Strategic 
Plan 
Pennsylvania 
Collaboration 


Disability 
Grant 
Program 
April, 
2010 



TABLE 
OF 
CONTENTS 


• 
Introduction 
...........…………….. 
3 


• 
Overview 
of 
Collaboration 
and 
Pilot 
sites............................ 
3 


• 
Needs 
Assessment 
Goals.....................................................4 


• 
What 
we 
already 
knew 
.......................................................... 
4 


• 
Needs 
Assessment 
overview 
of 
pilots 
and 
partners 
............. 
6 


• 
Summary 
of 
Key 
Findings 
..................................................... 
7 


• 
Short 
Term 
Initiatives 
............................................................ 
7 


• 
Initiative 
# 
1 
– 
Policies 
and 
Procedures 
................................ 
9 


• 
Initiative 
# 
2 
– 
Training 
and 
Resource 
Development 
......... 
11 


• 
Initiative 
# 
3 
– 
Collaboration................................................15 


• 
Conclusion 
.......................................................................... 
18 


• 
Appendices 
......................................................................... 
19 
A-Strategic 
Planning 
Initiatives-Timeline 
......................20-25 
B-Long-Term 
Initiatives.................................................26-28 



1. 
Introduction 
In 
October 
of 
2007, 
with 
the 
overall 
goal 
of 
improving 
services 
for 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors, 
the 
DRN, 
PCADV 
and 
PCAR 
received 
a 
three-year 
grant, 
the 
Disability 
Grant 
Program, 
from 
the 
U.S. 
Department 
of 
Justice, 
Office 
on 
Violence 
Against 
Women. 
As 
part 
of 
the 
work 
under 
this 
grant, 
our 
collaboration 
conducted 
a 
comprehensive 
assessment 
of 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
selected 
communities 
in 
the 
central 
region 
of 
the 
state. 
The 
focus 
areas 
of 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process 
were 
accessibility 
of 
services 
for 
women 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
women 
and 
the 
response 
to 
violence 
by 
disability 
services 
providers 
and 
organizations 
serving 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
or 
hard 
of 
hearing 
individuals. 


One 
of 
the 
most 
important 
elements 
of 
this 
grant 
for 
our 
collaboration 
consisted 
of 
assessing 
our 
own 
organizations 
(DRN, 
PCAR 
and 
PCADV) 
in 
regards 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
We 
followed 
a 
process 
similar 
to 
what 
took 
place 
within 
the 
selected 
communities. 
Honoring 
such 
a 
process 
provided 
critical 
information 
that 
will 
influence 
how 
we 
modify 
our 
policies 
and 
procedures 
in 
regards 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
during 
this 
final 
phase 
of 
the 
grant. 
Additionally, 
subjecting 
our 
organizations 
to 
a 
process 
similar 
to 
that 
of 
the 
pilot 
sites 
assisted 
us 
in 
relating 
to 
these 
communities 
on 
a 
much 
closer 
and 
concrete 
level. 
Our 
collaborative 
appreciated 
this 
opportunity 
particularly 
because 
of 
the 
statewide 
focus 
that 
characterizes 
the 
work 
of 
our 
organizations. 


The 
following 
pages 
of 
this 
document 
contain 
the 
Strategic 
Plan 
that 
will 
guide 
our 
work 
in 
the 
last 
phase 
of 
our 
project. 
The 
overall 
goal 
of 
is 
to 
improve 
these 
communities’ 
response 
to 
women 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
women 
who 
have 
experienced 
domestic 
and 
sexual 
violence 
and 
to 
increase 
access 
to 
services. 
The 
same 
overarching 
goal 
applies 
to 
our 
collaborative 
partner 
organizations. 
To 
that 
end, 
the 
work 
is 
expected 
to 
take 
place 
on 
both 
levels, 
pilot 
sites 
and 
partner 
organizations. 


2. 
Overview 
of 
Collaboration 
and 
Pilot 
Sites 
The 
Pennsylvania 
collaboration 
or 
Collaborative 
consists 
of 
the 
Disability 
Rights 
Network 
(DRN), 
the 
PA 
Coalition 
Against 
Domestic 
Violence 
(PCADV) 
and 
the 
PA 
Coalition 
Against 
Rape 
(PCAR). 
These 
three 
organizations 
are 
the 
primary 
partners 
in 
this 
grant. 


Approximately 
15 
years 
ago, 
the 
Disability 
Rights 
Network 
of 
Pennsylvania 
(DRN) 
joined 
efforts 
with 
the 
Pennsylvania 
Coalition 
Against 
Rape 
(PCAR) 
with 
the 
intent 
to 
eliminate 
sexual 
violence 
in 
the 
lives 
of 
persons 
with 
disabilities. 
In 
the 
summer 
of 
2004, 
DRN 
and 
PCAR 
joined 
efforts 
again, 
this 
time 
in 
conjunction 
with 
other 
organizations 
including 
the 
Pennsylvania 
Coalition 
Against 
Domestic 
Violence 
(PCADV), 
who 
became 
a 
member 
of 
the 
team 
a 
year 
later. 
Our 
work 
together 
has 
focused 
on 
improving 
physical, 
programmatic 
and 
attitudinal 
accessibility 
to 
victims’ 
services 
for 
people 
with 
disabilities. 
Additionally, 
it 
has 
focused 
on 
raising 
awareness 
on 
the 
part 
of 
disability 
services 
providers 
of 
the 
prevalence 
and 
higher 
risk 
to 
violence 
of 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
the 
existing 
community 
resources 
available 
to 
the 
individuals 
they 
support. 


Our 
work 
during 
the 
planning 
phase 
of 
this 
grant 
focused 
on 
formalizing 
our 
collaboration 
by 
documenting 
our 
process, 
shared 
values 
and 
shared 
vision 
for 
our 
work. 
Our 
shared 
vision 
will 
guide 
and 
direct 
the 
work 
of 
our 
collaboration 
throughout 
implementation 
and 
for 
years 
to 
come: 



Vision 
Statement 


People 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
individuals 
in 
Pennsylvania 
who 
have 
experienced 
sexual 


or 
domestic 
violence 
will 
receive 
appropriate, 
responsive 
and 
accessible 
supports 
and 


services. 


Our 
funding 
also 
afforded 
us 
the 
opportunity 
to 
assess 
the 
needs 
and 
strengths 
of 
selected 
Pennsylvania 
communities 
around 
the 
issue 
of 
violence 
against 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
D/deaf 
or 
hard 
of 
hearing. 
Based 
on 
our 
shared 
vision 
for 
Pennsylvania, 
our 
collaboration 
decided 
for 
our 
work 
to 
be 
cross-disability 
and 
cross-violence 
against 
women. 
Additionally, 
we 
developed 
a 
set 
of 
criteria 
that 
assisted 
us 
in 
selecting 
the 
communities 
in 
which 
we 
worked. 
Some 
of 
the 
elements 
taken 
into 
account 
included 
geographic 
and 
cultural 
diversity, 
willingness 
among 
community 
members 
to 
take 
part 
in 
this 
process 
and 
areas 
where 
collaboration 
among 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
providers 
was 
already 
in 
existence 
or 
about 
to 
occur. 
Ultimately, 
we 
decided 
to 
conduct 
our 
needs 
assessments 
in 
Dauphin/Perry 
and 
Lancaster 
counties. 


While 
the 
work 
of 
our 
organizations 
takes 
place 
at 
the 
state 
level, 
this 
grant 
required 
us 
to 
limit 
the 
number 
of 
participating 
communities 
in 
this 
project. 
In 
addition 
to 
the 
requirements 
of 
the 
grant, 
considering 
the 
size 
of 
the 
state 
of 
Pennsylvania 
made 
it 
impossible 
for 
our 
collaborative 
to 
assess 
the 
needs 
and 
strengths 
of 
all 
the 
communities 
within 
the 
timeframe 
of 
the 
grant. 
However, 
based 
on 
the 
selection 
criteria 
stated 
above, 
these 
pilot 
sites 
exhibited 
demographic 
characteristics 
representative 
of 
our 
state. 
An 
analysis 
of 
their 
strengths 
and 
needs, 
as 
well 
as 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
the 
collaborative 
partners, 
around 
the 
delivery 
of 
services 
to 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
or 
hard 
of 
hearing 
persons 
provided 
us 
with 
the 
opportunity 
to 
utilize 
the 
results 
of 
the 
needs 
assessment 
in 
the 
future. 
These 
findings 
will 
continue 
to 
inform 
our 
work 
for 
many 
years 
to 
come. 
The 
information 
and 
data 
collected 
from 
the 
assessment 
of 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
these 
communities 
and 
collaborative 
partners 
has 
been 
used 
to 
develop 
the 
strategic 
plan 
that 
will 
guide 
our 
work 
throughout 
the 
implementation 
phase 
of 
this 
grant, 
contained 
in 
the 
following 
pages 
of 
this 
document. 


3. 
Needs 
Assessment 
Goals 
The 
ability 
to 
assess 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
some 
communities 
in 
Pennsylvania 
provided 
our 
collaborative 
with 
valuable 
information 
and 
the 
opportunity 
to 
learn 
of 
barriers 
encountered 
by 
survivors, 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
persons 
when 
trying 
to 
access 
victims’ 
services. 
Our 
collaborative 
also 
learned 
about 
what 
worked 
well 
and 
reinforced 
how 
inclusive 
and 
accessible 
environments 
promote 
healing 
and 
respect. 


During 
our 
planning 
for 
the 
assessment 
of 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
the 
selected 
communities 
and 
collaborative 
partners, 
our 
collaborative 
arrived 
at 
a 
series 
of 
questions 
that 
guided 
our 
work 
when 
collecting 
information 
from 
these 
participating 
organizations. 
What 
follows 
are 
the 
general 
themes 
our 
team 
explored 
with 
these 
communities/collaborative 
partners: 


• 
What 
are 
the 
strengths 
and 
barriers 
that 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities 
experience 
within 
victims’ 
services 
and 
disability 
service 
providers 
when 
seeking 
safety? 

