court system or 
society as a whole. They are not believed, which makes accessing services quite 
complicated. Ð from Key Stakeholder Interviews 

ÒIt is important for people to believe the truth about disabled victims of domestic 
violence. Police, hospitals, agencies, everybody believes that victims with mental 
issues are crazy women. No one believes us and we are totally discredited.Ó-woman 
with a disability in a Listening Circle 

ÒIt helps when service providers talk about their own lives and share their own 
experiences. It helps sometimes to hear their story.Ó -survivor in a Listening Circle 

2. Women with disabilities report that it has been their experience that Vera HouseÕs 
shelter has limited physically accessible. This is also true for other shelters in the 
community, as well as non-disability focused services. Women with disabilities and 
d/Deaf women also report that Vera House could improve in its ability to provide a wide 
array of accommodations. 
Women with disabilities reported a lack of physical accessibility at non-disability focused 
agencies. Feedback regarding the limited accessibility of shelters at Vera House, and in the 
community, abounded. Onondaga County is in need of a fully accessible shelter space for 
women with physical disabilities, including women who use wheelchairs. Staff at every level at 
Vera House is very aware of the physical limitations of both the shelter and Administrative 
office. Agency leadership at Vera House expressed explicit commitment to improving the 
physical accessibility of the buildings and learning about other physical accommodations that 
can be provided. 

ÒSome agencies are not accessible to people with disabilities. It is very difficult to get 
into their buildings. Some do not have ramps or elevators. Wider doorways and wider 
doors to bathrooms are needed.Ó Ðwomen with a disability in a Listening Circle 

ÒOur agency has physical barriers and, sometimes, there is a lack of personnel to 
address the unique client needs.Ó-from Key Stakeholder Interviews 

There is a commitment at Vera House to working to provide accommodation when a consumer 
with a visible, physical disability makes a request. However, beyond a liberal self-managed 
medication policy at shelter, Vera House does not currently have formal policy around direct 
service staff offering and then providing accommodation to all consumers. Survivors with 
disabilities and d/Deaf survivors reported that their needs were not always met by Vera House 
programs. It seems that consumers need direct service providers to begin the conversation 
and provide an opportunity for the consumer to voice what is not working if they are in 
need of an accommodation. 

ÒIt is our informal policy to provide necessary accommodations, when a client asks, but 
it is not formalized. For example, we will secure interpreters and accept service 


animals.Ó Ð Vera House direct service provider, from ÔSurvey for Service Providers 
who work with Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 

All domestic and sexual violence service providers who responded to the survey 
reported that they do have the ability to make changes in physical space to meet a 
clients needs. Almost all reported the ability to be flexible, meet in alternative settings, 
or provide materials in a different format. However, women with disabilities shared 
experiences of domestic or sexual violence service providers NOT accommodating their 
needs. Clearly, there is a disconnect between what service providers state they have 
the capacity to do and the experiences of survivors with disabilities. Ð from ÔSurvey for 
Service Providers who work with Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ and 
women with a disabilities in Listening Circles 

3. Survivors with mental health disabilities do not find that services at Vera House, or in 
the greater community, adequately meets their needs. 
There are disparities in the type of care that is available for women with physical and 
developmental disabilities and women with mental health disabilities. Both survivors and 
service providers report that mental health services are not currently able to fully 
accommodate the needs of women who have also experienced domestic and sexual 
violence. Women with mental health disabilities reported that Vera House is challenged in 
serving their needs, especially in the shelter program. Women who identified as having a 
mental health disability described frustration with Vera House shelter staff not take the time to 
carefully explain the confidentiality of the shelter or not offering her the support she felt she 
needed to be successful in shelter. Women also talked about not being ÔacceptedÕ into the New 
Directions: Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault counseling program at Vera House. Service 
providers at Vera House echoed this concern, acknowledging that they do not feel that they 
have the skills or staff and time resources to respond to the needs of women in mental health 
crisis. 

These same survivors reported that they only turned to Vera House after many other 
community mental health agencies had Ôlet them downÕ and not been able to assist them with 
trauma centered services that responded to both their mental health needs and their safety 
and healing from domestic and/or sexual violence. When in crisis, women are not as easily 
able to access transportation, fill out appropriate paperwork, or regularly make appointments. 

