734.707.7550| State Name | Duration Program/Sessions required for completion include duration of sessions |
| Alabama | The programs shall be funded through reasonable fees collected from the batterers who attend the programs, except the programs may be funded, in whole or in part, from any local, state, or federal program that provides funding for batterers’ intervention programs. Fees may be waived if a participant has an income level at or below 125 percent of the United States poverty level as defined by the most recently revised poverty income guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. |
| Alaska | the program participant’s agreement to disclose to the program any violations of the contract with the program throughout the duration of participation in the program; |
| Arizona | The duration of a session is for an individual session, not less than 50 minutes; and For a group session, not less than 90 minutes and not longer than 180 minutes |
| Arkansas | Participants must agree to abide by the program standards and rules, including any additional rules specific to the virtual session; For example, cameras must remain on, stable internet, appropriate equipment to participate virtually (headphones, microphones, speakers, etc…) no drinking alcohol or smoking/vaping during the session, no eating food during the session, and participants must show a 360 degree (full view) of the room they are in to ensure they are alone for the duration of the session. |
| California | If the defendant is not a member of the victim’s household, the court shall prohibit the defendant from being placed or residing within one-half mile of the child victim’s residence for the duration of the probation term unless the court, on the record, states its reasons for finding that this residency restriction would not serve the best interests of the victim. |
| Colorado | Domestic violence offenders were treated on a voluntary basis prior to 1979, as no formal court referral system existed. In 1979, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with Women in Crisis began a domestic violence program for individuals criminally charged. The following year, Alternatives to Family Violence, an Adams County treatment program, assisted in the development of a referral system for offenders from municipal court; however, there were no formal standards governing the treatment of those who were referred. |
| Connecticut | the procedural outcomes of restraining order applications filed, (B) the number of instances where legal counsel was provided prior to the filing of an application but not during the remainder of the restraining order process, and the reasons limiting the duration of such representation, and (C) information on any other legal representation provided to individuals pursuant to the program on matters that were ancillary to the circumstances that supported the application for a restraining order. |
| Delaware | The length of the program intervention will be at least 32 session hours over a minimum of 20 weeks with a minimum of 16 sessions. , {Batterers Type} The length of the program intervention will be at least 24 session hours over a minimum of 15 weeks with a minimum of 12 sessions.{Offender or NOS Type} |
| Florida | The program shall be at least 29 weeks in length and include 24 weekly sessions, plus appropriate intake, assessment, and orientation programming. The program content shall be based on a cognitive behavioral therapy model or psychoeducational model that addresses tactics of power and control by one person over another. |
| Georgia | The commission shall have the following duties: (9) To develop standards to be utilized by the Department of Community Supervision in the certification and regulation of family violence intervention programs. |
| Hawaii | providers will, at a minimum, conduct weekly group sessions a ,minimum of 2 hours in length for a minim duration of 24 sessions. each participation must complete this minimum number of sessions. participation in the DVI program may be extended beyond any term of community supervision. |
| Idaho | Providers will assess the client’s risk and need after reviewing DV evaluation and use of collateral data which may include, but is not limited to, previous DV evaluations, police reports, pre-sentence reports, victim impact statements, and risk assessments. Intervention shall be 90-minute group sessions for a minimum of 52 sessions. Generally, sessions should be once per week and occur over the course of a minimum of 52 weeks (unless court order differs). Sessions may be more frequent based on risk and needs of the offender. |
| Illinois | Participants must attend no fewer than 24 sessions, conducted weekly, for a minimum of 36 hours of direct program contact that does not include intake/screening. Up to 4 individual sessions may be included, but all remaining hours must be group work unless individual circumstances or insufficient numbers contraindicate group involvement. |
| Indiana | AIPs must provide a minimum of 26 sessions once per week. AIP sessions must last at least 90 minutes. |
| Iowa | Currently does not have standards |
| Kansas | The program shall be a minimum of 24 weekly group sessions. Intake and orientation are in addition to these sessions. Each session shall be a minimum of 90 minutes, and not exceed 2 hours. Completion of the program shall not be based on the completion of 24 weeks alone— but based on the demonstration of goal completion and skill acquisition as determined by the program. |
| Kentucky | Individual or group intervention services are available to clients at least once weekly. A group intervention shall include: Between two (2) and twelve (12) clients unless two providers are present; and No more than twenty (20) clients if two (2) providers are present. A group intervention session shall require a client to attend for ninety (90) minutes or longer. A client shall participate in the program for at least thirty (30) weeks. |
| Louisiana | Group size may vary but ideally should not exceed 20 individuals per group. The length of group meetings should be at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and participants should attend weekly, in-person group sessions for at least 26 weeks. |
| Maine | BI Programs must be a minimum of 48 classes over a minimum of 48 weeks in duration. Each weekly session must be at least 90 minutes long, with check-in consuming no more than 30 minutes. Each participant’s attendance must occur at a rate of one class per week counted towards the 48-class requirement. The BIP program intake must not be considered one of the 48 weeks. |
| Maryland | Programs will meet a minimum requirement of 32 hours of group time extended over at least 20 weeks. If providing individual sessions, the program must be a minimum of 16 meeting hours extended over at least 12 weeks. |
| Massachusetts | The duration of the Program, a minimum of 80 hours (including the intake and evaluation period), and a target completion date conditioned on regular attendance; |
| Michigan | The recommended duration of group intervention is 52 sessions or longer, with 26 sessions being the acceptable minimum. The 26-session minimum is to be completed in a period not less than 26 weeks, exclusive of intake.14 Group sessions shall be a minimum of 90 minutes, with a maximum of two hours. |
| Minnesota | Programs shall require offenders and abusing parties to attend a minimum of 24 sessions or 36 hours of programming, unless a probation agent has recommended fewer sessions. |
| Mississippi | No State Standards |
| Missouri | Effective batterer intervention programs should include a minimum of 26 consecutive weeks of 90-minute group sessions to accomplish intervention objectives. |
| Montana | Programs require a completion of at least 40 hours of counseling. |
| Nebraska | The minimum length of the intervention program should not be less than 30 weekly groups with the sessions lasting for 90 minutes per session not including breaks |
| Nevada | The minimum length of program is 24 weeks for 36 hours. |
| New Hampshire | The program meets weekly and lasts six to eight months. |
| New Jersey | The program requires a minimum of 26 weeks in length 1.5 hours minimum for each group session |
| New Mexico | Domestic Violence offender intervention program has a program of a minimum of 52 weeks |
| New York | No State Standards |
| North Carolina | The program usually contains 6-20 session with the average program lasting 10 sessions |
| North Dakota | The program requires a minimum of 24 weekly session each averaging 1.5 hours |
| Ohio | The program requires weekly sessions which lasts for no less than 6 months |
| Oklahoma | intervention programs should not be less than 52 weeks no less then 90 minutes long |
| Oregon | Participants must complete 32 sessions |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards |
| Rhode Island | The program is a minimum of 20 weeks and last about an hour and a half long |
| South Carolina | No information |
| South Dakota | No State Standards |
| Tennessee | To be discharged from the program a minimum of 24 sessions is required |
| Texas | The program requires orientation for 36 hours. minimum of 18 weekly session not to exceed one session per week. |
| Utah | The treatment plans last between 60 to 90 minutes. Generally sessions last for 4-12 weeks. Medium risk the sessions last for 13-25 sessions completed in no fewer then 13 weeks. In high risk there are 25 to 32 sessions for six months. |
| Vermont | The program requires a minimum of 26 weekly group session for at least 1 and a half hours |
| Virginia | The program requires a minimum of 36 hours for 18 weeks. |
| Washington | The program minimum for level one treatment is six months, for level two treatment it is nine months for level three treatment the minimum is twelve months. For level four treatment the minimum is eighteen months. |
| West Virginia | The contract shall require completion of at least 32 sessions. |
| Wisconsin | Currently does not have standards |
| Wyoming | Wyoming currently does not have standards |
| State Name | Cost (Funding, Fees, Etc.) |
| Alabama | The programs shall be funded through reasonable fees collected from the batterers who attend the programs, except the programs may be funded, in whole or in part, from any local, state, or federal program that provides funding for batterers’ intervention programs. Fees may be waived if a participant has an income level at or below 125 percent of the United States poverty level as defined by the most recently revised poverty income guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services |
| Alaska | The program participant’s agreement to pay all fees assessed under (d) of this section fees and court ordered costs related to domestic violence incidents, and to comply with child support and court orders. An approved program shall require a payment of fees for services of the program. The fees may be determined on a sliding scale based on a program participant’s ability to pay, and may include community work service in lieu of monetary fees. Failure to pay these fees shall be treated as a failure to comply with program requirements. |
| Arizona | Not enough information. |
| Arkansas | Fees for service shall be determined by the service provider, ACADV has no responsibility or legal authority to determine fee structures for programs. At a minimum, the batterer will: Pay all fees in full. |
| California | The court shall order the defendant to comply with all probation requirements, including the requirements to attend counseling, keep all program appointments, and pay program fees based upon ability to pay. The terms of probation for offenders shall not be lifted until all reasonable fees due to the counseling program have been paid in full, but in no case shall probation be extended beyond the term provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1203.1. If the court finds that the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fees based on the defendant’s changed circumstances, the court may reduce or waive the fees. Inmates participating in this program shall not be charged fees or costs for the program. |
| Colorado | Offender fees: The offender paying for his/her own evaluation and treatment is an indicator of responsibility and shall be incorporated in the treatment plan. All Approved Providers shall offer domestic violence offender evaluation and treatment services based on a sliding fee scale. Offender recognition of financial abuse and management of financial responsibility: Consistently meets financial responsibilities such as treatment fees, child support, maintenance, court fees, and restitution. The MTT may choose to require the offender to provide documentation that demonstrates financial responsibilities are being met. |
| Connecticut | Page not found. |
| Delaware | Offenders shall be held accountable to the fullest extent possible to victims and the community for their use of violence by paying costs associated with attending the intervention program. While there are many people who are close to indigence, a fee for services, no matter how minimal, should be assessed. Taking responsibility for the payment for services is an important part of the offender’s taking responsibility for violent behavior. |
| Florida | The program shall be funded by user fees paid by the batterers who attend the program, which allows them to take responsibility for their acts of violence. An exception shall be made for local, state, or federal programs that fund batterers’ intervention programs in whole or in part. The program shall establish a policy regarding whether it will admit participants who require fee waivers or reduced fees because they are indigent or unable to pay the full program fee. The program may not admit a batterer into the program until he or she has paid the user fee. However, the program may not refuse to admit a batterer into the program if the batterer has been deemed indigent by the court and is unable to pay the user fee. |