• 
What 
do 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
victims/survivors 
need 
from 
victims’ 
services 
and 
disability 
providers 
to 
experience 
welcoming, 
comfortable 
and 
responsive 
environments? 
What 
exists 
and 
what 
is 
still 
needed? 
How 
do 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
know 
an 
organization 
is 
welcoming 
and 
comfortable? 
• 
What 
are 
the 
strengths, 
challenges 
and 
barriers 
experienced 
by 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
providers 
when 
serving 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities? 
4. 
What 
we 
already 
knew 
Our 
collaborative 
embarked 
on 
the 
assessment 
of 
the 
above-mentioned 
communities 
and 
partner 
organizations 
in 
areas 
related 
to 
accessibility 
and 
responsiveness 
to 
survivors 
of 
violence 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors. 
We 
began 
conducting 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process 
with 
several 
ideas 
and 
information, 
gathered 
through 
the 
work 
of 
all 
the 
partner 
organizations 
from 
the 
lens 
of 
their 
respective 
disciplines. 
The 
following 
sections 
explain 
some 
of 
the 
information 
we 
were 
aware 
of 
before 
starting 
our 
data 
collection 
process. 


For 
the 
past 
several 
years, 
through 
cross-systems 
work 
and 
collaboration 
among 
members 
of 
the 
disability 
and 
anti-violence 
communities 
at 
the 
state 
level 
in 
Pennsylvania, 
we 
have 
gathered 
some 
useful 
information 
about 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
There 
is 
increased 
awareness 
on 
the 
part 
of 
violence 
against 
women 
services’ 
providers 
of 
the 
needs 
of 
women 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
women. 
Along 
the 
same 
lines, 
there 
is 
also 
a 
gradual 
increase 
in 
understanding 
of 
the 
roles 
and 
responsibilities 
on 
the 
part 
of 
disability 
services 
in 
their 
response 
to 
victims/survivors 
with 
disabilities. 
However, 
much 
more 
needs 
to 
be 
done 
and 
improved 
in 
both 
fields 
to 
enhance 
the 
responsiveness 
and 
access 
to 
services 
for 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
individuals 
who 
experience 
violence 
in 
their 
lives. 
Although 
there 
are 
some 
programs 
in 
the 
state 
that 
model 
best 
practices 
in 
both 
fields, 
the 
work 
continues 
to 
be 
in 
the 
early 
stages 
for 
many 
of 
our 
violence 
against 
women 
and 
disability 
services’ 
providers. 


For 
persons 
with 
disabilities, 
the 
availability 
of 
services 
and 
access 
to 
them 
vary 
greatly, 
depending 
on 
the 
region 
of 
the 
state. 
For 
example, 
rural 
areas 
face 
the 
majority 
of 
challenges 
related 
to 
transportation 
issues 
and 
limited 
or 
lack 
of 
lack 
of 
options. 
Additionally, 
obstacles 
resulting 
from 
lack 
of 
attitudinal 
access 
on 
the 
part 
of 
service 
providers 
across 
the 
board 
contribute 
to 
these 
challenges. 
Nevertheless, 
the 
existing 
collaboration 
among 
some 
disability 
and 
victims’ 
services 
entities 
serves 
to 
provide 
a 
model 
for 
best 
practices. 


In 
the 
case 
of 
D/deaf 
individuals, 
work 
is 
still 
needed 
in 
the 
areas 
of 
establishing 
and 
fostering 
partnerships 
between 
D/deaf 
and 
hard 
of 
hearing 
organizations 
and 
victims’ 
services 
groups. 
However, 
although 
that 
effort 
is 
in 
its 
infancy 
at 
this 
point, 
a 
commitment 
and 
the 
desire 
to 
move 
in 
this 
direction 
are 
present 
in 
some 
communities. 


5. 
Needs 
assessment 
overview 
of 
pilots 
and 
partner 
organizations 

This 
section 
delineates 
the 
process 
that 
our 
collaboration 
followed 
to 
collect 
information 
from 
the 
selected 
communities 
and 
collaborative 
partners. 
We 
include 
here 
the 
data 
collection 
methods 
that 
were 
utilized 
and 
all 
the 
elements 
that 
made 
possible 
the 
completion 
of 
this 
phase 
of 
our 
project. 


Focus 
groups 
took 
place 
at 
each 
pilot 
site 
and 
averaged 
one 
hour 
to 
an 
hour 
and 
a 
half 
in 
length. 
Depending 
upon 
the 
size 
of 
the 
organization, 
one 
to 
three 
focus 
groups 
were 
conducted 
for 
each 
audience. 
There 
were 
two 
kinds 
of 
focus 
groups 
conducted: 
those 
comprised 
by 
non-management 
staff 
and 
those 
with 
consumers/survivors. 
This 
data 
collection 
method 
gave 
us 
the 
ability 
to 
collect 
qualitative 
information 
from 
numerous 
participants 
in 
a 
relatively 
short 
amount 
of 
time. 
However, 
this 
data 
collection 
method 
was 
not 
utilized 
with 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
due 
to 
feasibility 
and 
confidentiality 
reasons. 


Interviews 
were 
conducted 
when 
gathering 
information 
from 
the 
leadership 
of 
all 
the 
participating 
organizations, 
including 
the 
partners. 
Two 
phone 
interviews 
were 
conducted 
with 
the 
leadership 
from 
one 
partner 
organization 
due 
to 
scheduling 
difficulties. 
During 
our 
needs 
assessment 
plan 
phase, 
we 
decided 
that 
interviews 
were 
also 
going 
to 
be 
used 
in 
the 
case 
of 
consumers 
and/or 
survivors 
who 
requested 
this 
data 
collection 
method 
for 
privacy 
or 
other 
reasons. 
Although 
no 
one 
specifically 
requested 
this 
method, 
we 
interviewed 
survivors 
from 
Perry 
County 
as 
we 
were 
unable 
to 
conduct 
focus 
groups 
in 
the 
rural 
County 
due 
to 
transportation 
and 
scheduling 
conflicts. 
Members 
of 
our 
collaborative 
met 
with 
survivors 
at 
places 
of 
their 
choosing 
to 
conduct 
interviews. 
Additionally, 
an 
interview 
was 
conducted 
with 
a 
D/deaf/blind 
consumer 
in 
Lancaster 
County. 


Surveys 
were 
administered 
for 
the 
partner 
agencies 
(DRN, 
PCAR 
and 
PCADV) 
to 
assess 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
Members 
of 
our 
staff 
and 
our 
boards 
of 
directors 
received 
electronic 
surveys. 
We 
used 
“Survey 
Monkey”. 
Additionally, 
surveys 
were 
administered 
to 
obtain 
information 
from 
larger 
numbers 
of 
individuals 
belonging 
to 
the 
pilot 
sites’ 
organizations, 
serving 
in 
the 
capacity 
of 
members 
of 
the 
Board 
of 
Directors. 


6. 
Summary 
of 
Key 
Findings 
This 
section 
highlights 
the 
overall 
themes 
collected 
from 
our 
assessment 
of 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
the 
selected 
communities 
and 
partner 
organizations 
after 
analyzing 
the 
data. 
These 
themes 
are 
reflective 
of 
the 
information 
collected 
and 
assisted 
our 
collaborative 
in 
prioritizing 
initiatives 
for 
the 
implementation 
phase 
of 
this 
project. 


The 
bolded 
points 
illustrate 
the 
major 
areas 
where 
work 
is 
still 
needed 
to 
increase 
access 
and 
responsiveness 
for 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors: 


Training-This 
area 
reflects 
the 
needs 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
organizations 
involved 
in 
this 
project 


related 
to 
educational 
opportunities 
to 
increase 
capacity 
and 
strengthen 
competencies 
to 
better 


respond 
to 
the 
needs 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors. 


Policies 
and 
Procedures-This 
area 
was 
a 
critical 
issue 
present 
across 
all 
the 
participating 


organizations 
in 
this 
project. 
It 
was 
clear 
to 
our 
collaborative 
that 
the 
lack 
of 
consistent 
policies 


and 
procedures 
to 
address 
accessibility, 
confidentiality 
and 
safety 
needed 
to 
be 
prioritized 
during 



implementation. 


Values-The 
need 
to 
examine 
personal 
values 
regarding 
safety, 
abuse, 
disabilities, 
mental 
illness, 
Deaf 
culture, 
etc. 
among 
sa/dv 
and 
disability 
organizations’ 
staff 
members 
was 
another 
theme 
present 
throughout 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process. 
Values 
drive 
most 
practices 
and 
permeate 
cultures, 
shape 
processes 
and 
policies 
whether 
or 
not 
we 
are 
aware 
of 
them. 


Community 
Collaborations-Another 
theme 
shared 
by 
all 
participants 
related 
to 
the 
need 
for 
the 
establishment 
of 
community 
partnerships 
among 
SA/DV, 
disability, 
D/deaf/HoH 
and 
consumer-run 
organizations. 
It 
was 
a 
shared 
sentiment, 
across 
the 
board, 
that 
addressing 
accessibility, 
safety 
and 
abuse 
were 
tasks 
that 
could 
not 
be 
effectively 
handled 
in 
isolation. 


Violence 
against 
Deaf 
Women 
and 
Other 
Issues 
Affecting 
the 
Deaf 
Community-Although 
some 
of 
the 
issues 
affecting 
this 
community 
are 
very 
specific, 
our 
collaborative 
believes 
that 
the 
challenges 
faced 
by 
D/deaf 
survivors 
are 
compounded 
by 
all 
the 
issues 
stated 
above. 
To 
this 
end, 
our 
collaborative 
will 
devote 
several 
resources 
to 
address 
the 
needs 
of 
the 
D/deaf 
community 
during 
this 
phase 
of 
the 
grant. 


Funding-The 
lack 
of 
sufficient 
funding 
to 
address 
some 
of 
the 
needs 
prevalent 
among 
the 
communities 
studied 
in 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process 
was 
another 
tangible 
challenge 
faced 
by 
most 
organizations. 
This 
was 
particularly 
prevalent 
in 
light 
of 
current 
economic 
challenges 
affecting 
our 
nation 
at 
large. 
Securing 
funding 
to 
provide 
accommodations, 
particularly 
ASL 
interpreters, 
was 
something 
that 
most 
victims’ 
service 
organizations 
struggled 
with 
at 
the 
time. 