ÒThere has been a huge increase of clients coming into shelter with mental health 
issues. In the past, they have been asked to leave. Now, our main focus is keeping the 
client safe. We are not therapists at the shelter and are finding it very hard to deal with 
these issues. I do not feel equipped to deal with this. We need to constantly reinforce 
our rules with them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnÕt. Ð Vera House service 
provider in a Listening Circle 

ÒI referred someone to [another] women's shelter who was identifying psychiatric needs 
and/ or addiction issues that were beyond the scope of our staff. Ð Vera House direct 
service provider, from ÔSurvey for Service Providers who work with Survivors of 
Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 


KEY FINDING #2- KNOWLEDGE & PRACTICE 


KNOWLEDGE & PRACTICE 

Summary: 

A general lack of knowledge around the intersection between disability, d/Deafness, 
and domestic and sexual violence creates inadequate response for survivors with 
disabilities and d/Deaf survivors. Both service providers and survivors note that the 
holistic needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of 
domestic and/or sexual violence are not fully and consistently met at ARISE, Vera 
House, or elsewhere in Onondaga County due to this lack of a joint skill set at the 
agency and provider level. 

1. Service providers are not knowledgeable about the intersection of disabilities, 
d/Deafness, and domestic and sexual violence, and this impacts their ability to provide 
services. 
Both survivors with disabilities, d/Deaf survivors and service providers in both fields report that 
in general, service providers are not knowledgeable about the intersection of disabilities, 
d/Deafness, and domestic and sexual violence. Women reported that this gap in holistic 
knowledge impacts the services that they receive and results in providers continually referring 
them out to other agencies. Women then have to begin the process of building trust with a new 
provider. Another dynamic that adds to service provider knowledge base in both fields is high 
direct staff turnover. Women with disabilities and d/Deaf women reported that they often then 
have to re-educate the new provider on their needs as a survivor or as a person with a 
disability, as well as begin the process of building trust with a new provider. Leaders at Vera 
House, ARISE, and other agencies reported that turnover in direct service staff challenges 
their ability to effectively train around the intersection of these issues. 

ÒI have trouble trusting any new service provider or doctor. Doctors and service 
providers look at us as different. You have to try a trial and error process and seek 
second and third opinions.Ó Ð women with a disability in a Listening Circle 

Less than half of domestic and sexual violence service providers indicated they were 
ÒcomfortableÓ or Òvery comfortableÓ in working with d/Deaf women-from ÔSurvey for 
Service Providers who work with Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 

ÒI am working with a person who is deaf. She has told me of things that happened to 
her as a child. She still is having difficulty with this. She is getting help but she is floating 
from agency to agency. This is due to the fact that she has mental health issues and as 
she will keep coming back.Ó Ð ARISE service provider in a Listening Circle 

Service providers from both fields did not request formal, traditional training-89% of 
domestic and/or sexual violence service providers and 80% of disability and d/Deafness 
service providers responded ÔgoodÕ or ÔexcellentÕ to Ôbuilding relationships and working 
closely with each other in an effort to learnÕ when questioned about their preferred 
learning method to improve their comfort in working with survivors with disabilities 


and/or d/Deaf survivors -from ÔSurvey for Service Providers who work with 
Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ and ÔSurvey for Service Providers who 
work with People with Disabilities and d/Deaf PeopleÕ 

ÒStaff training is the key- not all staff members are able to address these issues with 
their clients.Ó Ð ARISE staff member at Listening Circle 