| Georgia | FVIPs shall not charge participants a fee that exceeds $60.00 per class or $120 for orientation and/or application interview. (b) Each FVIP will be assessed a $20.00 fee for each participant that is payable to the Commission within thirty (30) calendar days of issuance of an invoice. The Program shall enter the participant into the Commission designated reporting system by the tenth day of the following month when the participant enrolled. (c) If a participant re-enrolls in an FVIP after being previously terminated by that FVIP, the FVIP shall be assessed an additional $20.00 fee for the participant payable to the Commission within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving an invoice. The FVIP shall enter the participant into the reporting system by the tenth day of the following month when the participant re-enrolled. |
| Hawaii | Fee and Payment Scales and Procedures: If providers decide to charge a fee for their services, providers shall develop a written fee schedule including provisions for indigent clients. Note, the courts may have imposed fees as a condition of probation. It should be communicated to clients that financial consequences are one method of being held accountable for their behavior, and providers will work with them to assess their current financial situation including other court-ordered financial obligations such as restitution, the crime victim compensation fee, and child support. Non-payment of any program fee shall not prevent the client from completing the program. |
| Idaho | Fees/methods of payment and any consequences of non-payment. |
| Illinois | PAIPs must establish a fee policy. Compliance with this Section will be assessed by the Department through the monitoring and technical assistance outlined in Section 501.70. |
| Indiana | The groups are self-pay, but all programs provide a payment plan/ sliding scale fee option. |
| Iowa | The district departments shall assess the fees for participation in the program, and shall either collect or contract for the collection of the fees to recoup the costs of treatment, but may waive the fee or collect a lesser amount upon a showing of cause. The fees shall be used by each of the district departments or contract service providers for the establishment, administration, coordination, and provision of direct services of the batterers’ treatment programs. |
| Kansas | Payment is an indicator of responsibility. It is suggested that fees be based on a participant’s ability to pay (i.e. sliding scale), thus enabling the participant to afford the program. If the program utilizes a sliding scale, income based payment system, or offers scholarships/grants, documentation of fee determination and source of payment shall be included in the participant file. |
| Kentucky | |
| Louisiana | Each intervention program establishes its own cost |
| Maine | The fee structure of Maine BIPs is varied. The chart below reflects responses by the eleven certified BIPs. The lowest fee per class is $15.00 with the highest being $50.00. The average is $35.00. 60% of the programs reported using a sliding fee structure. Intake fees ranged from $20.00 to $90.00. |
| Maryland | Fees to be established by individual program |
| Massachusetts | |
| Michigan |
Each intervention program establishes its own cost The fee for the intake and evaluation phase of the program may be charged separately from the fees for the program. b) The payment of the fee may be made a condition of probation. |
| Minnesota | About $20 per session. Some counties require a down payment |
| Mississippi | No State Standards |
| Missouri | Fee’s not listed |
| Montana | No established BIP |
| Nebraska | Has a coalition to bring awareness but no specific program for batterers |
| Nevada | Has a wide variety of help available, even in other languages but no prices are listed |
| New Hampshire | |
| New Jersey | |
| New Mexico | Offers a 52 week BIP but no cost is listed |
| New York | No State Standards |
| North Carolina | Has a very thorough BIP with clear goals stated, but no prices listed |
| North Dakota | BIP can charge a fee for participation even if it’s not court ordered |
| Oklahoma | The purpose of the FVPSA Underserved Populations Grant application is to fund OAG Certified program sub-grantees in the State of Oklahoma who will establish, maintain and/or expand culturally specific programs for victims of family violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and their dependents and to provide specialized services for children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence., specifically targeted toward under-served populations and victims who are members of racial and ethnic minority populations. underserved populations. |
| Oregon | The cost of the Batterer Intervention Program (BIP) in Oregon can vary depending on the specific program and provider. The fees for BIPs are typically determined by the individual providers and may differ based on factors such as location, duration of the program, and additional services offered. |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards |
| Rhode Island | Fees are collected, but programs can make accommodations as needed. |
| South Carolina | “the general principle of fees and costs discussed in reference to magistrates are applicable to municipal judges.” |
| South Dakota | No State Standards |
| Tennessee | Fees are collected, but programs can make accommodations as needed |
| Texas | One-time payment of $300 to TDCJ. |
| Utah | not enough information/information not found |
| Vermont | If a provider accepts third party payments from health insurance companies, the program takes appropriate steps to ensure doing so does not conflict with the program’s message about participant responsibility for their coercive behavior or interfere with the program’s adherence to the Standards. |
| Virginia | |
| Washington | |
| West Virginia | |
| Wisconsin | No Current Standards |
| Wyoming | No Current Standards |
| State | Initial Training requirements and Annual Training requirements |
| Alabama | The facilitators, supervisors, and trainees of the program shall be certified to provide these programs through initial certification by the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, and the programs and personnel shall be annually recertified by the department to ensure that they meet specified standards. |
| Alaska | For initial training, approved staff must have no history of domestic violence or crimes against a person three years before applying, no felony convictions for crimes against a person, and no convictions for three years before applying, which include controlled substance, misdemeanor, any crime involving domestic violence, and/or the violation of a municipal order. Approved staff must also have the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment. In order to be a supervisor, you must have training and at least one year of experience with both perpetrators and victims of domestic violence. Approved programs must develop individual training plans for each staff member that include a minimum of 40 hours of training related to domestic violence, which include standards for conducting lethality assessments and safety checks and developing safety plans, education on available community resources, and education on domestic violence and sexual assault. They also need to receive training on the impact of sexism and racism on domestic violence and training on topics relating to the delivery of the program’s service. Finally, staff must train with a staff member of a local victim advocacy agency. |
| Arizona | Treatment has to be provided by a behavioral health professional who has at least six months of full-time work experience with domestic violence offenders or other criminal offenders, or is visually observed and directed by a behavioral health professional with at least six months of fulltime work experience with domestic violence offenders or other criminal offenders; and policies and procedures are developed, documented, and implement that establish education and training requirements for a behavioral health professional providing treatment that demonstrate that the behavioral health professional is qualified to provide treatment. Annual training requirements must be established for each employee. |
| Arkansas | Training for all new facilitators, co-facilitators, and staff should include 40 hours of educational training on the following topics: Dynamics of domestic violence, history of the domestic violence movement, survivor behavior, elements of Power & Control, human trafficking and exploitation, cultural diversity, anger management versus domestic violence intervention program (DVIP), relevant domestic violence laws and legal issues, responsibility versus denial, characteristics of men who batter, impact of violence on children and family, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), sexism, racial bias, and oppression, group facilitation skills, dynamics and history of the LGBTQIA+ community, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All facilitators who will have contact with groups should have a minimum of 40 hours of experience co-facilitating a batterer intervention group prior to leading a facilitation session. A log of their hours shall be kept on record, with signatures from the co-facilitators who worked with them during the sessions. Facilitators must have a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education each year, on any of these topics: Training opportunities that qualify for continuing education will be made available on Coalition Manager (ACADV database for service providers) and members can also use the database to log their hours to stay in compliance. Continuing education that is provided outside of ACADV must be submitted to ACADV within 30 days, prior to completion, for approval. |
| California | EMT training programs provide initial training for individuals to become eligible for EMT certification in California. All programs also offer EMT refresher courses that provide 24 hours of continuing education credit that may be applied toward renewal or reinstatement. Additional course offerings may include California State EMT Skills Testing (required to renew or reinstate California EMT certificates). After completing the initial training, EMT candidates must pass the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) cognitive and psychomotor (skills) exams. Successfully completing the EMT initial training and gaining NREMT certification qualifies an individual for California EMT certification. Paramedic training programs provide extensive education to prepare students for California Paramedic licensure. After completing the initial training, Paramedic candidates must pass the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) cognitive and psychomotor (skills) exams at the Paramedic level. |
| Colorado | The Division of Criminal Justice offers numerous training opportunities for Criminal Justice professionals in a variety of formats, including online, on-demand, self-paced training, regularly scheduled in-classroom trainings and conferences, and training by request for your agency. Many of these courses require registration via the State Learning Management System. If you are a NEW user, you must create a new STUDENT ACCOUNT and follow the prompts before you can register for a class. |
| Connecticut | |
| Delaware | Methods of training include: Attending seminars, webinars, and workshops; academic course work; completing an accredited home study course; attending domestic violence related court hearings or trials; riding along with the police; working with a domestic violence service provider other than one’s own intervention program; and submitting original papers related to domestic violence. At least 6 of the 12 hours shall directly pertain to intervention with persons who are the perpetrators and/or victims of domestic violence. In addition, at least 6 of the 12 required clock hours shall be obtained by attending seminars or workshops presented by qualified trainers external to one’s organization. These hours are to be documented by a certificate signed by the presenter or by a designated official of the sponsoring organization or by email confirmation of webinar participation. |
| Florida | Trainers must complete a minimum of three years experience, facilitating or facilitating a certified intervention group, using the power and control model of intervention. This shall be with five years of application, a minimum of three years, a professional experience, providing substance-abuse treatment, and a minimum of three years of professional experience in the field of domestic violence. |
| Georgia | Facilitators in Training: 20 Hours of Commission-Provided Training (FVIP Basics Training Series) and 40 Hours of Commission-Approved Training. Certified FVIP Facilitators: 12 Hours of Commission-Approved Training annually (Total of 24 hours of Commission-Approved Training at recertification) |
| Hawaii | Facilitators in Training: 20 Hours of Commission-Provided Training (FVIP Basics Training Series) and 40 Hours of Commission-Approved Training. Certified FVIP Facilitators: 12 Hours of Commission-Approved Training annually (Total of 24 hours of Commission-Approved Training at recertification) |