It 
is 
important 
to 
note 
that 
many 
of 
these 
areas 
are 
deeply 
connected, 
as 
they 
are 
required 
to 
work 
in 
concert 
with 
one 
another 
in 
order 
to 
affect 
systemic 
and 
sustainable 
change. 
Some 
of 
these 
areas 
are 
also 
embedded 
within 
the 
others. 
Following 
that 
criteria, 
our 
collaborative 
has 
concentrated 
on 
three 
main 
areas 
where 
our 
work 
will 
be 
taking 
place. 
The 
following 
three 
areas 
will 
be 
prioritized 
during 
implementation 
because 
of 
their 
interconnection 
and 
consistency 
for 
both 
pilot 
sites 
and 
partner 
organizations: 
policies 
and 
procedures, 
training, 
and 
collaboration. 
Another 
element 
that 
will 
be 
present 
in 
each 
of 
these 
areas 
as 
a 
constant 
is 
the 
ongoing 
consultation 
provided 
by 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
to 
the 
pilot 
site 
organizations 
and 
will 
serve 
as 
a 
cohesive 
agent 
to 
all 
parties 
involved. 


7. 
Short 
Term 
Initiatives 
Our 
collaborative 
arrived 
to 
numerous 
findings, 
as 
stated 
in 
the 
previous 
sections 
of 
this 
document 
however, 
the 
needs 
assessment 
process 
took 
much 
longer 
than 
anticipated. 
This 
issue 
was 
also 
another 
contributing 
factor 
in 
helping 
us 
prioritize 
some 
initiatives 
over 
others. 
Although 
all 
of 
our 
findings 
were 
crucial 
and 
require 
attention, 
we 
acknowledge 
that 
addressing 
all 
of 
them 
is 
not 
feasible 
given 
the 
time 
we 
have 
left 
under 
this 
funding 
cycle. 
During 
our 
strategic 
planning 
retreat 
with 
the 
Vera 
Institute 
of 
Justice, 
Accessing 
Safety 
Initiative, 
we 
were 
able 
to 
organize 
these 
potential 
initiatives 
and 
separate 
them 
between 
short 
and 
long-term 
activities. 
This 
section 
of 
our 
strategic 
plan 
focuses 
on 
the 
“Short-Term 
Initiatives”, 
those 
activities 
that 
we 
expect 
to 
complete 
by 
the 
end 
of 
September 
of 
2010. 



The 
following 
set 
of 
criteria 
played 
a 
crucial 
role 
in 
helping 
us 
prioritize 
our 
initiatives. 
Our 
collaborative 
views 
the 
following 
points 
as 
common 
elements 
present 
in 
all 
the 
selected 
activities: 


• 
Fall 
within 
the 
requirements 
of 
our 
grant 
program 
• 
Most 
logical 
place 
to 
start 
based 
on 
our 
findings 
from 
the 
assessment 
of 
needs 
and 
strengths 
of 
selected 
communities 
• 
Consistent 
with 
our 
mission, 
vision 
and 
values 
• 
Enhance 
collaboration 
among 
partner 
organizations 
• 
Promote 
sustainable 
systems 
change 
• 
Consistent 
with 
what 
was 
learned 
from 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process 
• 
Feasible 
given 
our 
time 
constraints 
and 
tangible 
resources 
• 
Will 
maximize 
the 
work 
starting 
at 
this 
point 
while 
maximizing 
the 
impact 
• 
Will 
create 
the 
foundation 
for 
more 
work 
in 
the 
future 
and 
will 
foster 
sustainable 
change 
In 
an 
effort 
to 
organize 
the 
information 
we 
have 
listed 
our 
initiatives 
in 
the 
following 
section. 
Of 
crucial 
importance 
is 
to 
understand 
that 
each 
initiative 
has 
two 
levels 
of 
implementation 
occurring 
simultaneously: 


• 
At 
the 
partner 
organizations 
level 
• 
At 
the 
pilot 
sites 
organizations 
level 
Although 
at 
times 
very 
specific 
work 
will 
be 
occurring 
at 
each 
level, 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
will 
provide 
ongoing 
consultation 
to 
the 
respective 
pilot 
sites 
throughout 
each 
initiative, 
as 
detailed 
in 
the 
following 
sections 
of 
this 
written 
plan. 


Collaborative 
configuration: 


The 
collaborative 
has 
added 
one 
more 
member 
to 
the 
team. 
This 
person 
will 
serve 
as 
the 
project 
co-
director. 
This 
individual 
is 
an 
advocate 
from 
DRN 
who 
will 
be 
devoting 
almost 
her 
full 
attention 
to 
this 
project. 
Having 
two 
co-directors 
will 
also 
make 
possible 
to 
accomplish 
all 
of 
our 
goals 
and 
activities 
in 
the 
short 
available 
time. 
Collaborative 
partners 
will 
continue 
communicating 
with 
each 
other 
weekly 
and 
sharing 
resources 
on 
an 
ongoing 
basis. 
Project 
co-directors 
have 
a 
set 
weekly 
meeting. 
These 
meetings 
are 
also 
expected 
to 
coincide 
with 
our 
bi-monthly 
calls 
with 
VERA 
when 
they 
take 
place. 


Initiative 
# 
1: 
Policies 
and 
procedures 


As 
generated 
from 
the 
needs 
assessment 
process, 
the 
lack 
of 
policies 
and 
procedures 
that 
addressed 
accessibility 
and 
responded 
to 
the 
needs 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors 
was 
prevalent 
across 
participating 
organizations 
and 
disciplines. 
Although 
the 
points 
of 
view 
expressed 
by 
participants 
varied 
somewhat 
depending 
on 
the 
audience, 
it 
was 
clear 
to 
our 
collaborative 
that 
the 
lack 
of 
consistent 
policies 
and 
procedures 
to 
address 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
needs 
to 
be 
prioritized 
during 
the 
implementation 
phase 
of 
our 
project. 
What 
follows 
are 
the 
main 
policies 
and 
practices 
development 
areas 
shared 
by 
focus 
groups 
and 
interview 
participants 
during 
the 
assessment 
of 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
our 
selected 
communities: 


• 
The 
development 
of 
policies 
and 
procedures 
related 
to 
addressing 
violence 
against 
persons 

with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
persons 


• 
The 
creation 
of 
policies 
to 
provide 
accommodations 
when 
necessary 
• 
The 
development 
of 
policies 
and 
procedures 
for 
responding 
to 
abuse 
within 
the 
workplace 
• 
The 
development 
of 
an 
agency 
wide 
process 
to 
communicate 
new 
and 
revised 
policies 
and 
procedures 
to 
current 
and 
new 
staff 
as 
well 
as 
consumers/survivors 
However, 
considering 
our 
time 
constraints, 
our 
collaborative 
had 
to 
prioritize 
specific 
activities 
to 
begin 
addressing 
these 
very 
important 
areas. 
Besides 
regular 
in-person 
monthly 
meetings 
with 
the 
pilot 
sites, 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
will 
offer 
bi-weekly 
conference 
calls 
to 
provide 
assistance 
and 
“check 
in” 
with 
each 
individual 
organization 
at 
the 
table 
with 
this 
process. 
The 
collaboration 
has 
assigned 
specific 
organizations 
to 
each 
collaborative 
partner 
to 
ease 
the 
communication 
process, 
maximize 
each 
other’s 
resources 
and 
share 
equal 
responsibility 
among 
the 
partners. 
A 
new 
codirector 
has 
been 
added 
to 
the 
collaborative 
team. 


The 
following 
sections 
of 
this 
plan 
highlight 
the 
specific 
activities 
that 
will 
allow 
our 
collaborative 
and 
pilot 
site 
organizations 
to 
begin 
our 
work 
in 
addressing 
the 
needs 
expressed 
by 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors 
during 
our 
assessment 
of 
the 
pilot 
communities. 


Activities: 


Activity 
1 
A: 
Research 
best 
policies 
and 
practices 
across 
existing 
disability 
and 
violence 
against 
women 
organizations 
in 
regards 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 


Our 
collaborative 
will 
focus 
on 
researching 
within 
our 
own 
organizations, 
through 
the 
lens 
of 
accessibility 
and 
safety, 
policies 
and 
practices 
related 
to 
recruitment 
and 
hiring, 
intake, 
personnel 
policies; 
staff 
orientation 
and 
training, 
mission 
statements, 
core 
values 
and 
strategic 
planning 
priorities. 
These 
policies 
and 
practices 
will 
be 
reviewed 
by 
a 
work-group 
consisting 
of 
key 
staff 
from 
the 
partner 
organizations, 
including 
human 
resources 
and 
contract 
personnel 
as 
identified 
by 
members 
of 
our 
core 
team. 
This 
process 
will 
be 
also 
expanded 
by 
looking 
at 
existing 
policies 
elsewhere 
and 
seeking 
information 
from 
our 
colleagues 
across 
the 
country 
who 
are 
also 
recipients 
of 
the 
Disability 
Grant 
Program 
for 
additional 
guidance. 
This 
process 
will 
take 
place 
at 
the 
partners’ 
level 
as 
a 
starting 
point 
with 
the 
purpose 
of 
providing 
pilot 
sites’ 
organizations 
with 
concrete 
guidance 
when 
they 
embark 
on 
a 
somewhat 
similar 
process 
in 
the 
following 
months 
of 
our 
implementation. 


Activity 
1 
B: 
Assess 
current 
policies 
and 
practices 
regarding 
safety 
and 
accessibility. 


Once 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
are 
able 
to 
locate 
several 
policy 
samples 
reflective 
of 
inclusive 
and 
responsive 
practices, 
as 
stated 
in 
the 
previous 
paragraph, 
they 
will 
be 
shared 
with 
the 
pilot 
site 
organizations. 
Each 
partner 
brings 
areas 
of 
strength 
to 
the 
table 
regarding 
accessibility 
and/or 
safety. 
Merging 
both 
areas 
will 
provide 
model 
policies 
that 
can 
be 
adopted 
in 
the 
future 
and 
provide 
a 
guide 
for 
the 
pilot 
sites 
to 
begin 
their 
work 
in 
this 
area. 
This 
process 
will 
occur 
in 
constant 
exchange 
to 
allow 
for 
active 
participation 
among 
all 
parties 
involved. 
Our 
collaborative 
understands 
that 
additional 
time 
might 
be 
needed 
to 
develop 
or 
modify 
existing 
policies, 
as 
these 
processes 
require 
the 
involvement 
of 



the 
Board 
of 
Directors. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
modifying 
existing 
practices 
or 
developing 
new 
ones 
is 
a 


more 
feasible 
goal 
in 
light 
of 
our 
time 
constraints. 