2. Direct Service Providers at ARISE are not comfortable or prepared to incorporate 
domestic and sexual violence into their work. 
ARISE direct service providers, some ARISE leadership, and other disability providers in the 
community reported struggling with being unclear on the best ways to respond to a 
disclosure of abuse, as well as what the woman should know upon entering shelter, or family 
court, or the emergency room. Service providers and leadership at ARISE acknowledged 
formal protocols and policies around immediate documentation and investigation when a 
women with a disability or who is d/Deaf discloses abuse at ARISE. These protocols are 
governed by New York State OMRDD (Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental 
Disability) and OMH (Office of Mental Health) guidelines. This was also true for other disability 
providers in our community. However, these guidelines are purely for documentation and 
investigative in nature. Direct service providers reported that they feel unsure around how to 
support women they work with around disclosures of domestic and/or sexual violence. 
A concern is that if a survivor knows that a disclosure will be ÔinvestigatedÕ and this is not 
balanced with a culture of warm support, has this led to survivors at ARISE limiting their 
disclosures? ARISE staff acknowledged that abuse is an important issue for the women they 
serve, but also shared that they have not required screening for domestic and/or sexual 
violence or providing coordinated service delivery for consumers. 

ÒI worked with a survivor [with a disability] who was suicidal; I needed someone to team 
with when she was in crisis. There should be a written procedure. I felt alone during one 
of these situations and then was criticized by my boss who told me that I did not follow 
the correct procedure. I did what I believed was right at the time. Everyone needs to be 
on the same page. We need more guidelines.Ó Ð ARISE service provider in a Listening 
Circle 

ÒWe need a manual on all areas of services. We need to be able to find it at central 
locations.Ó Ð ARISE service provider in a Listening Circle 

ÒIf a situation would arise with a consumer, in regards to abuse of any form, we would 
report it to our direct supervisor and from there a report and investigation would be 
done.Ó - ARISE service provider from ÔSurvey for Service Providers who work with 
People with Disabilities and d/Deaf PeopleÕ 

ÒI am excited for our agency to be able to collaborate more with the DV [domestic 
violence] service providers because it really helps to know that there are agencies 
ready to assist and specially trained in our community with the most difficult situations 
involving DV. This is not what we do at ARISE and when it comes up they need to be 
helped out with that before ARISE can help them be independent.Ó ÐARISE service 
provider in a Listening Circle 


3. Direct service providers at Vera House and ARISE are eager to learn and expand 
their ability to provide best practice services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women who are also survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. 
There was great energy and excitement from direct service providers at Vera House and 
ARISE around collaborating in serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are 
survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. An unanticipated result of the survey and 
Listening Circles at ARISE and Vera House was that each opportunity to think about these 
issues seemed to energize staff. 

ÒI have talked victims of domestic and sexual violence who were ashamed and refused 
to get help. I have wanted us to do something about this for years, we have to, and IÕm 
willing to whatever it takes. And, itÕs all because I am a formerly battered wife myself 
and people didnÕt believe me because I am in a chair. People just donÕt think or know 
that we have sexual relationships and so they really donÕt know when we are being 
abused.Ó Ð ARISE service provider in a Listening Circle 

ÒTalking about all of this [women with disabilities and D/deaf women who are survivors 
of domestic and/or sexual violence] has gotten me thinking about how we can do a 
better job at Vera House. I feel validated-like others find this difficult also, but that 
together we can have hope to do things better.Ó Ð ARISE service provider in a Listening 
Circle 

KEY FINDING #3- RAPPORT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT 

RAPPORT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT 

Summary: 

Survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors and their service providers report many 
experiences of inadequate response from Law Enforcement which has created a legacy 
of mistrust. 

1. Survivors with disabilities and their service providers report many experiences of 
inadequate response from law enforcement which has created a legacy of mistrust. 
Women with disabilities and d/Deaf women shared distrust of Law Enforcement and were not, 
generally, aware that Vera House could assist them in Advocating with the criminal justice 
system. Leadership and direct service providers from ARISE and other disability and d/Deaf 
service agencies also shared discouragement with the criminal justice system, in fact it was 
mentioned in EVERY Key Stakeholder Interview conducted with leadership at ARISE and 
at other disability agencies. They shared that they have had little success effectively 
challenging the criminal justice system, in comparison to Vera HouseÕs long standing working 
relationship with the criminal justice system in Syracuse. Law enforcement need to be 
engaged as part of our community response to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who 
are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence 