| Idaho | Must hold a behavioral science degree or working toward a degree in a related field, along with specific training and education in domestic violence intervention. Direct Service Providers must complete a minimum of 60 hours of education, including topics outlined by the program, and have at least 150 hours of supervised intervention experience, with a significant portion involving direct contact with offenders. Additionally, supervised education or experience related to counseling, assessing, or intervening with DV offenders and victims. |
| Illinois | All PAIP direct service staff and supervisors must have completed 40 hours of training consistent with the requirements of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act [750 ILCS 60], and an additional 20 hours of Department approved training in abuser services. Facilitators who are unable to complete the Department approved 20 hour training within the first three months of employment must submit a training plan to the Department for approval. The 20 hours must consist of formal training or conference attendance in abuser intervention and/or experience in facilitating partner abuse intervention groups. In order for experience to count as part of the training plan, it must be gained through a protocol approved PAIP and under the direction of a supervisor meeting the protocol requirements. The training must be documented and sent to the Department within 30 days after completion. All PAIP staff must receive ongoing training as a part of their professional development. At a minimum, six hours of continuing education that supports the work of intimate partner violence services must be obtained annually. |
| Indiana | ICADV provides many training opportunities throughout the year. We also provide limited training to communities upon request, and can develop a specialized training to meet your needs. Below are brief descriptions of the training curricula we offer on a regular basis. The four-part training series is designed to support the strategic goals and objectives of the trauma-informed care working group. The priorities are to be trauma-informed and operate from a trauma-informed perspective, to assist in ensuring that programming is developed based on trauma-informed values and principles, and to implement best practices to reduce toxic stress and help promote resiliency, recovery, and growth within the resident community. |
| Iowa | Domestic Abuse training includes but not limited to: The enforcement of both civil and criminal remedies in abuse matters, the nature, extent and causes of DA, legal rights and remedies available to DAV, including crime victim compensation, Services available to victims, mandatory arrest provisions of section 236.12, and techniques for intervention in domestic abuse cases |
| Kansas | Victim contact staff must have 25 hours of DV specific training including completing the KDVOA and Making Victim Contacts in a Batterer Intervention Program. Also must have observation of 4 group sessions from a Kansas certified BIP (all 4 sessions must be with the same group). Observation of 3 victim interviews conducted experienced victim contact staff and completion of 3 victim interviews supervised and reviewed by an experienced assessor from a Kansas certified BIP. Each agent/employee must complete 12 hours of DV specific continuing education during each 2 year renewal period. |
| Kentucky | |
| Louisiana | Each facilitator must have completed at least 40 hours of victim-centered training which may include training offered by victim services provider programs, providing advocacy for battered women and their children, conducting women’s and children’s groups, or attending panels or presentations at which victims discuss their experiences of domestic violence. Each facilitator must have training and experience in facilitating psycho-educational groups (ideally, groups of resistant men). Each facilitator must have at least 40 hours of direct, face-to-face experience co-facilitating batterer intervention groups prior to leading facilitation of a group. Each facilitator must have completed a nationally-recognized training program in providing batterer intervention services (e.g., the Duluth Model or EMERGE), which specifically addresses the dynamics of domestic violence within the context of power and control, the effects of domestic violence on victims and their children, the historical nature of domestic violence, the role of the facilitator, lethality assessment, teaching alternatives to violent and controlling behavior, and avoidance of facilitator collusion with batterers. Each facilitator should have substance abuse training specific to domestic violence. Batterer intervention service providers should complete approximately 10 hours per year of continuing training. |
| Maine | New Correctional Officers attend a 6-Week Basic Corrections Training Program, funded by MDOC, that includes 42.5 hours-per-week of paid training and results in State Certification. Classes are held regionally at a MDOC facility and follows the BCTP curriculum required by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Watch the video to learn more about the Correctional Officer BCTP Experience. |
| Maryland | Within six months of hire all group facilitators and individual counselors must have a minimum of 30 hours of training from a comprehensive intimate partner violence victim service agency, as defined by Code of Maryland Regulations, on dynamics of intimate partner violence and its effects on children. Until this requirement is met the staff person shall not facilitate a session alone. Before facilitating or co-facilitating any group sessions all group facilitators and individual counselors must have a minimum of 30 hours of training specific to working with perpetrators of intimate partner violence from an abuse intervention program certified in its state. The program providing training does not have to be certified in Maryland but must be certified in the state it resides. |
| Massachusetts | As part of the Acts of 2014, Chapter 260, An Act Relative to Domestic Violence, Section 9, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health was tasked with creating a domestic and sexual violence training for professionals receiving licensure from the Board of Registration in Medicine, Board of Registration in Nursing, Board of Registration of Physician Assistants, Board of Nursing Home Administrators, Board of Registration of Social Workers, Board of Registration of Psychologists, and Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions. In order to meet this requirement, an online training was developed in consultation with content experts, which have been approved by the Department of Public Health to meet the Chapter 260 requirements. |
| Michigan | Facilitators must have 40 hours of direct, face-to-face facilitating or co-facilitating experience in batterer intervention groups, and 40 hours of training including, but not limited to: causes and dynamics of domestic violence, legal issues surrounding domestic violence, facilitation skills with batterer intervention groups, characteristics of batterers, victim safety and sensitivity to victims, and assessment and intake skills with batterers. All facilitators must participate in a minimum of 20 hours per year of continuing training regarding domestic violence related issues. This training can be obtained through a combination of internal and external sources, but a minimum of 10 hours must be obtained externally. |
| Minnesota | |
| Mississippi | No State Standards |
| Missouri | Training and education prior to providing batterer intervention services is imperative to ensure that survivor safety, ending violence against women, and accountability for batterers defines and guides a batterer intervention program. Training should include topics like the history of the domestic violence movement, cultural diversity, the nature and dynamics of domestic violence, the difference between batterer intervention and anger management, and sexism and oppression. A minimum of 80 hours of educational training including, but not limited to, the topics listed on the previous page; and |
| Montana | Each year, MCADSV awards scholarships for Members to attend trainings. MCADSV tries to grant scholarships for Members to attend trainings that MCADSV sponsors and National Trainings. These trainings vary and range from basic introduction and awareness to a workshop narrowly targeted to provide participants specific knowledge they need to better serve victims of domestic and sexual violence and, hopefully, reduce violence in our society. |
| Nebraska | Some events are specifically for the members of the Nebraska Coalition, while others are open to our community partners. The Nebraska Coalition believes in creating a safe and affirming space for all who attend Coalition hosted events, including their trainers and guest speakers. They ask for all attendees to read our Code of Conduct to ensure they can be part of the creation of the safe and affirming space we wish to have at all our hosted events. In addition, Nebraska has included the Coalition’s procedure in addressing unacceptable behaviors witnessed or reported to us during any of our events. |
| Nevada | Has satisfactorily completed at least 60 hours of formal training in domestic violence which includes at least 30 hours of training in the provision of services to victims of domestic violence and at least 30 hours of training in the provision of treatment to persons who commit domestic violence; |
| New Hampshire | |
| New Jersey | Program Supervisor/Coordinator – Masters level with a NJ Domestic Violence Specialist certification and a license in a related professional discipline is preferred; otherwise the supervisor should have the equivalent 180 hours of domestic violence education and 2,000 hours of experience working in the domestic violence field. Group Facilitators – While qualifications for group facilitators shall be determined by individual programs and supervisors/coordinators, a minimum of 40 hours of domestic violence victim and batterer intervention training is strongly recommended |
| New Mexico | NMCADV provides a 3-day (24 hr.) core advocacy training for new advocates in correlation with 16 hrs. of OVC TTac online modules. |
| New York | No State Standards |
| North Carolina | The safety and rights of domestic violence victims is the highest priority. The BIP is responsible for ensuring that practices and activities do not increase danger to the victim. All practices should be evaluated by how well they advance or jeopardize the safety of the victim and their children. The BIP working directly with or through a domestic violence victim services program assists victims in developing a safety plan. It is strongly recommended that BIP staff receive training in safety planning development from the local domestic violence agency |
| North Dakota | Facilitators shall also complete training in the following areas prior to facilitating a group: dynamics of domestic violence, substance abuse and the correlation to domestic violence, power and control tools, gender roles and contextual impact on domestic violence, victim dynamics and impact of trauma, interviewing & assessment, lethality risk assessment and management, legal issues, group process, working with resistant clients, cultural competency personality disorders and the correlation to domestic violence, and diversity. |
| Ohio | Training shall be an integral part of BIPs. BIP group facilitators shall have on-going training in the areas including: 1, The dynamics of DV and the behaviors used by batterers as part of a pattern of power and control, 2. Issues of victim safety and batterer accountability, 3. Strategies for effectively confronting excuses for violence, including substance abuse/addiction and victim blaming, 4. The impact of battering on partners, children and other; 5. The role of BIPs in a coordinated community response; 6.New facilitators shall receive comprehensive training on DV in general |
| Oklahoma | A certified group shall provide a minimum of 30 hours of orientation training that incorporates the use of adult learning techniques (i.e., scenarios, role playing, shadowing). A certified shall have policies and procedures mandating, at the minimum, 16 hours of annual training. |
| Oregon | facilitator show document completion of 80 hours of training regarding domestic violence, specific issues. 40 hours of the training must be provided by a non-governmental victim of advocacy program approved by the local council. in addition to the training requirements of facilitator show document completion of at least 18 hours of training and substance abuse, identification and screening, and at least 12 hours of training and mental health, identification and screening. After a facilitator has met the basic qualifications, the facilitator shall document a minimum of 32 hours over two calendar year of continuing education or training and topics related to the training requirements. Not more than eight hours of in program training or eight hours of Internet work correspondence, training may use annually to satisfy this biennial requirement. |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards |
| Rhode Island | A Batterers Intervention Program is a psycho-educational group led by trained professional facilitators. Each meeting is an hour and a half to two hours long, and meetings are held every week for a minimum of 20 weeks. Fees are collected, but programs can make accommodations as needed. Ask your parole officer or program staff about available options. |
| South Carolina | No information on training in the programs and state standards are waiting for an update from South Carolina |