Activity 
1C: 


Work 
with 
pilot 
sites 
to 
review 
their 
materials 
and 
prioritize 
practices 
feasible 
for 
modification 


The 
following 
paragraphs 
provide 
more 
detailed 
information 
with 
the 
intent 
to 
capture 
what 
activities 


will 
be 
taking 
place 
at 
each 
level, 
for 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites’ 
organizations. 
A 
very 
similar 
process 
is 


expected 
to 
take 
place 
for 
all 
organizations 
involved 
in 
this 
project. 


Partner 
organizations: 


A 
work 
group 
consisting 
of 
members 
of 
our 
core 
team 
and 
other 
key 
staff 
as 
identified 
by 
the 
collaborative 
from 
partner 
organizations 
will 
be 
created 
to 
begin 
the 
process 
of 
analysis 
and 
revision 
of 
existing 
policies 
and 
practices. 
This 
workgroup 
will 
be 
charged 
with 
reviewing 
existing 
inclusive 
and 
responsive 
policies 
and 
practices 
with 
the 
intention 
of 
combining 
the 
elements 
that 
enhance 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
This 
process 
will 
begin 
from 
researching 
existing 
language 
within 
each 
partner 
organization 
as 
each 
brings 
a 
different 
area 
of 
strength 
to 
this 
work. 
This 
process 
will 
be 
supplemented 
with 
ongoing 
exchange 
with 
other 
grantees 
that 
might 
have 
embarked 
on 
a 
similar 
process 
in 
the 
preceding 
months 
and 
would 
be 
willing 
to 
share 
their 
newly 
created 
policies 
and 
practices. 
Partners 
hope 
to 
complete 
this 
initial 
step 
during 
the 
first 
month 
of 
our 
implementation 
phase 
of 
this 
grant. 
While 
this 
process 
is 
occurring, 
pilot 
sites 
would 
be 
starting 
to 
examine 
their 
policies 
and 
practices 
with 
a 
similar 
objective. 
Once 
the 
partners 
are 
able 
to 
gather 
enough 
policy 
samples 
and 
inclusive 
language, 
they 
will 
share 
this 
information 
and 
resources 
with 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
Partners 
then 
will 
be 
ready 
to 
begin 
modifying 
one 
or 
more 
of 
their 
existing 
practices 
regarding 
recruitment 
and 
hiring, 
intake, 
personnel 
policies; 
staff 
orientation 
and 
training, 
mission 
statements, 
core 
values 
and 
strategic 
planning 
priorities 


Pilot 
Sites: 


A 
workgroup 
consisting 
of 
key 
staff 
as 
identified 
by 
pilot 
site 
representatives 
will 
take 
the 
lead 
in 
this 
activity 
of 
modifying 
one 
or 
more 
of 
their 
current 
practices 
related 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety. 
This 
process 
will 
take 
place 
with 
ongoing 
technical 
assistance 
provided 
by 
the 
collaborative 
partners. 
Pilot 
sites 
will 
then 
begin 
to 
study 
the 
proposed 
sample 
policies, 
as 
provided 
by 
the 
collaborative 
partners, 
and 
identify 
concrete 
areas 
where 
changes 
may 
be 
needed 
within 
their 
specific 
organizations. 
Regular 
meetings 
will 
be 
taking 
place 
to 
facilitate 
discussions 
on 
this 
topic 
and 
to 
promote 
collaboration 
among 
pilot 
site 
members 
and 
enhance 
the 
technical 
assistance 
provided 
by 
the 
partners. 
Meetings 
will 
be 
set 
in 
advance 
and 
will 
be 
supplemented 
by 
ongoing 
technical 
assistance 
provided 
by 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
either 
via 
email 
or 
phone 
as 
requested 
by 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
The 
overall 
goal 
at 
this 
stage 
of 
our 
project 
is 
to 
modify 
or 
develop 
ONE 
or 
more 
practices 
that 
promote 
accessibility 
and 
responsiveness 
to 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors 
is 
a 
tangible 
manner. 
The 
areas 
of 
focus 
are 
the 
same 
as 
those 
for 
the 
collaborative 
partners: 
recruitment 
and 
hiring, 
intake, 
personnel 
policies; 
staff 
orientation 
and 
training, 
mission 
statements, 
core 
values 
and 
strategic 
planning 
priorities. 



Consultation: 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
will 
serve 
as 
the 
primary 
technical 
assistance 
entity 
to 
the 
pilot 
sites 
identifying 
immediate 
needs 
(in 
terms 
of 
access 
and 
responsiveness.) 
Regular 
guidance 
will 
be 
provided 
to 
pilot 
sites 
by 
request 
and 
during 
scheduled 
in-person 
and 
phone 
discussions. 
Additionally, 
partners 
will 
generate 
a 
list 
of 
recommendations 
for 
language 
and 
best 
practices 
for 
guidance 
to 
the 
pilot 
sites. 


Goals 
for 
partner 
agencies 
and 
pilot 
sites 
agencies: 


• 
Modify 
ONE 
or 
more 
existing 
practices 
or 
develop 
ONE 
or 
more 
new 
ones 
with 
the 
purpose 
of 
fostering 
sustainable 
and 
systemic 
change 
at 
all 
levels 
• 
Enhance 
capacity 
to 
respond 
to 
the 
needs 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors. 
Initiative 
# 
2: 
Training 
and 
Resource 
Development 


During 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process, 
the 
issue 
of 
training 
came 
up 
consistently 
regardless 
of 
the 
audience. 
Our 
collaborative 
understands 
that 
training 
in 
isolation 
will 
not 
result 
in 
cultural 
or 
systems 
change 
but 
could 
certainly 
be 
utilized 
as 
a 
tool 
towards 
making 
possible 
the 
necessary 
changes. 
One 
of 
the 
positive 
aspects 
of 
training 
is 
the 
need 
for 
cross 
training. 
The 
expertise 
of 
our 
pilot 
site 
members 
will 
be 
actively 
utilized 
under 
this 
initiative. 
Each 
organization 
has 
a 
specific 
area 
of 
expertise 
based 
on 
services 
provided 
to 
the 
community 
they 
serve. 
Every 
time 
we 
discuss 
issues 
that 
relate 
to 
the 
lack 
of 
awareness 
and 
knowledge 
about 
disabilities, 
violence 
against 
women, 
and 
the 
D/deaf 
community, 
we 
will 
refer 
to 
the 
organizations 
already 
at 
the 
table 
to 
share 
what 
they 
know 
on 
these 
topics. 
Doing 
so 
in 
an 
organized 
and 
intentional 
fashion 
will 
be 
one 
way 
to 
respond 
to 
this 
need 
in 
the 
future; 
at 
the 
same 
time, 
fostering 
relationships 
that 
lead 
to 
ongoing 
teaching 
moments 
thus 
speaking 
to 
the 
sustainability 
of 
this 
initiative. 
For 
example, 
victims’ 
service 
providers 
have 
tremendous 
strength 
in 
the 
areas 
around 
safety; 
conversely 
disability 
service 
providers 
have 
in-depth 
knowledge 
in 
the 
areas 
of 
accessibility. 
The 
D/deaf 
and 
hard 
of 
hearing 
organization 
focuses 
its 
efforts 
on 
providing 
services 
to 
the 
D/deaf 
community, 
giving 
this 
organization 
knowledge 
and 
expertise 
in 
issues 
related 
to 
the 
D/deaf 
culture. 
As 
stated 
earlier, 
beginning 
to 
coordinate 
the 
delivery 
of 
training 
that 
includes 
relevant 
topics 
early 
on 
in 
the 
implementation 
phase 
will 
assist 
us 
in 
establishing 
a 
self-sustaining 
mechanism 
for 
the 
future. 
Below, 
we 
point 
out 
the 
areas 
where 
training 
is 
needed 
as 
highlighted 
during 
the 
assessment 
of 
the 
strengths 
and 
needs 
of 
these 
communities. 


Need 
for 
cross-training/training 
on 
the 
following 
topics: 


• 
Disability 
• 
Safety 
and 
abuse 
• 
Deaf 
culture 
• 
Stigma 
(mental 
health, 
other 
disabilities, 
sexual 
and 
domestic 
violence 
survivors) 
• 
Violence 
against 
women 
• 
Assistive 
Technology 
• 
Mandates 
under 
ADA, 
Fair 
Housing 
Statutes, 
etc. 

One 
of 
the 
beginning 
activities 
during 
implementation 
consists 
of 
prioritizing 
these 
specific 
training 
topics 
with 
the 
assistance 
of 
our 
pilot 
sites 
organizations. 
In 
order 
to 
accomplish 
this 
goal, 
training 
workgroups 
will 
be 
formed 
within 
both 
the 
partner 
organizations 
and 
the 
pilot 
sites 
agencies. 
These 
workgroups 
would 
be 
made 
up 
of 
key 
staff 
from 
the 
participating 
organizations 
and 
will 
be 
tasked 
with 
the 
following 
activities 
under 
this 
initiative: 


Activities 
2A 
& 
2C: 
Develop 
and 
conduct 
baseline 
training 
to 
identified 
staff 
by 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites. 


In 
light 
of 
our 
time 
constraints 
and 
the 
results 
from 
the 
needs 
assessment 
process, 
our 
collaborative 
would 
like 
to 
focus 
on 
the 
provision 
of 
baseline 
training 
sessions 
that 
will 
include 
staff 
members 
from 
both 
partner 
organizations 
and 
pilot 
sites 
agencies. 
The 
training 
topics 
will 
relate 
to 
violence 
against 
women, 
values 
of 
the 
disability 
rights 
and 
the 
anti-violence 
movements, 
disability 
awareness, 
mental 
health, 
Deaf 
culture 
and 
others 
as 
recommended 
by 
our 
pilot 
sites’ 
workgroups. 
Taking 
a 
human 
rights 
stance 
to 
address 
these 
issues 
will 
be 
the 
overall 
message 
provided 
during 
the 
training 
sessions. 
Staff 
from 
the 
partner 
organizations 
will 
be 
trained 
as 
well 
as 
pilot 
sites 
staff. 