ÒFirst responders in law enforcement need accountability, especially when it comes 
to people with disabilities. Victims, they are not viewed as credible unless there are 
obvious signs of abuse (bruising, bleeding). They tend to believe the abuserÕs story, not 
the abused victimÕs. It is very hard to find an interpreter in an emergency situation. 
Sometimes it takes as much as five hours.Ó Ð Vera House service provider in a 
Listening Circle 

ÒI was raped and my mental disability was a real challenge. The police told the hospital 
staff that I was crazy and not to be believed. So, I wouldnÕt tell anyone to talk to the 
policeÉÓ Ðwomen with a disability in a Listening Circle 

ÒÉPolice, paramedics, etc-those who are first responders should be trained by service 
providers who work with people with disabilities everydayÉÓ Ð ARISE service provider 
in a Listening Circle 

ÒI have been a peer advocate for people with disabilities for 16 years and noticed great 
frustration for Advocates and clients due to police response. People with disabilities 
have a long legacy of not being respected by the police. We all have stories to tell and it 
seems like there is a new injustice every time you turn around. So, why would women 
with disabilities call the police if they were being hurt?Ó Ð from Key Stakeholder 
Interviews 

KEY FINDING #4- OUTREACH TO DEAF WOMEN 

OUTREACH TO d/DEAF WOMEN 

Summary: 

The d/Deaf community sees itself as isolated from hearing service providers that serve 
populations other than the d/Deaf. The long history of struggling to obtain services has 
led the d/Deaf to experience difficulty trusting or reaching out to unfamiliar service 
providers. 

1. 
d/Deaf women in the community are unaware of the services available when they 
experience domestic and/or sexual violence. 
Aurora, a local service agency for d/Deaf people, focuses primarily on job skills and education. 
In the community, there is no specialized agency or program for d/Deaf women to receive help 
after experiencing domestic and/or sexual violence and the d/Deaf community is unfamiliar 
with how Vera House can help them. 

Throughout the preliminary stages of Project EMERGE, first year of the Accessibility Task 
Force, and execution of the NA, leaders of the d/Deaf community have become more familiar 
with the array of services that can meet their needs, especially at Vera House. The process of 
working together has revealed opportunities for collaboration, getting to know each other, and 
building trust and understanding. 


ÒIn the past, Vera House has not offered much support. Previously, we were 
skeptical of working together, but through this project, we have learned more and are 
happy to start working together.Ó ÐDeaf woman in a Listening Circle 

2. 
Trust is extremely important to establish with d/Deaf women. As the d/Deaf 
community is small and most individuals are familiar with each other, there is fear of 
gossip and loss of confidentiality. 
d/Deaf women expressed feeling more comfortable when working with a service provider who 
is familiar with d/Deafness and/or has worked with another d/Deaf person. d/Deaf women 
pointed out that it is best when a d/Deaf peer is able to recommend a specific service provider 
as trusted. Like women with disabilities, d/Deaf women also report disclosures of abuse not 
being believed by law enforcement or other service providers. This limits reaching out for 
services, and d/Deaf women in crisis described many experiences of not receiving appropriate 
response and care from many systems in our community. 

ÒIf I experienced a trauma, I would not go to Aurora for services. I would probably look 
for a co-survivor or for an advocate who could help me.Ó-Deaf woman in a Listening 
Circle 

ÒBuilding trust is a long process. People donÕt understand that Deaf people can read 
facial and body language better than hearing people can. You must be welcoming, 
responsive and respectful.Ó Ð Deaf woman in a Listening Circle 

ÒPolice need to be trained to not just believe the hearing person.Ó-Deaf woman in a 
Listening Circle 

3. d/Deaf women reported numerous issues surrounding working with Interpreters. 
General availability of Interpreters in our community is a major challenge reported by d/Deaf 
women. d/Deaf women shared that there have been times when they were in crisis that 
Interpreters were not provided at hospitals, community based agencies, court, and in 
interactions with law enforcement. They highlighted that service providers and systems should 
offer and advertise that they will provide Interpreters for d/Deaf women. There are also issues 
surrounding Interpretation for a d/Deaf woman needing shelter. d/Deaf women reported that 
the need for an Interpreter at shelter is a hindrance to leaving an abusive relationship. Service 
providers, d/Deaf women, and Vera House leadership all note the need for qualified 
Interpreters to be available to d/Deaf women in crisis, needing shelter and also all agree that 
there is a need for strategy development around this issue. 