| South Dakota | No State Standards |
| Tennessee | All instructors and supervisors shall receive a minimum of 40 hours of training within the first 12 months after a certified program has received its initially certification. After instructors and supervisors have received their initial 40 hours of training, they shall receive a minimum of eight hours of training annually.  |
| Texas | You have to make an account and submit an online application |
| Utah | Before providing services DV professionals should undergo 24 hours of pre-service training specific to domestic violence. DV professionals are required to have 16 hours of ongoing training specific to DV on a yearly basis |
| Vermont | Staff members must complete a training approved by the Batterer Accountability Committee of the Vermont Council on Domestic Violence within 3 months of their employment. Staff members must observe at least two groups at a certified BIP within one month of their employment, 2 more within the next 2 months and a total of 6 within 6 months of their employment. Staff members must attend and document at least 10hoours per year of professional development approved by the DV Accountability Committee. Staff with more than2 years of facilitation experience must attend and document 6 hours of annual professional development approved by the DVAC. |
| Virginia | The board does not endorse a particular training program; however, certified programs must ensure that each individual providing certified BIP services has received a minimum of 32 hours of DV training in the areas identified in the standards. The training can be obtained via online, face to face observation, internal, DVD facilitated, and conferences. All staff shall complete 12 hours of continuing education annually. |
| Washington | The Washington State Basic Food Employment and Training (BFE&T or BFET) program provides job search, job search training, self-directed job search, educational services, skills training, and other employment opportunities to Basic Food (SNAP) recipients who are not participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Work First work program. Services are provided through community or technical colleges and/or community based organizations (CBO). |
| West Virginia | Facilitators shall receive on an annual basis a minimum of 6- three (3) hours of continuing education or training approved by the Board. The training shall include, but not be limited to, the following: Domestic violence and substance abuse. 3.3.c.2. Domestic violence and the law; 3.3.c.3. Other issues which pertain to domestic violence. 3.3.c.4. Awareness and understanding of diversity and cultural differences; 3.3.c.5, Group process and facilitation skills training. |
| Wisconsin | NO STANDARDS |
| Wyoming | NO STANDARDS |
| State Name | Assessment information | Definition of Domestic Violence |
| Alabama | *Intake/Assessment information not listed* | *No definition Listed* |
| Alaska | Approved Programs Must: “make a written intake assessment and a written service plan for each program participant that contains a profile of the participant’s current and past domestic violence, screening for substance abuse and mental health indicators, descriptions of past and current behavior, lethality assessment, safety checks, and a strategy for case management of the participant;”” |
Domestic violence occurs when you are physically, sexually, or emotionally abused by another person who is related to you as. A spouse or former spouse. A person you have dated, or are presently dating. A person with whom you have had sex. |
| Arizona | “. An administrator shall ensure that: 1. A client is given the following information in writing before DUI screening is conducted: a. A description of the DUI screening process; b. The timeline for initiating and completing DUI screening; c. The consequences to the client for not complying with the DUI screening process and timeline; and d. The cost and methods of payment for DUI screening, DUI education, and DUI treatment; and 2. The client’s receipt of the information is documented in the client record. C. An administrator shall ensure that a client’s DUI screening: 1. Occurs within 30 days after the date of the court order, unless otherwise required by the court; 2. Is conducted by a: a. Behavioral health professional; or b. Licensed substance abuse technician under direct supervision, as defined in A.A.C. R4-6-101, of a behavioral health professional; 3. Consists of a face-to-face interview that lasts at least 30 minutes but not more than three hours; 4. Includes administering at least one of the following for measuring alcohol dependency or substance abuse: a. Driver Risk Inventory II, b. Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, c. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory MMPI-2, d. Mortimer-Filkins Test, e. Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI), f. Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), g. Adolescent Chemical Dependency Inventory (ACDI), h. Juvenile Substance Abuse Profile (JSAP), i. Reinstatement Review Inventory (RRI), or j A substance abuse questionnaire that contains the information in one of the screening assessments in subsections (C)(4) |
“means any act that is a dangerous crime against children as defined in section…if any of the following applies: 1. The relationship between the victim and the defendant is one of marriage or former marriage or of persons residing or having resided in the same household. 2. The victim and the defendant have a child in common. 3. The victim or the defendant is pregnant by the other party. 4. The victim is related to the defendant or the defendant’s spouse by blood or court order as a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother or sister or by marriage as a parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, stepparent, step-grandparent, stepchild, step-grandchild, brother-in-law or sister-in-law. 5. The victim is a child who resides or has resided in the same household as the defendant and is related by blood to a former spouse of the defendant or to a person who resides or who has resided in the same household as the defendant. 6. The relationship between the victim and the defendant is currently or was previously a romantic or sexual relationship. The following factors may be considered in determining whether the relationship between the victim and the defendant is currently or was previously a romantic or sexual relationship: (a) The type of relationship. (b) The length of the relationship. (c) The frequency of the interaction between the victim and the defendant. (d) If the relationship has terminated, the length of time since the termination. |
| Arkansas | “All member DVIP service providers will utilize one of the following evidence-based pre and post-screening tools to measure the impact of their program. This data will be de-identified and shared with ACADV each quarter, for evaluation and analysis purposes. Suggested Screening Tools: ● Domestic Violence Inventory (DVI) ● VAW Scale In order for domestic violence intervention programs to work effectively with batterers, it is important for service providers to have an understanding of the potential level of risk of harm and/or lethality of the batterer. However, there is no one instrument or tool that will perfectly predict the risk of danger or lethality posed to a victim by their batterer. The process of assessing and managing risk in the context of domestic violence is dynamic and complex. Programs are encouraged to use various established tools and methods for risk assessment, with a realistic understanding of what the tools can assess and how to interpret the results.” |
“(A) Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, or assault between family or household members; or (B) Any sexual conduct between family or household members, whether minors or adults, that constitutes a crime under the laws of this state;” |
| California | Evaluation/assessment guidelines are not listed in the links provided | ” abuse committed against an adult or a minor who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or person with whom the suspect has had a child or is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship” |
| Colorado | the evaluation shall assess and determine the following: – Level and nature of risk, including possible lethality for future domestic violence16 (Reference Appendix E, Section VII); – Individual criminogenic needs17, domestic violence, and issues related to power and control (Reference Appendix E, Section IV); – Strategies for managing criminogenic needs and the presence of any domestic violence and issues related to power and control; – Offender strengths (e.g., pro-social support factors, employment, education); – Any potential destabilizing factors (e.g., job loss, homelessness, bankruptcy); – Offender responsivity factors (Reference Appendix E, Section VI);- Level of offender accountability (Reference Appendix E, Section I); – Assessment of amenability18 for treatment is defined as: The ability to comprehend treatment concepts The physical and mental ability to function in a treatment setting The presence of potential language barriers (see Standard 5.03 for more information). – Considerations and clinical factors unique to a Specific Offending Population (e.g., female offenders, LGBQIA+ offenders) using the guidelines from Appendix B; – Relevant diagnostic considerations regarding the treatment of co-existing conditions, the need for medical or pharmacological treatment (if indicated), and further assessments needed to address areas of concern; – Overall clinical issues and criminogenic needs in the form of a case conceptualization and make recommendations for the Offender Treatment Plan; – Recommendations of initial strategies for monitoring related to community and victim safety. |
an emerging, cyclical, or established pattern of attitudes and/or behaviors that are abusive, controlling, harmful or predatory against a person. Such domestic violence behaviors are choices that attempt to cause a specific outcome rooted in power and control and often intersect with multiple forms of abuse. Domestic violence offenders can present with multiple areas of risk to reoffend (i.e., domestic violence reoffending, lethality, non-domestic violence reoffending). |
| Connecticut | The following 11 questions are assessed for lethality: 1. Has he/she ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a weapon? 2. Has he/she threatened to kill you or your children? 3. Do you think he/she might try to kill you?4. Does he/she have a gun or can he/she get one easily? 5. Has he/she ever tried to choke you? 6. Is he/she violently or constantly jealous or does he/she control most of your daily activities? 7. Have you left him/her or separated after living together or being married? 8. Is he/she unemployed? 9. Has he/she ever tried to kill himself/herself? 10. Do you have a child that he/she knows is not his/hers? 11. Does he/she follow or spy on you or leave threatening messages? |
…(1) A continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury against a family or household member, as defined in section 46b38a; (2) stalking, including, but not limited to, stalking as described in section 53a-181d, of such family or household member; (3) a pattern of threatening, including, but not limited to, a pattern of threatening as described in section 53a62, of such family or household member or a third party that intimidates such family or household member; or (4) coercive control of such family or household member, which is a pattern of behavior that in purpose or effect unreasonably interferes with a person’s free will and personal liberty. ‘Coercive control’ includes, but is not limited to, unreasonably engaging in any of the following: (A) Isolating the family or household member from friends, relatives or other sources of support; (B) Depriving the family or household member of basic necessities; (C) Controlling, regulating or monitoring the family or household member’s movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources or access to services; (D) Compelling the family or household member by force, threat or intimidation, including, but not limited to, threats based on actual or suspected immigration status, to (i) engage in conduct from which such family or household member has a right to abstain, or (ii) abstain from conduct that such family or household member has a right to pursue; (E) Committing or threatening to commit cruelty to animals that intimidates the family or household member; or (F) Forced sex acts, or threats of a sexual nature, including, but not limited to, threatened acts of sexual conduct, threats based on a person’s sexuality or threats to release sexual images. |
| Delaware | Assessment of lethality to include: (a) homicide risk (b) suicide risk (c) frequency/cycle of violence (d) history of violence (e) substance use/abuse (f) assaults on other family members, including children (g) previous criminal history/activity (h) violence outside the home (i) proximity of victim and offender (j) attitudes toward violence (k) life stresses and/or potential triggers (l) accessibility to weapons (m) obsession over partner (or children) | any act involving physical injury or harm; the threat of physical injury or harm; any act of nonconsensual sexual contact, penetration, intercourse; or the threat of nonconsensual sexual contact, penetration, intercourse, or sexual coercion; property damage; intimidation; endangerment; unlawful restraint; or any other coercive behavior that is used to control another through physical violence, sexual violence, emotional and psychological violence, intimidation, verbal abuse, economic control or other methods within a past or present intimate adult relationship. |