Training 
workgroups 
consisting 
of 
key 
staff 
identified 
by 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites 
organization 
will 
be 
created. 
These 
groups 
will 
be 
charged 
with 
developing 
training 
goals 
and 
objectives, 
designing 
training 
content 
and 
recommending 
presenters 
when 
necessary. 
A 
training 
schedule 
will 
also 
be 
developed 
to 
ensure 
staff 
participation. 
This 
process 
is 
expected 
to 
begin 
within 
the 
first 
month 
of 
implementation 
activities. 
Partners 
and 
key 
pilot 
sites 
staff 
will 
be 
responsible 
for 
the 
delivery 
of 
these 
baseline-training 
sessions. 


Goals: 


• 
Establish 
the 
foundation 
and 
promote 
consistency 
across 
disciplines 
related 
to 
issues 
of 
disability, 
Deaf 
culture, 
and 
violence 
against 
women. 
• 
Disseminate 
this 
information 
in 
a 
consistent 
and 
uniform 
way. 
• 
Integrate 
this 
kind 
of 
training 
into 
existing 
staff 
and 
volunteer 
development 
activities. 
The 
following 
provides 
a 
more 
detailed 
account 
of 
the 
expected 
training 
activities 
that 
will 
take 
place 
at 
both 
levels 
with 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites 
alike: 


Activities 
2B 
& 
2D: 
Develop 
and 
conduct 
topic-specific 
training 
activities 
for 
identified 
staff 
within 
pilot 
sites 
and 
partner 
organizations. 


The 
training 
workgroups 
within 
the 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites 
organizations 
will 
also 
be 
charged 
with 
the 
task 
of 
developing 
topic 
specific 
training 
as 
recommended 
by 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
A 
list 
of 
topics 
generated 
during 
the 
assessment 
of 
the 
needs 
and 
strengths 
of 
the 
selected 
communities 
and 
partner 
organizations 
will 
be 
shared 
with 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
Based 
on 
that 
list 
and 
the 
input 
provided 
by 
key 
staff 
from 
the 
training 
workgroups, 
the 
topic-specific 
training 
sessions 
will 
be 
prioritized. 
A 
series 
of 
training 
sessions 
(at 
least 
three 
different 
sessions) 
will 
be 
provided 
for 
the 
duration 
of 
the 
grant 
period 



on 
these 
selected 
topics 
with 
the 
intention 
of 
enhancing 
competencies 
and 
skills 
at 
all 
levels 
to 
better 
respond 
to 
the 
needs 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors. 


Additionally, 
training 
on 
plain 
language 
will 
also 
be 
provided 
to 
all 
the 
publication 
related 
personnel 
within 
the 
participating 
organizations. 
This 
training 
will 
be 
presented 
by 
Helen 
Osborne, 
via 
webinar. 
In 
addition 
to 
the 
webinar 
session, 
Ms. 
Osborne 
will 
also 
offer 
consultation 
to 
pilot 
sites 
on 
this 
topic. 
She 
will 
be 
provided 
with 
publication 
samples 
from 
all 
organizations 
for 
review 
and 
recommendations. 


Uniquely, 
this 
training 
session 
with 
Helen 
Osborne 
will 
involve 
staff 
from 
the 
collaborative 
partner 
organizations 
and 
pilot 
sites. 
This 
will 
not 
be 
the 
case 
in 
other 
meetings 
and 
other 
training 
sessions. 


In 
addition 
to 
the 
training 
activities 
proposed 
above, 
our 
collaborative 
anticipates 
the 
delivery 
of 
training 
related 
to 
assistive 
technology 
as 
part 
of 
the 
“accessibility 
and 
safety 
upgrades” 
(see 
“accessibility 
and 
safety 
upgrades” 
section 
on 
page 
16) 
that 
will 
be 
taking 
place 
at 
all 
levels. 
Disability 
service 
providers 
will 
be 
trained 
on 
technology 
safety 
tips 
while 
victims’ 
services 
organizations 
will 
enhance 
their 
knowledge 
about 
assistive 
technology 
devices 
that 
enhance 
communication 
and 
inclusion 
of 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors 
in 
their 
agencies 
and 
services. 


Goals: 


• 
Enhance 
skills 
and 
knowledge 
of 
participating 
staff. 
• 
Contribute 
to 
capacity 
and 
collaboration 
building 
among 
participating 
organizations. 
Consultation: 
Partner 
organizations 
and 
key 
identified 
staff 
will 
be 
providing 
the 
baseline 
training 
to 
participating 
staff. 
Both 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites’ 
staff 
will 
deliver 
topic-specific 
training 
activities. 


The 
developed 
training 
tools 
approved 
by 
OVW 
will 
become 
part 
of 
a 
“bank 
of 
information” 
that 
is 
expected 
to 
grow 
overtime. 
More 
information 
about 
this 
resource 
appears 
in 
the 
following 
paragraphs. 


Resource 
development


Activity 
2E: 
Develop 
a 
DVD 
of 
individuals’ 
stories 
with 
a 
focus 
on 
‘values’ 


In 
addition 
to 
continuing 
to 
add 
resources 
to 
the 
“bank 
of 
information” 
our 
collaborative 
will 
develop 
a 
video 
that 
will 
be 
used 
as 
a 
training 
tool 
related 
to 
“values”. 
We 
learned, 
through 
the 
needs 
assessment 
process, 
that 
examining 
personal 
values 
regarding 
safety, 
abuse, 
disabilities, 
mental 
illness, 
Deaf 
culture, 
etc. 
among 
sa/dv 
and 
disability 
organizations’ 
staff 
members 
was 
another 
issue 
that 
required 
attention. 
Values 
drive 
most 
practices 
and 
permeate 
cultures, 
shape 
processes 
and 
policies 
whether 
or 
not 
we 
are 
aware 
of 
them. 
How 
to 
measure 
the 
existing 
values 
of 
an 
organization 
is 
something 
that 
cannot 
always 
be 
done 
in 
a 
tangible 
way. 
However, 
our 
collaborative 
anticipates 
an 
exploration 
of 
personal 
values 
through 
training, 
as 
well 
as 
other 
avenues. 


The 
values-focused 
DVD 
will 
be 
developed 
for 
use 
as 
a 
training 
tool. 
This 
DVD 
will 
explore 
the 
values 
of 
our 
movement 
and 
individuals’ 
values 
regarding 
disability, 
violence 
and 
D/deaf 
culture. 
This 
DVD 
will 
be 
produced 
using 
an 
accessible 
format 
to 
meet 
the 
needs 
of 
a 
diverse 
audience. 



Collaborative 
partners 
will 
develop 
a 
script 
for 
OVW‘s 
approval 
that 
would 
be 
submitted 
during 
the 
first 
month 
of 
implementation. 
Identifying 
“actors” 
will 
be 
a 
process 
that 
would 
require 
the 
guidance 
of 
the 
pilot 
sites, 
as 
these 
organizations 
would 
offer 
the 
necessary 
support 
through 
this 
important 
stage. 
This 
DVD 
is 
going 
to 
be 
utilized 
as 
a 
training 
tool 
that 
will 
be 
distributed 
among 
all 
pilot 
sites 
organizations 
and 
partners. 


Selected 
DRN 
staff 
and 
other 
partners, 
possibly 
from 
the 
training 
workgroup, 
will 
take 
the 
lead 
on 
this 
task 
because 
this 
organization 
will 
be 
utilizing 
previous 
experience 
and 
connections 
already 
established 
that 
resulted 
from 
a 
similar 
project 
in 
the 
past. 


Goals: 


• 
Contribute 
to 
the 
development 
of 
training 
tools 
that 
can 
be 
used 
in 
the 
future. 
• 
Invite 
exploration 
of 
personal 
values 
through 
discussion 
of 
situations 
presented 
in 
the 
video. 
• 
Invite 
the 
sharing 
of 
value 
related 
issues 
through 
informal 
discussions 
when 
possible. 
Consultation: 
Partners 
will 
provide 
expertise 
in 
the 
development 
of 
the 
video, 
such 
as 
writing 
the 
scripts, 
and 
assist 
in 
recruiting 
actors 
from 
diverse 
backgrounds. 


Activity 
2 
F: 
Create 
an 
on-line 
site 
to 
house 
the 
sample 
policies 
and 
other 
resources 
collected 
and 
developed 
by 
the 
collaborative 
(also 
referred 
to 
as 
the 
“information 
bank”). 


This 
“information 
bank” 
is 
an 
online 
resource 
that 
will 
be 
housed 
on 
DRN’s 
website. 
This 
idea 
mirrors 
what 
the 
Accessing 
Safety 
Initiative 
is 
offering 
grantees 
on 
its 
website. 
This 
section 
of 
the 
DRN’s 
website 
will 
be 
password 
protected 
only 
allowing 
access 
to 
pilot 
sites 
members 
and 
collaborative 
partners. 
All 
developed 
materials 
and 
researched 
best 
practices, 
such 
as 
policies, 
new 
procedures, 
MOU 
samples, 
approved 
training 
tools, 
etc. 
will 
be 
housed 
on 
this 
site. 
DRN’s 
IT 
specialist 
will 
be 
responsible 
for 
maintaining 
this 
area 
of 
the 
website. 
DRN’s 
website 
already 
has 
the 
capacity 
to 
add 
this 
section. 
Representatives 
from 
DRN 
will 
be 
responsible 
for 
overseeing 
the 
work 
of 
the 
IT 
specialist. 
Project 
co-directors 
are 
responsible 
for 
providing 
this 
person 
with 
information 
on 
a 
regular 
basis. 
During 
the 
first 
month 
of 
implementation, 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
will 
establish 
the 
criteria 
for 
the 
review 
and 
acceptance 
of 
information 
into 
this 
site. 
Additionally, 
emails 
alerting 
pilot 
sites 
of 
updated 
information 
will 
be 
sent 
by 
the 
project 
co-directors 
when 
necessary. 