A d/Deaf woman in crisis should have access to an Interpreter, as soon as possible, in order to 
communicate her needs and experiences. Just as there are always Vera House Advocates on-
call to support a hearing woman at local Emergency Departments and Law Enforcement 
venues, d/Deaf women recommended that Vera House train a team of d/Deaf women to serve 
as on-call Advocates. This would provide best practice in Interpreting and service delivery for 
the victim because the d/Deaf Advocate could support the d/Deaf victim and serve as a Deaf 
Interpreter (working in conjunction with the ASL (American Sign Language) Interpreter 
provided by the hospital). This model could also be utilized to support d/Deaf women who 
come into shelter at Vera House to reduce her amount of isolation is shelter. 


ÒVera House should always offer an Interpreter, even if we are with a friend or family 
member who can sign. We should have access to email and TTY to communicate when 
there is a crisis. Deaf people prefer to communicate in different ways.Ó Ð Deaf woman in 
a Listening Circle 

Less than half of domestic and sexual violence service providers indicated comfort in 
working with d/Deaf women Ð from ÔSurvey for Service Providers who work with 
Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 

KEY FINDING #5- MERGER OF STRENGTHS 

MERGER OF STRENGTHS 

Summary: 

Vera House, ARISE, and the larger human service community provide a rich 
array of services to women with disabilities and/or women who are survivors 
of domestic and/or sexual violence. However, currently these services are 
delivered in silos. 

There is a general lack of support for d/Deaf women in our community. 
Project EMERGE can engage the d/Deaf community by meeting, sharing 
strengths and learning from each other. 

1. Onondaga County is a service-rich community for women with disabilities and 
women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. 
Onondaga County provides a rich network of services and community resources to meet 
the needs of women with disabilities women who are survivors of domestic and sexual 
violence. Individually, disability services and domestic and sexual violence services are strong 
and well resourced in the community. Staff members at Vera House and ARISE have a good 
working relationship and exhibit respect for each other. In Onondaga County, there is a culture 
of partnership and long history of working across systems to improve service delivery. Human 
service agencies work well with law enforcement, government officials, and educational 
intuitions on a regular basis. This is demonstrated through collaborations like the Syracuse 
Area Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition, Human Services Leadership Council, the 
Onondaga Community Sexual Trauma Task Force, and the Child Abuse Response Team. 

Among direct service providers and agency leaders, there is general agreement about 
the needs and assets of our community. Ð from Vera House & ARISE direct service 
provider Listening Circles and Key Stakeholder Interviews 

2. ARISE and Vera House are both respected agencies within the community at 
delivering services to their target populations. 
During the process of conducting Key Stakeholder Interviews, it was clear that staff members 
in the various programs at ARISE are all very committed and dedicated to their work. Women 
who receive services at ARISE also articulated that they were happy with the services that 


they were involved with. ARISE provides a variety of programming for a range of 
disabilities, and is able to accommodate a consumer in crisis on a walk-in basis. The flexibility 
and commitment to best services for clients makes ARISE a prominent community agency for 
individuals with disabilities. Leadership at ARISE consistently looks to partner with other 
agencies to meet the various needs of their consumers. 

ÒPeople at ARISE are very respectful and courteous. They meet your needs and work 
with you.Ó Ð women with a disability in a Listening Circle 

Vera House also provides a 24 hour crisis support line that allows for flexibility and victims or 
their providers to have a wide range of questions answered when the time is right for them. 
Vera House is regarded as doing a good job at providing comprehensive services; however, 
they are not always knowledgeable about the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women. The Syracuse Area Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition, staffed by Vera House, 
reaches out to groups to provide education specific to accessibility needs of victims. The 
Coalition also provides opportunities for networking and conversation among professionals. 
Staff at ARISE and Enable, two of the largest disability service providers in our community, are 
generally knowledgeable about the services offered by Vera House. 