| Florida | Whenever possible, the law enforcement officer shall obtain a written statement from the victim and witnesses concerning the alleged domestic violence. The officer shall submit the report to the supervisor or other person to whom the employer’s rules or policies require reports of similar allegations of criminal activity to be made. The law enforcement agency shall, without charge, send a copy of the initial police report, as well as any subsequent, supplemental, or related report, which excludes victim/witness statements or other materials that are part of an active criminal investigation and are exempt from disclosure under chapter 119, to the nearest locally certified domestic violence center within 24 hours after the agency’s receipt of the report. The report furnished to the domestic violence center must include a narrative description of the domestic violence incident. | any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another family or household member. |
| Georgia | (a) Certified facilitators will conduct an orientation and/or application interview with candidates. Neither the orientation nor the application interview will count toward the twenty-four (24) class 15 requirement. The orientation and/or application interview shall include determining previous incidents of abuse, identifying the source of referral, and obtaining victim contact information. (b) Certified facilitators shall require candidates to provide copies of any police reports, protection orders, probation conditions, and any other court orders related to their case prior to starting FVIP classes. (c) Certified facilitators may use assessment tools for evaluating candidates for the appropriateness of FVIP classes. (d) Certified facilitators may not use evaluation tools or clinical assessments for the purposes of predicting a candidate’s or participant’s future use of violence or propensity for violence. (e) Certified facilitators shall assess candidates for accessibility requirements under state law. (f) A Victim Contact Request Form must be sent to the victim liaison within five (5) calendar days of a participant’s enrollment in the FVIP. Requirements for this form can be found in the Department SOP. | refers to physical, emotional, economic, sexual and verbal abuse, coercive control, stalking, and violence or threats of violence against an intimate partner, property or others. |
| Hawaii | Procedures and or evaluation methods are not outlined in the attached documents | This document outlines behavior such as physical violence, sexual violence, reproductive coercion, and psychological violence to define intimate partner violence |
| Idaho | 1. Programs must provide a written contract regarding offender rights, responsibilities, and limits of confidentiality. (See Offender Contract under Section IV.C. below.) 2. The intake shall be completed in a 1:1 meeting of the offender and the intervention staff, in person or via telecommunication. (See also Telecommunication policy in Section III.C.) 3. The intervention providers must be available to the offender to begin intervention within two weeks of a court ordered referral. The intervention staff must contact the referring agency if unable to accept the offender within two weeks of referral. 9 | P a g e Version 1.0 | January 2022 4. All contact between the offender and the intervention staff must be documented in the offender’s file. 5. Victim safety and offender accountability are central to effective DV offender intervention programs. Therefore, confidentiality is limited. Programs must advise offenders of the specific limitations of confidentiality. Programs must also keep in mind that victim safety is priority to all information sharing. The information that must be made available to courts, appropriate authorities, victims, previous victims, partners, and ex-partners includes, but is not limited to, assessment findings, attendance, any use of violence or threats, reasons for discharge, recommendations, and completion from the program. 6. Upon enrollment of the offender, the intervention program shall attempt to notify the victim (usually by letter). Attempts to notify victims must be documented. Face-to-face, phone or mail contact may be used. The contact should provide: a. The purpose of the intervention program b. The procedure for reporting further offenses c. A preliminary assessment for the victim’s own use in determining risk d. Limitations of the program and that attendance in an intervention program does not guarantee an offender will not be violent e. Resource information regarding victim services f. Opportunity for the victim to provide input in the assessment process g. Contact information of the program if they have any concerns or questions. The intervention staff shall inform the offender regarding process, expectations, and limitations of intervention, the reporting policies of the program and other rules of confidentiality. Victims and/or partners will be informed that attendance in the program does not guarantee an offender will not be violent. | the physical injury, sexual abuse or forced imprisonment or threat thereof of a family or household member, or of a minor child by a person with whom the minor child has had or is having a dating relationship, or of an adult by a person with whom the adult has had or is having a dating relationship. |
| Illinois |
At intake, a screening of the participant must be conducted and documented, and must include, but not be limited to, the following: 1) Obtaining general identification and demographic data: |
physical abuse (pushing, hitting, forced sex, not allowing you to leave) harassment (creating a disturbance at your job, repeatedly telephoning, following or watching you, preventing you from seeing your child, threatening to hurt you) making a child or other person watch abuse. |
| Indiana | The applicant must submit a policy and procedure requiring participants to sign a contract at the time of intake. The contract must include but is not limited to the following. The applicant is also required to submit a copy of the group rules. If the rules are different for in person and virtual both must be submitted. 1. I agree that the reason I am in the AIP is to learn not to be violent or abusive. 2. I will not abuse anyone else or myself as long as I am in this AIP. This includes verbal, emotional, sexual, financial, and psychological abuse; threats of suicide; and threats of violence. If I engage in abusive behavior towards another person or myself, I will inform the AIP staff of what happened. 3. I will participate openly, honestly, and actively in educational group discussions, and I will abide by all AIP group rules. 8 4. While mental health services and substance use disorder treatment alone are not appropriate interventions for intimate partner violence. The program may find that you could benefit from these interventions separately and in addition to the AIP. I will cooperate if an AIP staff requests that I obtain a mental health or substance use assessment. 5. I will provide the correct contact information for the person(s) that were harmed by my abuse. I understand that the people harmed by my abuse may receive information from the AIP. 6. I understand that the safety of the people I have harmed by my abuse, the community, and myself are of paramount importance. I understand that measures will be taken by the AIP staff to promote safety including contacting the survivor, referral sources, or law enforcement, if necessary. 7. I understand that all suspected child abuse and neglect will be reported as defined by Indiana law (IC 31-33-5-1). 8. I understand that all suspected battery, neglect, or exploitation of an endangered adult will be reported as required by Indiana law (IC 35-46-1-12 and IC-35-46-1-13). | any violent act or crime directed toward or against an intimate partner. Intimate partners can be defined as spouses, former spouses, those living together as if a spouse, or those with a child in common. |
| Iowa | Link attached does not outline assessment procedures | |
| Kansas | 1. The program shall assess individuals prior to accepting them into a batterer intervention program. The program shall use the Kansas Attorney General Domestic Violence Offender Assessment (KDVOA) to make this determination. The program shall receive training from the Office of the Attorney General on the KDVOA prior to its use, and follow instructions. 2. The process of assessing a participant shall continue after the participant has been allowed to enter the intervention program. If at any time the individual is determined to not be appropriate for batterer intervention, action should be taken to refer for appropriate services. If it is determined through ongoing assessment that additional services are needed, the action to extend or change services shall be reported to the referring agency. | (1) Knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm by a family or household member against a family or household member; or (2) knowingly causing physical contact with a family or household member by a family or household member when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner. |
| Kentucky | The assessment shall include: 1. history of abusive behavior 2. criminal history 3. risk of harm to self and others 4. medical history 5. History of a mental disorder 6. current mental status 7. history or presence of a substance abuse disorder 8. characteristics and ability to benefit from the approved program curriculum and 9. relevant public records, including police report and other information about the batterer | Domestic violence includes physical injury, sexual abuse, assault, or threats to physically injury, sexually abuse or assault. |
| Louisiana | All batterer intervention programs must conduct an initial screening intake interview with the applicant to assess whether or not the applicant would benefit from the program’s services. The program may refuse to enroll an applicant if the program determines that the applicant would not benefit from the program, or that the applicant’s presence would present an unacceptable disruption or risk to the program or the other participants. The intervention program should develop and utilize criteria for the acceptance or rejection of applicants to the program. Each intervention program has the responsibility to evaluate whether or not any client should be required to engage in drug and alcohol counseling, individual psychotherapy, or other treatment prior to or during their participation in the batterer intervention program. All batterer intervention programs should obtain at least the following information during the intake procedure: History of abuse: During intake, the intervention program should collect information about the applicant’s history of abusive behavior, including: • abusive behavior, battering, and control of partners in the present and previous relationships. • other incidents of violence. • experience as a target or witness of abuse. Ongoing assessment of lethality: During intake, and throughout intervention, the intervention program should assess the potential lethality of the participant.’ This must include the assessment of each of the following: 2 • threats of homicide or suicide. • fantasies of homicide or suicide. • possession of, access to, or a history of using weapons. • the degree of possessiveness in relation to the battered partner. • the degree of obsessiveness about, and dependency on, the battered partner. • basic screening for depression or mental health issues. • level of access to the battered partner or other family members. • legal and illegal drug or alcohol use. • sexual abuse of the battered partner or others. • the battered woman’s assessment of the battering partner’s lethality. At the time of intake, the intervention program should provide the applicant with a complete and current description of the program curriculum. |
Domestic violence is a pattern of abuse or aggression among people living in the same home. This could be a family member, your spouse, or your roommate. One form of domestic violence is intimate partner violence (IPV). The abuser’s primary goal is to gain and maintain control over the victim. |
| Maine | **Intake/assessment forms were not listed and thus I cannot list the intake criteria. However, on state government website there is listed intervention programs with intake forms attached next to each organization (https://www.maine.gov/corrections/victimservices/cdvip) | Only listed is criteria for committing Domestic violence assault: 1. A person is guilty of domestic violence assault if: A. The person violates section 207 and the victim is a family or household member as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 6 or a dating partner as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 4. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime; or [PL 2023, c. 465, §2 (AMD).] B. The person violates paragraph A and at the time of the offense: (1) Has one or more prior convictions for violating paragraph A or for violating section 208‑D, 208‑E, 208‑F, 209‑A, 210‑B, 210‑C or 211‑A or one or more prior convictions for engaging in conduct substantially similar to that contained in paragraph A or in section 208‑D, 208‑E, 208‑F, 209‑A, 210‑B, 210‑C or 211‑A in another jurisdiction; (2) Has one or more prior convictions for violating Title 19‑A, former section 4011, subsection 1 or Title 19‑A, section 4113, subsection 1 or one or more prior convictions for engaging in conduct substantially similar to that contained in Title 19‑A, section 4113, subsection 1 in another jurisdiction; (3) Has one or more prior convictions for violating Title 15, section 1092, subsection 1, paragraph B when the condition of release violated is specified in Title 15, section 1026, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (5) or (8) when the alleged victim in the case for which the defendant was on bail was a family or household member as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 6 or a dating partner as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 4; or (4) Has one or more prior convictions for violating section 208, 208‑B or 208‑C, and the State had pled and proved that the victim of the applicable prior conviction was a family or household member, as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 6, or a dating partner, as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 4, or has one or more prior convictions in another jurisdiction for engaging in conduct substantially similar to that contained in section 208, 208‑B or 208‑C and it had been pled and proved that the victim was a family or household member or a dating partner. (https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-a/title17-Asec207-A.html) |