Goal: 


Create 
an 
online 
library 
with 
relevant 
information 
for 
pilot 
sites 
and 
partner 
organizations 
that 
is 
easily 
and 
readily 
accessible. 


Initiative 
# 
3: 
Collaboration 


We 
learned 
from 
our 
needs 
and 
strengths 
assessment 
of 
the 
respective 
communities 
and 
collaboration 
partners 
that 
the 
establishment 
of 
community 
partnerships 
among 
SA/DV, 
disability, 
D/deaf/HoH 
and 
consumer-run 
organizations 
was 
of 
critical 
importance 
in 
contributing 
to 
the 
success 



of 
the 
work 
of 
this 
grant. 
It 
was 
a 
shared 
sentiment, 
across 
the 
board, 
that 
addressing 
accessibility, 
safety 
and 
abuse 
were 
tasks 
that 
could 
not 
be 
effectively 
handled 
in 
isolation. 
Most 
service 
providers 
admitted 
to 
not 
knowing 
much 
about 
each 
other 
but 
recognized 
that 
making 
those 
connections 
was 
necessary. 
However, 
there 
were 
major 
differences 
amongst 
our 
two 
pilot 
sites 
which 
will 
impact 
this 
initiative. 
The 
collaborative 
partners 
will 
take 
such 
differences 
into 
account 
when 
providing 
technical 
assistance 
to 
the 
specific 
community 
organizations. 
In 
this 
capacity, 
the 
pilot 
site 
organizations 
in 
this 
project 
will 
assume 
a 
leadership 
role 
in 
the 
next 
phases 
of 
our 
work 
while 
our 
collaborative 
will 
serve 
to 
provide 
ongoing 
assistance 
and 
support 
when 
necessary. 
This 
approach 
will 
facilitate 
a 
process 
and 
relationship 
building 
that 
will 
continue 
developing 
overtime 
while 
promoting 
a 
sense 
of 
ownership 
among 
the 
pilot 
sites’ 
organizations. 
In 
the 
end, 
we 
are 
working 
with 
their 
communities 
and 
their 
embracing 
of 
this 
work 
is 
the 
avenue 
to 
continue 
fostering 
sustainable 
change 
in 
the 
years 
to 
come. 


Activities 
3A 
& 
3B: 


• 
Develop 
memorandums 
of 
understanding 
(MOUs) 
between 
the 
partners 
and 
pilot 
site 
members. 
• 
Develop 
MOUs 
between 
pilot 
sites 
members. 
Partners 
will 
take 
the 
lead 
in 
designing 
MOUs 
delineating 
responsibilities 
and 
roles 
of 
all 
parties 
involved 
(see 
Appendix). 
Partners 
and 
pilot 
sites 
will 
enter 
into 
this 
agreement 
during 
the 
first 
month 
of 
implementation. 
Meetings 
with 
pilot 
sites 
have 
taken 
place 
explaining 
the 
general 
ideas 
contained 
in 
the 
MOUs 
to 
guarantee 
buy-in 
and 
allow 
for 
questions 
in 
case 
clarification 
was 
needed. 
The 
drafted 
MOU 
between 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites 
will 
be 
provided 
to 
pilot 
organizations 
as 
a 
sample 
that 
will 
assist 
them 
in 
drafting 
their 
own 
MOUs 
with 
one 
another. 
This 
MOU 
will 
also 
be 
stored 
in 
the 
information 
bank 
once 
this 
is 
created. 
These 
activities 
will 
be 
accomplished 
utilizing 
the 
guidance 
provided 
by 
the 
collaboration. 
Collaborative 
partners 
will 
be 
responsible 
for 
facilitating 
meetings 
among 
pilot 
site 
organizations. 
As 
stated 
in 
earlier 
sections 
of 
this 
plan, 
in-person 
monthly 
meetings 
will 
be 
taking 
place 
among 
all 
parties 
involved. 
Bi-weekly 
conference 
calls 
will 
also 
be 
offered 
to 
review 
the 
progress 
of 
all 
agencies 
from 
the 
pilot 
sites. 
Regular 
communication 
via 
email 
will 
continue 
between 
collaborative 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites’ 
members. 
Additionally, 
video 
conferencing 
technologies 
will 
be 
purchased 
to 
provide 
this 
new 
means 
of 
communication 
to 
all 
agencies 
involved 
and 
enhance 
collaboration 
among 
all 
organizations. 
The 
use 
of 
video 
conferencing 
will 
also 
facilitate 
the 
participation 
of 
Deaf 
individuals 
who 
will 
be 
able 
to 
experience 
a 
conference 
with 
a 
visual 
added 
component 
not 
present 
with 
regular 
conferencing 
calls. 
In 
other 
words, 
once 
video 
conferencing 
is 
available, 
group 
conference 
calls 
will 
be 
replaced 
by 
this 
technology. 


Goal: 
Enhance 
collaboration 
among 
pilot 
site 
members 
and 
partner 
organizations. 


Consultation: 
Partners 
will 
provide 
guidance 
during 
the 
development 
of 
the 
MOUs 
in 
terms 
of 
assisting 
in 
delineating 
the 
roles 
and 
responsibilities 
of 
all 
parties 
involved. 
Partners 
will 
also 
model 
this 
practice 
by 
utilizing 
their 
own 
MOUs 
as 
reference. 
The 
partners 
will 
also 
facilitate 
ongoing 
informal 
discussions 
among 
pilot 
site 
organizations 
and 
joint 
activities 
that 
will 
contribute 
to 
fostering 
and 
enhancing 
collaboration 
and 
the 
sharing 
of 
resources 
and 
expertise, 
as 
stated 
in 
earlier 
sections 
of 
this 
plan. 



Activity 
3C: 
Provide 
consultation 
and 
technical 
assistance 
to 
the 
pilot 
sites 
in 
the 
development 
of 
action 
plans 
delineating 
prioritized 
activities 
for 
the 
balance 
of 
the 
grant 
period 


This 
is 
an 
activity 
where 
the 
collaborative 
will 
provide 
ongoing 
consultation 
to 
the 
pilot 
sites 
in 
the 
development 
of 
action 
plans 
that 
will 
guide 
their 
work 
during 
the 
duration 
of 
this 
grant 
and 
for 
years 
to 
come 
of 
ongoing 
collaboration. 
At 
the 
end 
of 
our 
funding 
cycle, 
the 
pilot 
sites 
agencies 
are 
expected 
to 
have 
developed 
a 
concrete 
plan 
of 
action 
with 
the 
potential 
to 
be 
utilized 
when 
pursuing 
other 
funding 
opportunities. 


Goals: 


• 
Develop 
written 
plans 
of 
action 
to 
use 
as 
reference 
that 
can 
potentially 
be 
utilized 
for 
pursuing 
future 
funding 
opportunities. 
• 
Share 
resources 
and 
expertise 
during 
these 
activities. 
• 
Facilitate 
opportunities 
for 
collaboration 
building. 
A 
note 
on 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
upgrades 


As 
part 
of 
our 
work 
with 
the 
pilot 
sites, 
the 
collaborative 
will 
be 
providing 
funding 
to 
these 
agencies 
with 
the 
goal 
of 
purchasing 
technology 
and/or 
conducting 
accessibility 
reviews 
to 
enhance 
safety 
and 
accessibility. 
(A 
detailed 
description 
of 
how 
the 
funds 
will 
be 
allocated 
appears 
in 
the 
budget 
submitted 
as 
a 
supporting 
tool 
to 
this 
plan.) 
However, 
it 
will 
be 
at 
the 
discretion 
of 
the 
pilot 
sites 
to 
determine 
what 
kind 
of 
technologies 
each 
individual 
agency 
needs 
to 
purchase 
or 
what 
options 
to 
pursue 
for 
the 
enhancement 
of 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
within 
their 
individual 
agencies. 
For 
example, 
video-phones, 
accessibility 
kits, 
revising 
publications 
and 
websites, 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
reviews 
of 
individual 
buildings 
among 
other 
possibilities, 
are 
some 
of 
the 
options 
available 
to 
the 
pilot 
sites 
and 
partner 
organizations. 
In 
the 
case 
of 
accessibility 
reviews, 
our 
collaborative 
expects 
to 
hire 
external 
consultants 
from 
the 
disability 
and 
violence 
against 
women 
fields 
to 
conduct 
these 
reviews 
of 
existing 
organizations. 
The 
partner 
organizations 
will 
pursue 
existing 
relationships 
with 
other 
professionals 
in 
those 
fields 
who 
have 
shared 
their 
expertise 
in 
a 
similar 
capacity 
in 
the 
past. 
A 
training 
component 
will 
accompany 
some 
of 
the 
accessibility 
upgrades. 
For 
example, 
purchasing 
video-phones 
will 
require 
training 
on 
how 
to 
use 
this 
technology. 
This 
particular 
training 
will 
be 
delivered 
by 
DHHS 
to 
all 
pilot 
sites 
that 
express 
a 
need 
to 
receive 
this 
information. 
As 
with 
the 
case 
of 
video-phones, 
the 
collaborative 
partners 
will 
plan 
additional 
training 
time 
in 
the 
event 
more 
is 
required 
related 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety 
upgrades. 



Conclusion 


All 
of 
our 
proposed 
initiatives 
have 
several 
common 
threads. 
They 
promote 
relationship 
building 
and 
resource 
sharing. 
They 
build 
upon 
existing 
knowledge 
and 
skills 
and 
propose 
the 
enhancement 
of 
those 
where 
necessary. 
They 
encourage 
change 
and 
sustainability. 
By 
the 
end 
of 
our 
funding 
cycle 
in 
September 
of 
2010, 
the 
way 
will 
be 
paved 
for 
more 
initiatives 
to 
come. 
Our 
collaborative 
and 
pilot 
sites 
will 
have 
created 
a 
solid 
foundation 
that 
promotes 
access 
and 
responsiveness 
to 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors. 
Although 
time 
is 
an 
issue 
of 
concern 
for 
our 
collaborative, 
the 
commitment 
exists 
to 
put 
in 
motion 
several 
activities 
that 
will 
have 
implications 
for 
many 
years 
to 
come 
as 
they 
are 
expected 
to 
foster 
sustainable 
and 
systemic 
change 
among 
all 
parties 
involved. 