ÒVera House provides comprehensive services to victims and survivors.Ó Ð from multiple 
Key Stakeholder Interviews 

3. Service Providers from each field need to improve their ability to cross resource each 
other. 
Women with disabilities who are survivors and their service providers provided a good overall 
picture of the unmet needs of the community. Across all three methods, the importance of 
cross training for service providers in both domestic and sexual violence and disability and 
D/deaf sensitivity and culture stood out as a very important need. Generally, there was an 
expressed need for the creation of a culture of understanding about the lives of women 
with disabilities and D/deaf women who are survivors of domestic and/or sexual 
violence at Vera House and ARISE. When women know that their service providers have a 
baseline of understanding of their abilities and experiences in the world, they are able to feel 
more comfortable disclosing abuse and requesting accommodation. Training for staff in Vera 
HouseÕs shelter was consistently stressed as a top priority. 

62% of disability and/or d/Deafness service providers would like training on what to do 
when a victim and perpetrator are both served by a program or agency - from Survey 
for Service Providers who work with People with Disabilities and d/Deaf People 

ÒWe should build stronger connections between the staff at Vera House and ARISE. 
We should create a position or a role at each agency for a person who can be 
contacted and consulted in these cases. We could create models for Vera House to 
connect with other agencies as well, mentoring staff at other agencies in talking with 
clients about abuse.Ó Ð from Key Stakeholder Interviews 

The survey for domestic and sexual violence service providers indicated that while 81% 
of providers knew their client had a disability or was d/Deaf worked with another service 
provider around those needs, only 42% worked with that provider. Ð from ÔSurvey for 
Service Providers who work with Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 


ÒI worked with a client who had substance abuse problems and worked closely with her 
treatment program's case manager. I communicated with the case manager concerns 
that the client raised about her safety in her living quarters (with client's permission). We 
were able to work together to help the client attain a greater degree of safety by 
changes in her environment and shared strategies for her to use if she felt threatened in 
future. The collaboration created a sort of more public and accountable network to 
enhance and empower the client toward safety.Ó - from ÔSurvey for Service Providers 
who work with Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 

Over half of domestic and sexual violence service providers were not sure what eight 
out of nineteen local disability and d/Deaf service agencies do. Ð from ÔSurvey for 
Service Providers who work with Survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual ViolenceÕ 

KEY FINDING #6- SURVIVOR CENTERED SERVICES 

SURVIVOR CENTERED SERVICES 

Summary: 

Women with disabilities and d/Deaf women need to be respected and treated 
as knowledgeable about their situation and needs. Domestic and sexual 
violence and disability service providers are most empowering to survivors 
with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors when they utilize language and 
approach that focuses on the strengths of the individual and allows them to 
be in charge of their healing and independence. 

One of the richest aspects of our Needs & Assets Assessment was the consistent and strong 
voices of survivors, women with disabilities, and D/deaf women. Woman after woman shared 
eloquently about the ways providers who assisted them in reconnecting with their own sense 
of self and abilities to take control of their life. 

1. Language should focus on the strengths of survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women. 
The use of language by service providers with women with disabilities and d/Deaf women was 
an important aspect of empowerment. Women reported feeling empowered when service 
providers utilized language that focused on their strengths, rather than deficiencies or 
failures. However, not all practitioners have the skills or insight to use this language. Another 
basic empowerment tool that women spoke about is confidentiality. Women report feeling 
empowered when they knew and trusted that their confidentiality would be protected. 

Ò[Service providers] need to take each case individually, and not just read my file and 
think they know about me.Ó Ðsurvivor in a Listening Circle 


ÒI feel everyone in social services is not necessarily equipped to be in the field. 
Some donÕt care. Some are burned-out. They think they are above you and have a bad 
attitude.Ó - survivor in a Listening Circle 

ÒI get upset when service providers refer to my experience as a Ôstory.Õ What happened 
to me was real, and I donÕt like not being believed.Ó Ð survivor in Listening Circle for 
d/Deaf women 

2. Women with disabilities and d/Deaf women are most empowered when her service 
providers work together while allowing her to lead the process 
Finally, women reported that when their multiple service providers, often from different 
systems, were able to connect with each other in an effort to meet her needs, while allowing 
her to lead the process, she was able to feel the most empowered. Women stressed that they 
should be at the center of determining what their needs and services will be as they seek 
safety and healing from violence along with developing a support plan around their disability. 