| Maryland | Intake Procedures. The AIP shall indicate to the court or court monitor if a referred person is assessed as not being amenable to the program’s services and, to the extent feasible, make appropriate recommendations. B. The AIP shall submit a report to the court or the court monitor if someone ordered to attend the program fails to contact the program, within either one month or the response time ordered by the court, whichever is shorter. C. The AIP shall make every effort to offer a screening and intake appointment within ten (10) business days of the referred person’s contact with the program. D. The AIP shall develop a history and profile of the abuser’s violent behavior based on descriptions from criminal justice agencies, the victim(s), treatment programs, and other relevant persons or agencies. The AIP shall require the abuser to provide the following information: ▪ Full name; ▪ Address; ▪ Victim’s name and available contact information; ▪ History of substance abuse; ▪ History of mental/behavioral health, including diagnoses, hospitalizations, treatment and medications; ▪ Assessment for homicidal or suicidal threats or ideation; ▪ Description of referring incident; ▪ Information on possession and access to weapons, and any history of threat or actual use of weapons; (https://goccp.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021-AIP-Guidelines.pdf) |
“Domestic Violence – Abusive behavior whereby a person intends to establish and maintain power and control over person with whom he or she has, or has had, a significant personal relationship. Power and control are exerted through physical, sexual, psychological and or economic means. Examples of domestic violence include, but are not limited to: intimidation; |
| Massachusetts | The following pieces of information are required to be gathered to assess abusers: -Criminal history -History of abusing the victim- History of abusing other victims- History of non-fatal strangulation- History of forced se- History of extreme possessiveness or jealousy- Possession of weapons- History of use/or threats with a weapon- Use of weapons in prior abuse of the victim- Past threats against or abuse of pets- Past attempts or threats to kill- Past attempts or threats to commit suicide- Current or past vacate, restraining, no contact or other protective orders, including those held against the suspect by someone other than the victim. After, a interview of the victim is conducted (questions, risk factors, or official rating system not listed) (https://www.concordma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30616/205-Domestic-Violence-High-Risk-Assessment-4-23-2020-Final) |
“Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to maintain power and control over an intimate partner or family member. Behaviors of domestic violence include: Physical and sexual – pushing, hitting, slapping, strangling, kicking, biting, forcing someone to have sex or engage in sexual acts against their will Emotional abuse – name-calling, put-downs, making someone feel guilty, crazy or badly about oneself and/or blaming them for the abuse Coercion, threats, intimidation – making someone afraid using looks, actions, gestures (glares, smashing things, showing weapons, abusing pets), making and/or carrying out threats to hurt, threatening to leave, to commit suicide, to report to DCF/welfare/immigration, or pressure to drop criminal charges Isolation – controlling what someone does, where they go, or who they see or talk to, keeping them from family or friends, using jealousy to justify actions Using children – criticizing parenting skills, threatening to take children away, using children to relay messages, using visitation to harass Economic – preventing someone from working or having access to and knowledge about family income https://www.mass.gov/info-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/domestic-violence) |
| Michigan | The following factors are assessed for lethality of an assailant: Degree of ownership the batterer expresses regarding the victim;- Threats of homicide;- Threats of suicide;- Possession of or access to weapons;- Rage;- History of past abuse;- Fantasy of homicide or suicide;- Obsessiveness about victim (or the victim’s family/friends);- Centrality of victim to batterer;- History of stalking;- History of holding victim captive;- History of pet abuse;- Victim making plans to leave or has already left;- Drug and/or alcohol usage;- Access to the victim and her family;- Number of times police have been called to the house;- Level of risk-taking by the batterer;- Acute mental health problems;- History of depression;- History of anti-social behavior; – Violence in the family of origin. (https://www.biscmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/bs_stds.pdf, Pg 8) | “Domestic Violence is a pattern of controlling behaviors, some of which are criminal, that includes but is not limited to physical assaults, sexual assaults, emotional abuse, isolation, economic coercion, threats, stalking and intimidation. These behaviors are used by the batterer in an effort to control the intimate partner. The behavior may be directed at others with the effect of controlling the intimate partner.” (https://www.biscmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/bs_stds.pdf, Pg6) |
| Minnesota | The assessment /intake procedures are not listed on the website provided | domestic abuse as one of the following acts committed by a family or household member against another family or household member: infliction of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault; infliction of fear of imminent physical harm; terroristic threats (Minn. Stat. § 609.713);acts of criminal sexual conduct (Minn. Stat. §§ 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, 609.3451);interference with an emergency call (Minn. Stat. § 609.78). |
| Mississippi | No State Standards | |
| Missouri | During the initial program intake, a history of a batterer must be obtained, and can include, but is not limited to: • Basic identifying information (must be 18 years old or otherwise emancipated); • Demographic information; • Violence used in family of origin; • Current or former partner(s); • Criminal history, including arrests, convictions and police reports; • Pending court actions; • Descriptive history of his use of violence and other abusive behaviors, including those within and outside of the intimate relationship; • Screening for severe mental health problems or disruptive behavior and arranging/referring for treatment when necessary; and • Screening for chemical dependency problems and arranging/referring for treatment when necessary. Orientation with new participants can assist with transition into the program. Orientations can include information on the program, program requirements, attendance policies, and participation expectations. | A person commits the offense of domestic assault in the first degree if he or she attempts to kill or knowingly causes or attempts to cause serious physical injury to a domestic victim, |
| Montana | The following 11 questions are assessed for lethality: 1. Has he/she ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a weapon? 2. Has he/she threatened to kill you or your children? 3. Do you think he/she might try to kill you?4. Does he/she have a gun or can he/she get one easily? 5. Has he/she ever tried to choke you? 6. Is he/she violently or constantly jealous or does he/she control most of your daily activities? 7. Have you left him/her or separated after living together or being married? 8. Is he/she unemployed? 9. Has he/she ever tried to kill himself/herself? 10. Do you have a child that he/she knows is not his/hers? 11. Does he/she follow or spy on you or leave threatening messages? |
purposely or knowingly causing bodily injury to a partner or family member; negligently causing bodily injury to a partner or family member with a weapon; or purposely or knowingly causing reasonable apprehension of bodily injury in a partner or family member. |
| Nebraska | The following intake standards should be implemented: · During intake and periodically thereafter, the program will assess for lethality and risk of harm to others. Appendix D lists a minimum list of information a program should obtain when assessing for lethality and risk of harm. Risk assessments throughout his involvement in the program are required. Offenders of domestic abuse have the potential to greatly injure or kill others. While an offender’s behavior cannot be predicted or accounted for by program staff, because primary program objectives seek to provide for the safety of the victims and contribute to efforts to hold offenders accountable, assessing for lethality or risk of harm are an important part of the program structure. Changes that may occur in the offender’s life during the time he is involved in the program, such as increased alcohol use or a breakup with a partner, can increase his potential for lethality or risk of harming others. The program should have a written policy establishing follow up from an evaluation. · The program shall review the contract for services with the individual that clearly spells out obligations in the program and the nature of the intervention program. · If the program rejects a court-mandated applicant for intervention services, it must advise the court or referring agency of the basis for rejection. This information shall be provided to the individual if the individual is a self-referral. · The program does not discriminate against any applicant based on race, class, age, physical handicap, religion, educational attainment, ethnicity, national origin or sexual preference. Orientation must include: · The definition of domestic abuse; · An introduction of the power and control wheel; · An introduction of the equality wheel; · An overview of the program’s rules and regulations; · An overview of effects of domestic abuse on children; and · An outline of program content showing the dynamics of power and control, the effects of abuse on the victim, children and others, gender roles, socialization and the nature of the abuse |
Domestic Violence occurs when an individual establishes and maintains power and control over their intimate partner. There are many forms of abuse including physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse. |
| Nevada |
A mechanism for measuring the progress of the offender in the program, including, without limitation, his or her attendance and participation in counseling sessions, completion of assignments, and behavior and attitudinal changes; (c) Develops, in consultation with the offender, a written plan of control for the offender to deter the offender from engaging in violent behavior or behavior that is harmful to himself or herself or other persons; 3. A provider of treatment prepares a written report of the results of the evaluation conducted pursuant to subsection 2 that includes, without limitation: 4. Upon the admission of an offender to the program, the program requires a written agreement that sets forth the responsibilities of the offender and the provider of treatment and includes the provisions set forth in NAC 228.175. The agreement must be signed by: |
1. Domestic violence occurs when a person commits one of the following acts against or upon the person’s spouse or former spouse, any other person to whom the person is related by blood or marriage, any other person with whom the person has had or is having a dating relationship, any other person with whom the person has a child in common, the minor child of any of those persons, the person’s minor child or any other person who has been appointed the custodian or legal guardian for the person’s minor child: (a) A battery. |
| New Hampshire | In order to ensure that the Member Program is providing victim/survivor-centered, trauma-informed, culturally competent services to victims/survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking the programs will comply with monitoring activities of NHCADSV and the New Hampshire Department of Justice (NHDOJ). In recognition that the input of victims/survivors is critical in the evaluation process, programs have mechanisms for obtaining feedback about services from victim/survivors and incorporating that feedback into the monitoring process. Program Indicators A. The Member Program demonstrates compliance with the NHCADSV monitoring process; B. The Member Program demonstrates compliance with the NHDOJ Grants Management Unit’s monitoring process; and C. The Member Program has an established method for obtaining feedback from persons who use their services and share that feedback during the monitoring process. |