APPENDICES 



PA 
Strategic 
Planning 
Project 
Initiatives 
Initiative 
# 
1Policies 
and 
Practices 
Activity 
#1A 
Research 
best 
policies 
and 
practices 
across 
existing 
disability 
and 


Timeline 


violence 
against 
women 
organizations 
in 
regards 
to 
accessibility 
and 
safety 


2010 


1 


Convene 
work 
group 
consisting 
of 
partners 
and 
other 
key 
staff 
in 
partner 
organizations. 


2 


Contact 
former 
grantees 
for 
sample 
policies. 


4x5X6x7x8x9xx
Initiative#1PoliciesandPracticesActivity#1BAssesscurrentpoliciesandpracticesregardingsafetyandaccessibilitywithpartnerorganizationsTimeline20101Reviewcurrentpolicieswitinthepartnerorganizationswithaneyetowardsaddressing/increasingsafetyand/oraccessibility4x5x67892Compare/combineexistingpartnerpoliciesforbestpracticesxx3Developlistofrecommendationsforlanguageandbestpracticeforsharingwithpilotsites
4Conveneworkgroupsamongthepartnerstobeginaprocessofreviewoforganizationalpolicies/practicesrelatedtosafetyand/oraccessibilityxxx
Initiative 
# 
1Policies 
and 
Practices 
Activity 
#1C 
Work 
with 
pilot 
sites 
to 
review 
their 
materials 
and 
prioritize 
practices 
Timeline 
feasible 
for 
modification 
2010 
1 
Policies/procedures 
to 
be 
reviewed: 
Recruitment 
& 
hiring 
policies, 
interview 
questions, 
personnel 
policies; 
staff 
orientation 
& 
training, 
mission 
statements 
& 
core 
values, 
strategic 
plans, 
etc. 
4 
5 
6 
7 
x 
x 
x 
2 
Provide 
assistance 
in 
the 
review 
of 
existing 
materials 
with 
and 
eye 
towards 
addressing/increasing 
safety 
and/or 
accessibility 
x 
x 
x 
3 
Share 
sample 
materials 
with 
sites 
reflecting 
recommendation 
in 
language 
and 
best 
practice 
x 
x 
4 
Pilot 
sites 
will 
modify 
one 
or 
more 
existing 
practices 
or 
develop 
one 
or 
more 
new 
ones 
addressing 
accessibility 
and/or 
safety 
x 



Initiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2ADevelopandConductBaselineTrainingtostaffasidentifiedbythepartnersinthecollaborative(TrainingGoal75%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Convenetrainingworkgroupsofpartnersandpilotsitemembers4x5x6x7x8x9x2Developtraininggoalsandobjectivesxx3Developcontntoftrainingxx4SecureOVWapprovaloftrainingcontentx5Determinewhowilltrainoneachtopicareaxx6Determinelengthoftrainingsessionxx7Adresslogisticsoftime,space,meals,etc.fortrainingdayxxx8Workwithleadershipinpartnerorganizationstoidentifytrainingaudiencexxx9Deliverthetrainingvxxxx11Integratebaselnetrainingintotraining&orientationgoalsofeachorganizationxxInitiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2BDevelopandconducttopic-specifictrainingforstaffofpartnerorganizations(TrainingGoal:50%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Prioritizetrainingtopics4x567892Identifypotentialtrainersx3Developandfinalizetrainingcontentx4Developtrainingcalenarxx5Finalizelogisticsoftime,place,etc.x6Conducttrainingsxxxxx7SecureOVWApprovalxActivity#2ADevelopandConductBaselineTrainingtostaffasidentifiedbythepartnersinthecollaborative(TrainingGoal75%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Convenetrainingworkgroupsofpartnersandpilotsitemembers4x5x6x7x8x9x2Developtraininggoalsandobjectivesxx3Developcontntoftrainingxx4SecureOVWapprovaloftrainingcontentx5Determinewhowilltrainoneachtopicareaxx6Determinelengthoftrainingsessionxx7Adresslogisticsoftime,space,meals,etc.fortrainingdayxxx8Workwithleadershipinpartnerorganizationstoidentifytrainingaudiencexxx9Deliverthetrainingvxxxx11Integratebaselnetrainingintotraining&orientationgoalsofeachorganizationxxInitiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2BDevelopandconducttopic-specifictrainingforstaffofpartnerorganizations(TrainingGoal:50%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Prioritizetrainingtopics4x567892Identifypotentialtrainersx3Developandfinalizetrainingcontentx4Developtrainingcalenarxx5Finalizelogisticsoftime,place,etc.x6Conducttrainingsxxxxx7SecureOVWApprovalx

Initiative#2TrainingandResourceActivity#2CDevelopandConductBaselineTrainingtostaffidentifiedbythepilotsites(TrainingGoa:75%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Convenetrainingworkgroup4x5x6x7x8x9x2Developtraininggoalsandobjectivesxx3Developcontentoftrainingxx4SecureOVWapproaloftrainingcontentx5Determinewhowilltrainoneachtopicareaxx6Determinelengthoftrainingsessionxx7Addresslogisticsoftimespace,mealsetc.fortrainingdayxxx8Workwithleadershipinpilotsitestoidentifytrainingaudiencexxx9Deliverthetrainingxxxx11IntegratebaselineintotraiinggoalsofeachorganizationxxInitiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2DDevelopandconducttopic-specifictrainingforstaffofpilotsiteorganizations(TrainingGoal:50%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Prioritizetrainingtopics4x567892Identifypotentialtrainersx3Developandfinalizetrainingcontentx4Developtrainingcalenarx5Finalizelogisticsoftime,place,etc.xx6ConducttrainingxxxxxActivity#2CDevelopandConductBaselineTrainingtostaffidentifiedbythepilotsites(TrainingGoa:75%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Convenetrainingworkgroup4x5x6x7x8x9x2Developtraininggoalsandobjectivesxx3Developcontentoftrainingxx4SecureOVWapproaloftrainingcontentx5Determinewhowilltrainoneachtopicareaxx6Determinelengthoftrainingsessionxx7Addresslogisticsoftimespace,mealsetc.fortrainingdayxxx8Workwithleadershipinpilotsitestoidentifytrainingaudiencexxx9Deliverthetrainingxxxx11IntegratebaselineintotraiinggoalsofeachorganizationxxInitiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2DDevelopandconducttopic-specifictrainingforstaffofpilotsiteorganizations(TrainingGoal:50%ofstaff)
Timeline20101Prioritizetrainingtopics4x567892Identifypotentialtrainersx3Developandfinalizetrainingcontentx4Developtrainingcalenarx5Finalizelogisticsoftime,place,etc.xx6Conducttrainingxxxxx

Initiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2EDevelopaDVDfocusedonvaluesTimeline20101OutlinethecontentofanddevelopascriptfortheDVD45x67892SubmitscripttoOVWforapprovalofconentx3Identify“actors”x4ContractwithproductioncompanytoproducetheDVDx5Organizerehearsalsandvideotapingsessionsxx6UtilizeDVDinbaselinetrainingx7DistriuteDVDtoPilotsitesandmakeavailabletootherson-lineviaWebsitexInitiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2FCreateanon-linesitetohousethesamplepoliciesandotherresourcescollectedanddevelopedbythecollaborative(alsoreferredtoasthe“informationbank)
Timeline20101Establishcriteriaforreviewandacceptanceofmaterialforthewebsite/informationbank45x6x7892Createon-linesiteforhousingtheinformationbankxxxx3Maintainandupdatetheinformationbankasnewmaterialsareidentifiedanddevelopxxxx4DisseminaeinformationaboutthenewresourcethroughoutthepartnerorganizationsandthepilotsitesxxxxActivity#2EDevelopaDVDfocusedonvaluesTimeline20101OutlinethecontentofanddevelopascriptfortheDVD45x67892SubmitscripttoOVWforapprovalofconentx3Identify“actors”x4ContractwithproductioncompanytoproducetheDVDx5Organizerehearsalsandvideotapingsessionsxx6UtilizeDVDinbaselinetrainingx7DistriuteDVDtoPilotsitesandmakeavailabletootherson-lineviaWebsitexInitiative#2TrainingandResourceDevelopmentActivity#2FCreateanon-linesitetohousethesamplepoliciesandotherresourcescollectedanddevelopedbythecollaborative(alsoreferredtoasthe“informationbank)
Timeline20101Establishcriteriaforreviewandacceptanceofmaterialforthewebsite/informationbank45x6x7892Createon-linesiteforhousingtheinformationbankxxxx3Maintainandupdatetheinformationbankasnewmaterialsareidentifiedanddevelopxxxx4Disseminaeinformationaboutthenewresourcethroughoutthepartnerorganizationsandthepilotsitesxxxx

Initiative#3CollaborationActivity#3ADevelopmemorandumsofunderstanding(MOUs)betweenthepartnersandpilotsitemembersTimeline20101Convenemeetingswitheachoftheorganizationsmakingupeachpilotsite*
4x567892DescribethepurposeoftheMOUx3JointlydeterminecontentandpreparetheMOUwiththeorganizationxx4Secureappropriatesignaturesfroallpartiesx5SecureapprovalofMOUsfromOVWxActivity#3ADevelopmemorandumsofunderstanding(MOUs)betweenthepartnersandpilotsitemembersTimeline20101Convenemeetingswitheachoftheorganizationsmakingupeachpilotsite*
4x567892DescribethepurposeoftheMOUx3JointlydeterminecontentandpreparetheMOUwiththeorganizationxx4Secureappropriatesignaturesfroallpartiesx5SecureapprovalofMOUsfromOVWx
*This 
activity 
began 
in 
March. 