ÒI had to go meet with a counselor at my sonÕs school because he was acting up and I 
took my therapist with me. She always tells me how good I am and encourages me. 
She makes me feel that I can get through this. She keeps me focused on going 
forward.Ó - Survivor in a Listening Circle 

ÒMy service provider is very helpful and asks me what I need and is everything okay. 
Some people go by labels. I feel comfortable with my therapist at Vera House. She 
believes in me.Ó - survivor in a Listening Circle 

ÒThey should provide encouraging words (Òit was not your faultÓ, Òyou are humanÓ). 
They need to give us a chance to feel connected and comfortable. DonÕt forget where 
you came from and donÕt forget that you are human just like us.Ó Ð women with a 
disability in a Listening Circle 

IV. MOVING TO ACTION 
In the findings from the Needs & Assets Assessment, common themes highlight the gaps that 
Project EMERGE will need to develop a strategic plan to respond to came to the forefront. 
There is also a strong foundation to work from in Onondaga County that creates opportunity for 
change to respond to these gaps. The chart below organizes the key findings with a Ôcall for 
actionÕ. Project EMERGE is now charges with developing a Strategic Plan to respond this 
documented need and opportunity. Use column on the right to brainstorm your ideas for 
change. 

GRID FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING, pages 18-21 


KEY FINDING CALL FOR ACTION STRATEGIC PLAN IDEAS 
TRUST 1a. Women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women who are survivors of domestic 
1. Survivors report not being believed when 
they disclosed experiences of domestic and 
sexual violence. 
and/or sexual violence need ALL of their 
service providers to be comfortable and 
skilled in hearing and responding to 
disclosures of domestic and sexual 
violence. 
2a. Vera House needs to be the leader in 
Onondaga County on moving towards 
2. Women with disabilities report that it has 
been their experience that Vera HouseÕs 
providing a more physically accessible 
shelter. 
shelter has limited physically accessible. 
This is also true for other shelters in the 
community, as well as non-disability 
focused services. Women with disabilities 
and d/Deaf women also report that Vera 
House could improve in its ability to provide 
a wide array of accommodations. 
2b. Vera House needs to develop policies 
around offering and providing 
accommodations. And, direct service 
providers need to be skilled in offering a 
wide array of accommodations that are 
sensitive to the unique needs of the 
consumer. 
3a. Disparities reported by survivors with 
3. Survivors with mental health disabilities 
do not find that services at Vera House, or 
in the greater community, adequately 
meets their needs. 
mental health disabilities need to be 
addressed through empowering them to 
participate in building accessible services 
at Vera House and ARISE. This will set an 
example in our community for other 
disability and mental health agencies. 
3b. Project EMERGE need to engage with 
partners in the community specializing in 
mental health services to create more 
accessibility at Vera House, and develop a 
community plan of better supporting 
survivors with mental health disabilities. 


KEY FINDING CALL FOR ACTION STRATEGIC PLAN IDEAS 
KNOWLEDGE & PRACTICE 
1. Service providers are not knowledgeable 
about the intersection of disabilities, the 
Deaf experience, and domestic and sexual 
violence and this impacts their ability to 
provide services. 
2. Direct service providers at ARISE are not 
comfortable or prepared to incorporate 
domestic and sexual violence into their 
work. 
3. Direct service providers at Vera House 
and ARISE are eager to learn and expand 
their ability to provide best practice services 
to women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women who are also survivors of domestic 
and/or sexual violence. 
1a. Direct service providers need to be 
skilled and comfortable in disability and 
d/Deaf culture as well as the dynamics of 
domestic and sexual violence. 
2a. Direct service providers at ARISE need 
training and on-going support around 
screening and assessment of domestic and 
sexual violence. 
3a. Vera House and ARISE need to offer 
direct service providers creative and 
diverse opportunities for ongoing learning 
and support around the intersection of 
disabilities and d/Deafness and domestic 
and sexual violence. 
3b. Project EMERGE needs to create 
opportunities for direct service providers 
and leadership at Vera House and ARISE 
to connect with each other around best 
practices in an ongoing way. 
RAPPORT WITH LAW 
ENFORCEMENT 
1. Survivors with disabilities and their 
service providers report many experiences 
of inadequate response from law 
enforcement which has created a legacy of 
mistrust. 
1a. Law enforcement needs to improve 
their understanding of the intersection of 
disability, d/Deafness, and domestic and 
sexual violence. 
1b. Law enforcement needs to develop 
standard protocols for responding to 
domestic and sexual violence experienced 
by women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women. 