means the commission or attempted commission of one or more of the following acts by a family or household member or current or former sexual or intimate partner and where such conduct constitutes a credible present threat to the plaintiff’s safety. The court may consider evidence of such acts, regardless of their proximity in time to the filing of the petition, which, in combination with recent conduct, reflects an ongoing pattern of behavior which reasonably caused or has caused the petitioner to fear for their safety or well-being. a. Assault or reckless conduct as defined in RSA 631:1 through RSA 631:3; b. Criminal threatening as defined in RSA 631:4; c. Sexual assault as defined in RSA 632-A:2 through RSA 632-A:5; d. Interference with freedom as defined in RSA 633:1 through RSA 633:3-a;Stalking is included under these definitions and may form the basis for a finding under RSA 173-B. e. Destruction of property as defined in RSA 634:1 and RSA 634:2; f. Unauthorized entry as defined in RSA 635:1 and RSA 635:2; g. Harassment as defined in RSA 644:4; and |
| New Jersey | The following 11 questions are assessed for lethality: 1. Has he/she ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a weapon? 2. Has he/she threatened to kill you or your children? 3. Do you think he/she might try to kill you?4. Does he/she have a gun or can he/she get one easily? 5. Has he/she ever tried to choke you? 6. Is he/she violently or constantly jealous or does he/she control most of your daily activities? 7. Have you left him/her or separated after living together or being married? 8. Is he/she unemployed? 9. Has he/she ever tried to kill himself/herself? 10. Do you have a child that he/she knows is not his/hers? 11. Does he/she follow or spy on you or leave threatening messages? |
Domestic violence is the occurrence of one or more of the following 19 criminal offenses upon a person protected under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act (PDVA) of 1991: homicide, assault, terroristic threats, kidnapping, criminal restraint, false imprisonment, sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, lewdness, criminal mischief, burglary, criminal trespass, harassment, stalking, criminal coercion, robbery, contempt of a domestic violence order and any crime involving risk of death or serious bodily injury and cyber harassment. In domestic violence cases, the plaintiff is a person who seeks or has been granted relief under the PDVA. The defendant is a person at least 18 years old or emancipated who is alleged to have committed or who has been found to have committed an act of domestic violence under the PDVA. The parties must have had a specific relationship at present or in the past. The gender of the parties is not a factor. The relationship must be one of the following: marriage; separation; divorce; living together in the same household at present or in the past; a person whom the plaintiff has dated or a person with whom the plaintiff has a child in common or anticipates having a child in common. The defendant must be 18 or older or be an emancipated minor. |
| New Mexico | The information captured under each heading must be answered, if applicable, to the specific adult or child participant. Topics that are only specific to the adult or child assessment and plan are specified in brackets. 1. Identifying Information A. Person – Who is the participant? B. Age – What is the participant’s age? C. Physical Description – overall appearance and manner? D. Accompanied by – was the participant alone or with someone? E. Does the participant have children? If so, list age(s) and gender(s) F. Parent/Guardian name, if applicable [for child assessment] G. School name, if applicable [for child assessment] 2. Reason for seeking services What is the immediate current situation? Describe the precipitating factors. Clients view: What does the participant want to get from being here? 3. Strengths What do you do well? What are you good at? Why? 4. Reason for seeking services and current/past interventions Including establishment of the presenting situation or domestic violence story: with whom, what, where, when, how long, intensity and severity over time, etc. A. Description of the presenting problems B. Past and/or current services or interventions targeted to address problems. Who have you asked for help in the past? Did it help? Why or why not? C. What other agencies are you seeking services from currently? D. Participant’s perceived threat of danger to self and from others 5. DV Relationship History Past/Current A. Has partner ever threatened to take the children? Called or threatened to call Protective Services on you? Accused you of being an unfit parent? Hurt you in front of your children? Attempted to be sexual with you in front of your children? Have your children ever tried to stop the violence? Have your children ever been hurt? Ever hurt themselves? Has partner ever prevented participant from going to work, school, church, errands or ever shown up at work, etc.? Has partner ever prevented participant from seeking medical attention? B. Has the participant and/or family members sought medical care or been hospitalized due to domestic violence? If so, describe. C. Domestic violence in past relationships? Explore, if applicable. D. How much domestic violence was seen or heard (witnessed) in the household by the child/ren? [This should be asked to both parent/guardian and child as age appropriate] 6. Family of Origin A. Cultural/religious factors B. Significant life events (deaths, loss, suicides, moves, etc.) C. Placement history of children, if any D. History of violence/conflict within family E. History of child abuse and/or neglect [both participant and child assessment] F. Child witness to domestic violence [Participant assessment only] G. Who raised the child(ren); describe living environment [child assessment] H. History of moves/school changes [child assessment] I. Exposure to adult use of substances [child assessment] J. Any other relevant information 7. Support System Address the quality of the participant’s support system. Identify significant relationships in participant’s life A. Intimate partner or spouse B. Parents/Caregivers C. Siblings D. Extended Family and Friends E. Important people in participant’s life |
A pattern of abuse in which a person uses coercive, controlling behavior to gain power and control over another through the use of fear, threats, intimidation, coercion and/or physical violence. This can result in: physical harm, severe emotional distress, bodily injury or assault, a threat causing imminent fear of bodily injury, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property, repeatedly driving by a residence or work place, telephone harassment, or stalking. (Also see Intimate Partner Violence) |
| New York | No State Standards | |
| North Carolina | Intake Includes Gathering information in the following categories: family and social history; medical health history; relationship history; history of violent, abusive, and controlling behavior; history of past criminal behavior; substance abuse history and screening; assessment of participant’s cognitive or social skills; any other factors that might interfere with the participation in a group program; and lethality assessment. Lethality Assessment Includes the evaluation of the following factors: violence that increases in severity, frequency, and specificity; a high degree of ownership that the abuser expresses regarding the victim; violation of court orders and conditions of probation; change in access to and relationship with victim; accessibility to weapons, especially firearms; frequent or severe intoxication from alcohol or other drugs; threatened or attempted homicide or suicide; stalking behavior; history of holding victim captive; pet abuse; victim making plans to leave or has already left; extreme isolation of the victim; increased level of risk-taking by the abuser; history of sexual assault; acute mental health problems, including depression and anti-social behavior; past use of weapons or objects; strangulation behaviors; and violence in the family of origin (http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2001%20-%20administration/chapter%2017%20-%20council%20for%20women/01%20ncac%2017%20.0704.pdf, pg 1) | “Domestic violence means the commission of one or more of the following acts upon an aggrieved party or upon a minor child residing with or in the custody of the aggrieved party by a person with whom the aggrieved party has or has had a personal relationship, but does not include acts of self-defense: 1.Attempting to cause bodily injury, or intentionally causing bodily injury; 2. Placing the aggrieved party or a member of the aggrieved party’s family or household in fear of imminent serious bodily injury or continued harassment,as defined in G.S. 14-277.3A, that rises to such a level as to inflict substantialemotional distress; 3. Committing any act defined in G.S. 14-27.21 through G.S. 14-27.33.” (https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/pdf/bychapter/chapter_50b.pdf, pg 1) |
| North Dakota | • Referral source. • Use of violence history of the participant, including pertinent independent descriptions from the participant, the justice system, other treatment providers, and the abused partner (gathered by direct contact with the partner unless anticipated that safety would be jeopardized by contact with battering intervention staff or partner elects not to, or is unavailable to participate in intervention providers’ efforts to obtain collateral information. This history should include violence in present and past intimate relationships, violence involving nonintimate others, as well as the participant’s own experience as the victim of abuse). • The participant’s criminal record, including police reports and protection orders or other court orders filed. • Lethality assessment. During the intake and periodically thereafter, battering intervention providers must assess the potential lethality of the participant. Continuous lethality assessments must be built into both the intake and the group process to protect the safety of abuse victims and group providers. Documentation of lethality assessments must incorporate the following: Є History of threats of homicide or suicide Є History of ideation of homicide or suicide Є Acute and chronic lethality and behavior Є Possession of, access to, or a history of use of weaponsЄ Degree of obsessiveness and dependency upon the participant’s battered partner Є History of episodes of rage Є History of depression Є History of using drugs, alcohol, or other substances Є History of sexual abuse of others, including intimate partner Є Access to past and potential victims • Demographic social history, including education, legal history, drug and alcohol use, and history of other addictive behavior, sexual history, and loss and trauma history • Abuse and violence inventory • Mental status exam • Drug and alcohol screening • Any conditions imposed on participation in the battering intervention program, if determined to be appropriate by the group provider. • Statement of the participant appropriateness for group participation. For additional information on appropriate and inappropriate group membership, please refer to Group Constitution on page 23. The intake assessment may include the following elements, as necessary: • Psychological evaluation • Drug and alcohol evaluation • Medical history |
includes physical harm, bodily injury, sexual activity compelled by physical force, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, sexual activity compelled by physical force, or assault, not committed in self-defense, on the complaining family or household members |