Initiative#3CollaborationActivity#3BDevelopMOUsbetweenpilotsitesmembersTimeline20101Assistinconveningmeetingsamongpilotsiteorganizations4x5x6x7x8x9x2SharesampleMUsgatheredfromVERAandotherOVWgranteesxx3IdentifykeyareastobeincludedintheMOUs(protocols,liaisons,referralprocesses,
releasesofinformation,etc.)xx4ProvideassistanceinthepreparationoftheMOUs,includingtherolesandresponsibilitiesofthepartiesinvolvedxx5Encourageeachorganizationtosharetheirconfidentialitypoliciesandreleaeofinformationprocesseswiththeotherorganizationsxx6Assureappropriatesignatures(Directors)areinplacetofinalizetheMOUsxx

Initiative#3CollaborationActivity3CProvideconsultationandtechnicalassistancetothepilotsitesinthedevelopmentofactionplansdelineatingprioritzedactivitiesforthebalanceofthegrantperiodTimeline20101Designateapartnertoserveasprimarycontactforeachorganization4x567892Conveeaseriesofmeetingswiththepilots4x5x6x7x8x9x3Facilitateplanningsessionsxxxxxx4Finalizeactionplansspecifictoeachpilotsitexxxxxx5Uilizeeachactivityasacollaborationopportunity(sharingpolicies,releasesofinformation,etc.)xxxxxx6AssistinpreparationofactionplansthatreflectprioritizedactivitiestotakeplaceduringthebalanceofthegrantperiodxxxActivity3CrovideconsultationandtechnicalassistancetothepilotsitesinthedevelopmentofactionplansdelineatingprioritizedactivitiesforthebalaneofthegrantperiodTimeline20101Designateapartnertoserveasprimarycontactforeachorganization4x567892Conveneaseriesofmeetingswiththpilots4x5x6x7x8x9x3Facilitateplanningsessionsxxxxxx4Finalizeactionplansspecifictoeachpilotsitexxxxxx5Utilizeeachactivityasacollborationopportunity(sharingpolicies,releasesofinformation,etc.)xxxxxx6Assistinpreparationofactionplansthatreflectprioritizedactivitiestotakeplaceduringthebalanceofthegrantperiodxxx

Appendix 
B-Long 
Term 
Initiatives 


This 
section 
of 
our 
strategic 
plan 
contains 
information 
related 
to 
the 
long-term 
initiatives. 
As 
defined 
by 
our 
collaborative, 
the 
time 
required 
for 
the 
completion 
of 
these 
initiatives 
goes 
beyond 
the 
duration 
of 
this 
current 
grant 
program 
cycle. 
Our 
collaborative 
views 
the 
initiatives 
that 
will 
be 
implemented 
by 
the 
end 
of 
this 
funding 
cycle, 
as 
activities 
that 
will 
pave 
the 
way 
for 
long 
term 
initiatives. 
However, 
our 
collaborative 
believes 
that 
all 
of 
the 
proposed 
initiatives, 
short 
and 
long-term, 
are 
crucial 
to 
improve 
access 
to 
services 
and 
responsiveness 
to 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors. 
Therefore, 
aspects 
of 
many 
of 
these 
proposed 
long-term 
initiatives 
are 
expected 
to 
begin 
before 
the 
end 
of 
the 
current 
funding 
cycle. 


What 
follows 
are 
our 
proposed 
long-term 
initiatives: 


Policy 


Policy 
Change: 


• 
Modify 
existing 
policies 
related 
to 
safety, 
accessibility 
and 
responding 
to 
abuse 
(among 
the 
partners 
and 
pilot 
sites’ 
organizations) 
How 
to 
consistently 
respond 
to 
abuse 
cases 
is 
an 
area 
where 
improvements 
are 
still 
necessary. 
The 
development 
of 
policies 
that 
outline 
the 
process 
to 
handle 
these 
incidents 
is 
crucial 
to 
accomplish 
this 
important 
goal. 
Knowing 
that 
responding 
to 
abuse 
is 
something 
the 
organization 
does 
is 
not 
enough 
in 
light 
of 
our 
findings 
generated 
from 
the 
needs 
assessment 
of 
these 
communities. 
The 
development 
of 
policies 
as 
well 
as 
the 
delivery 
of 
training 
on 
how 
to 
reduce 
shelter 
rules 
and 
provide 
accommodations 
to 
survivors 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
survivors 
is 
critical 
to 
this 
process. 


Policy 
Development: 


• 
Development 
of 
policies 
to 
respond 
to 
sexual, 
domestic 
violence 
and/or 
stalking 
within 
the 
workplace 
In 
the 
case 
of 
developing 
policies 
to 
respond 
to 
violence, 
our 
collaborative 
feels 
that 
disability 
services 
providers 
(including 
the 
partner 
organization, 
DRN) 
can 
benefit 
from 
focusing 
their 
attention 
on 
specific 
policies 
to 
address 
sexual, 
domestic 
violence 
and 
stalking 
in 
the 
workplace. 
This 
is 
something 
that 
such 
providers 
could 
possibly 
learn 
from 
their 
pilot 
sites 
partners, 
the 
victims’ 
services 
organizations. 
We 
learned 
from 
speaking 
with 
providers 
during 
our 
needs 
assessment 
process, 
that 
there 
was 
nothing 
in 
the 
way 
of 
policies 
to 
address 
these 
forms 
of 
violence 
in 
the 
workplace 
or 
how 
to 
respond 
to 
disclosures 
from 
their 
own 
staff. 
In 
terms 
of 
safety, 
victims’ 
services 
organizations 
were 
consistent 
and 
deliberate 
about 
addressing 
abuse 
and 
providing 
safety 
within 
their 
organization. 
For 
example, 
several 
safeguards 
were 
put 
in 
place 
to 
screen 
visitors 
and 
provide 
safety 
as 
a 
regular 
practice. 
Additionally, 
policies 
were 
in 
place 
to 
address 
abuse 
in 
the 
workplace 
and 
with 
provisions 
specifically 
deigned 
for 
survivors 
of 
violence. 
Such 
policies 
and 
practices 
can 
serve 
as 
a 
model 
for 
disability 
services’ 
organizations. 


• 
Development 
of 
policies 
to 
provide 
accommodations 
when 
necessary 

We 
learned 
during 
the 
needs 
assessment 
process 
that 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
persons 
encountered 
a 
variety 
of 
challenges 
when 
trying 
to 
access 
services 
in 
the 
community. 
Such 
challenges 
varied 
depending 
on 
the 
culture 
of 
the 
organizations. 
Most 
individuals 
did 
not 
know 
whether 
they 
could 
request 
accommodations 
when 
needed 
or 
how 
to 
access 
services 
to 
the 
full 
extent 
possible. 
In 
particular, 
there 
was 
a 
generalized 
lack 
of 
faith 
among 
individuals 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
individuals 
when 
trying 
to 
access 
‘mainstream’ 
services. 


Training 


• 
Development 
of 
a 
curriculum 
and 
corresponding 
Training 
of 
Trainers 
that 
can 
be 
utilized 
statewide 
on 
issues 
of 
violence 
against 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
and 
D/deaf 
persons 
covering 
the 
following 
aspects 
for 
both 
victims’ 
services 
and 
disability 
services 
providers: 
Stigma 


Stigma 
around 
mental 
illness 
and 
other 
disabilities 
negatively 
affected 
many 
survivors 
who 
had 
chosen 
to 
disclose 
their 
disability. 
This 
has 
severe 
implications 
for 
both 
sides 
of 
the 
spectrum 
of 
service 
provision 
(disability 
and 
victims’ 
services).which 
often 
got 
in 
the 
way 
of 
providing 
an 
atmosphere 
conducive 
to 
relationship 
skills 
building 
and 
healing. 
In 
some 
cases, 
little 
was 
done 
to 
provide 
proper 
referrals 
to 
victims’ 
services 
organizations 
or 
counseling 
to 
address 
violence 
or 
trauma. 


Recovery 


Training 
sa/dv 
programs 
and 
disability 
organizations 
have 
little 
to 
no 
training 
on 
“Recovery” 
from 
a 
mental 
health 
perspective. 
(A 
self-determined 
and 
holistic 
journey 
that 
people 
undertake 
to 
heal 
and 
grow. 
Recovery 
is 
facilitated 
by 
relationships 
and 
environments 
that 
provide 
hope, 
empowerment, 
choices, 
and 
opportunities 
that 
promote 
people 
reaching 
their 
full 
potential 
as 
individuals 
and 
community 
members. 
A 
paradigm 
supporting 
that 
it 
is 
possible 
to 
recover 
from 
mental 
illness 
and 
the 
experience 
of 
such 
occurs 
as 
a 
continuum, 
where 
the 
person 
travels 
through 
different 
stages 
of 
this 
process. 
In 
other 
words, 
the 
individual 
is 
always 
at 
some 
phase 
of 
his/her 
recovery.) 


Assistive 
Technology 


Becoming 
familiar 
with 
assistive 
technology 
devices 
or 
how 
to 
access 
or 
prepare 
an 
accessibility 
toolkit 
should 
be 
addressed 
as 
training 
activities 
for 
victims 
and 
disability 
services’ 
providers. 


Safety 
and 
Abuse 


Knowledge, 
awareness 
and 
consistency 
about 
safety 
and 
abuse 
varied 
greatly 
among 
participating 
organizations. 
However, 
there 
was 
a 
clear 
need 
for 
training 
in 
the 
areas 
of 
safety 
and 
responding 
to 
violence. 
Raising 
knowledge 
and 
awareness 
about 
these 
issues 
are 
needs 
expressed 
either 
directly 
or 
indirectly 
by 
staff 
from 
disability 
services’ 
organizations. 



Violence 
Against 
Women 


Understanding 
sexual 
and 
domestic 
violence 
in 
terms 
of 
their 
definitions 
and 
available 
services 
for 
survivors, 
among 
other 
topics, 
are 
areas 
that 
require 
education 
of 
disability 
services 
providers. 
Increasing 
knowledge 
about 
the 
prevalence 
of 
violence 
and 
abuse 
against 
persons 
with 
disabilities 
will 
also 
assist 
disability 
service 
providers 
in 
understanding 
that, 
oftentimes, 
the 
individuals 
they 
serve 
are 
at 
a 
higher 
risk 
for 
sexual 
assault, 
domestic 
violence, 
stalking 
and 
other 
forms 
of 
violence.