KEY FINDING CALL FOR ACTION STRATEGIC PLAN IDEAS 
OUTREACH TO d/DEAF 
WOMEN 
1. d/Deaf women in the community are 
unaware of the services available when 
they experience domestic and/or sexual 
violence. 
1a. Project EMERGE needs to partner with 
leaders in the Deaf community to increase 
community awareness about domestic and 
sexual violence and Vera House services. 
2a. Vera House needs to establish rapport 
2. Trust is extremely important to establish 
with d/Deaf women. As the d/Deaf 
community is small and most individuals 
are familiar with each other, there is fear of 
gossip and loss of confidentiality. 
with the d/Deaf community so that d/Deaf 
women who are victims of domestic and 
sexual violence are comfortable reaching 
out for help and recommending services to 
each other. 
2b. Project EMERGE and Vera House 
needs to utilize existing and natural d/Deaf 
networks to build trust and positive 
reputation in the d/Deaf community. 
3. d/Deaf women reported numerous 
issues surrounding working with 
Interpreters. 
3a. Project EMERGE needs to work to 
ensure that Vera House, ARISE, other 
community based agencies, Emergency 
Departments, etc all offer an Interpreter 
when a d/Deaf women presents for 
services. 
3b. Vera House needs to train a team of 
d/Deaf women to serve as on-call 
Advocates for d/Deaf survivors of domestic 
and violence. 


KEY FINDING CALL FOR ACTION STRATEGIC PLAN IDEAS 
MERGER OF STRENGTHS 
1. Onondaga County is a service rich 
community for women with disabilities and 
women who are survivors of domestic and 
sexual violence 
1a. Project EMERGE needs to utilize this 
strength to promote systems change in our 
community response to survivors with 
disabilities and d/Deaf survivors. 
2. ARISE and Vera House are both 
respected agencies within the community 
at delivering services to their target 
2a. The time is right for project EMERGE to 
build a lasting and strong partnership 
between Vera House and ARISE. 
populations. 
2b. This partnership will then serve as a 
model for other community agencies. 
3. Service Providers from each field need 
to cross resource each other. 
3a. Formalized connections between direct 
service providers need to be created that 
will facilitate case consultation, on-going 
cross training, and relationships between 
direct service providers. 
SURVIVOR CENTERED 1a. Project EMERGE needs to train and 
SERVICES ALL staff at Vera House and ARISE in 
survivor/person centered service delivery. 
1. Language should focus on the strengths 
of survivors with disabilities and D/deaf 
1a. This language needs to be incorporated 
into policy and outreach materials at each 
women. agency. 
2a. Formalized connections between direct 
2. Women with disabilities and d/Deaf 
women are most empowered when her 
service providers work together while 
allowing her to lead the process. 
service providers from both fields need to 
be created that are focused on empowering 
survivors with disabilities and D/deaf 
survivors to determine their own service 
delivery plan. 


V. CONCLUSION 
Project EMERGE needs to capitalize on the strengths that currently exist in the service delivery 
system, as well as strengths that survivors, people with disabilities and d/Deaf people hold. Individual 
trust in service providers, as well as trust in agencies and our communityÕs ability to respond to 
survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors, is built through all service providers working from an 
empowerment perspective. There are already many strengths at Vera House and ARISE in providing 
services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women as well as survivors of domestic and sexual 
violence. This provides opportunity to collaborate and build a more coordinated set of services to 
model to the greater human service community in Onondaga County.