| Ohio | A. BIPs shall establish and comply with written policies and procedures regarding participant intake and other assessments. Even though some BIPs need to comply with certain intake procedures to meet funding and other obligations, some additional information specific to domestic violence shall be collected at BIP participant intake. B. Intake assessment shall include the following: 1. Demographic information; 2. Social history, including childhood experience, use of violence in family of origin, religion, culture, military service, employment status, educational background; 3. Health history, including physical and mental health; 4. Substance abuse screening; 5. History of violent, abusive and controlling behavior in and outside of intimate relationships; 6. History of past criminal behavior, including arrests, convictions and imprisonment; 7. Victim name(s) and contact information; 8. Relationship history, including past and current partners and living arrangements; 9. Children, including custody and child support payment arrangements; 10. Assessment of participant’s cognitive ability; 11. Any factor that might interfere with BIP participation; and 12. Assessment of risk to self or others. C. Risk Assessment: 1. Risk assessment shall be conducted at intake and updated throughout the participant’s BIP involvement. Ongoing assessment of risk of violence is a critical part of BIP work. 2. At intake, a research-based risk assessment tool may be used in order to understand the overall nature of risk the individual may pose. 3. See the Resources section for ODVN (2006) Guidelines for Domestic Violence Risk Assessment for more information. D. An intake session shall be utilized to inform participants of the BIP rules, goals, fees, session length, limits to confidentiality, consequences of noncompliance to BIP rules, and other information as deemed necessary. E. Upon intake completion, if the individual is determined to be a primary victim of domestic violence, the BIP staff shall provide written documentation of such determination and recommendation of alternative services to the referral source. The BIP staff shall also inform the individual of the decision and alternative referral. F. Upon intake completion, if deemed appropriate, the BIP shall refer participants to additional services. The participants shall continue in the BIP unless some severe mental health, substance abuse, or physical conditions prohibits the individual from participating in the BIP activities. G. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Individuals whose psychiatric and/or medical symptoms prevent them from participating in expected program activities and those very rare individuals for whom a medical condition is the primary cause of violence, such as those with a severe brain injury. The BIP must consult with the individuals’ medical/psychiatric care provider(s) and obtain written verification of both the existence and permanency of the condition(s); 2. Individuals with chemical dependency diagnosis who are in need of immediate inpatient treatment shall also be excluded from services until after successful completion of the inpatient treatment. Such diagnosis and successful completion of the inpatient treatment must be verified by written documentation from a licensed chemical dependency counselor, physician, or other appropriate professional; and 3. Upon intake completion, if the individual is determined to be inappropriate for BIP, the BIP staff shall provide a recommendation of alternative services to the referral source and the individual. BIP staff shall provide written documentation of such determination and recommendation to the referral source. BIP staff shall follow local agreement on victim contact and shall pay extra attention to victim safety, IF the victim is to be notified of her partner’s ineligibility for BIP participation. |
harming or threatening harm to a family member or household member. This is broadly defined as any person who currently lives with you or previously lived with you |
| Oklahoma | (A) On a client’s entry to the shelter, staff or volunteer shall record the client’s name, emergency contact person(s) and any referral for medical or emergency services. This information may be a part of the full intake interview if the full intake is done on entering the shelter. An evidence-based, dangerousness assessment and safety planning shall be offered to be done at this time; (B) Shelter clients shall be offered the full intake interview and screening within forty-eight (48) hours of entry into the shelter. If a client declines to participate with intake process, staff or volunteer shall document offer of services; (C) Service plans shall be offered and completed within five (5) business days of the shelter client’s sentry to the shelter. If a client declines to participate with the formation of a service plan, staff or volunteer shall document offer of services; (D) The service plan shall be offered to be reviewed and updated at least every two (2) weeks. If the client declines to review the service plan, staff or volunteer shall document offer of services; (E) The client’s service plan shall be offered to include components which address the needs of each child accompanying the client. If the client declines to add components for their children, staff or volunteer shall document offer of services; (F) The service plan shall be offered to include safety issues for client and children. If the client declines to include safety issues, staff or volunteer shall document offer of services, and (G) A daily note. | means a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by a batterer to gain or maintain power and control over a current or former partner or family member. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. |
| Oregon | (2) Informational Materials: (a) A BIP shall prepare for distribution to victims and partners informational materials written in plain language, tailored to the community and responsive to relevant cultural components. The information shall be made available by the BIP upon request to any victim or partner, provided to the VP and LSA, and made available in a form that may be distributed through community resources. (b) The materials shall include information about the following: (A) A brief description of the BIP, including program expectations, content and philosophy; (B) A clear statement that the victim or partner is not expected in any way to help the participant complete any BIP requirements, and that the participant’s eligibility for the BIP’s services is not contingent in any way on victim or partner participation or on other victim or partner contact with the BIP; (C) The limitations of BIPs, including a statement that the batterer’s participation in a BIP does not ensure the participant will stop any or all battering behaviors; (D) The risk that participants may misuse and distort information they hear in their BIP groups or classes against the victim or partner; (E) The risk of participants re-offending, or changing their control tactics, or both, while in the BIP or after completion of BIP requirements; (F) The victim’s or partner’s right, at her discretion, to contact the BIP, or the facilitators of the group or class the participant is attending, signed up for, or sanctioned into, with any questions or concerns, and the right to have communications kept confidential unless confidentiality is waived by the victim or partner, or unless the release of information provided by the victim is required, either pursuant to a court order or pursuant to state or federal law or regulation; (G) A statement that the victim or partner may report to the BIP, LSA, a VP, or the Council if she has a concern about how the BIP is contacting her; (H) Contact information related to victim services, such as services offered by VPs in the victim’s community, the statewide automated victim notification system (VINE), Oregon crime victims’ compensation program, and constitutional and statutory victims’ rights; (I) Information for victims regarding how to make safety plans to protect themselves and their children, including community resources to contact if they believe they are at risk; and (J) Notification that a VP may be available as a means by which the information set forth in section (1)(d) of this rule may be communicated, thereby allowing the victim to choose to avoid direct contact with the BIP. (c) Upon request, a BIP shall make a reasonable effort to provide its informational materials in a form suitable for victims or partners with vision impairments or with limited English proficiency. |
“Battering” includes but is not limited to physical violence, sexual violence, threats, isolation, emotional and psychological intimidation, verbal abuse, stalking, economic abuse, or other controlling behaviors against women in, but not limited to, the following relationships:(a) A current or former spouse of the batterer;(b) An unmarried parent of a child fathered by the batterer;(c) A woman who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the batterer;(d) A woman who has been involved in a sexually intimate relationship with the batterer within the past two years;(e) A woman who has a dating relationship with the batterer;(f) An adult woman related by blood, marriage or adoption to the batterer; or(f) An adult woman related by blood, marriage or adoption to the batterer; or |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards | |
| Rhode Island | A. Batterers intervention programs shall make every effort to admit a batterer into a group within three (3) weeks of the batterer’s initial enrollment. If the program projects that no group will be available within this time frame, the referral source shall be notified in writing. B. At the time of enrollment, batterers intervention programs shall inquire whether the participant has been referred to the program as a result of court involvement. If so, the program shall promptly notify the referral source of enrollment (by telephone, fax, mail, or email). 1. No batterers intervention program shall knowingly enroll a courtmandated individual who is currently enrolled in or has been referred to another program, or who has been discharged unsatisfactorily from another program, except with the express agreement of the referral agency and exchange of information with the sending program. C. The intake process shall include: 1. Interviewing and gathering identifying information, a full history of abuse and other violence, social history, police report, arrest history, and other information as available; 2. Informing each client of the program rules and expectations; 3. Notifying the client of the limits of confidentiality; and 4. Review of all agreements and contracts as noted in § 6.42.6.5 of this Part. |
includes, but is not limited to, any of the following crimes when committed by one family or household member against another: (1) Simple assault (§ 11-5-3); (2) Felony assaults (§§ 11-5-1, 11-5-2, and 11-5-4); (3) Vandalism (§ 11-44-1); (4) Disorderly conduct (§ 11-45-1); (5) Trespass (§ 11-44-26); (6) Kidnapping (§ 11-26-1); (7) Child-snatching (§ 11-26-1.1); (8) Sexual assault (§§ 11-37-2, 11-37-4); (9) Homicide (§§ 11-23-1 and 11-23-3); |
| South Carolina | The following 11 questions are assessed for leathality: 1. Has he/she ever used a weapon against you or threatened you with a weapon? 2. Has he/she threatened to kill you or your children? 3. Do you think he/she might try to kill you?4. Does he/she have a gun or can he/she get one easily? 5. Has he/she ever tried to choke you? 6. Is he/she violently or constantly jealous or does he/she control most of your daily activities? 7. Have you left him/her or separated after living together or being married? 8. Is he/she unemployed? 9. Has he/she ever tried to kill himself/herself? 10. Do you have a child that he/she knows is not his/hers? 11. Does he/she follow or spy on you or leave threatening messages? |
Acts of domestic abuse under the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act (20-4-20) are defined as: “physical abuse bodily injury, assault, the threat of physical harm, sexual criminal offenses, as defined by statue, committed against a family or household member by family or household members.” |
| South Dakota | No State Standards | |
| Tennessee | 1. A procedure that ensures that any contact of victims by the batterers intervention program is done in a safe manner. 2. A procedure to take reasonable steps to inform a victim about imminent danger to the victim or to anyone associated with the victim. 3. A procedure for consulting with a local battered women’s program or a Victim Advocate if there is a question as to whether to inform a victim about imminent danger to that victim or to anyone associated with that victim. 4. A procedure for reporting threats or repeat acts of violence to appropriate authorities in the criminal justice system and, when necessary for victim safety, appropriate Victim Advocates. 5. A procedure for reporting suspected child abuse and suspected elder abuse. 6. A procedure for reporting any attempted self harm by the batterer. 7. A procedure for handling batterers who are alcohol or drug impaired when they come to an intervention session. 8. Written personnel policies that address sexual harassment within the organizational structure of which the batterers intervention program is a part. 9. A procedure for sharing relevant information with law enforcement and judicial personnel responsible for monitoring batterers or responsible for victim safety, including probation and parole departments, the Department of Children’s Services, and other governmental service providers involved with victims or batterers |
In Tennessee, domestic assault is basically a category of assault that has a specific type of victim. It’s a domestic assault when it’s committed against someone who is a: Current or former spouse; |
| Texas | Accredited Program should conduct and document annual external program assessments regarding their services from all referral sources. Accredited Programs should develop a policy regarding their participation in conducting internal program evaluation. Feedback obtained through an evaluation process, while potentially informative, should be interpreted and made public with appropriate caution about the validity of the data. |
As used in this section, “domestic abuse victim” means any person who falls within the following categories: Adults or minors who are current or former spouses; Adults or minors who live together or who have lived together; Adults or minors who are dating or who have dated or who have or had a sexual relationship, but does not include fraternization between two (2) individuals in a business or social context; Adults or minors related by blood or adoption; Adults or minors who are related or were formerly related by marriage; or Adult or minor children of a person in a relationship that is described in subdivisions (a)(1)-(5). |
| Utah | (https://uadvt.org/includes/IPV-RNE_ScoringSheet.pdf) The following information is gathered to assess risk: Prior Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) related incidents, Substance abuse history, Mental health disorder, Suicide risk/Homicide ideation or threat, Weapons/Firearms history/possession, Adult criminal history (emphasis on the last 5-10 years), Obsession with the victim, Additional safety concerns, violence toward family members including child and elder abuse, Explicit or implicit attitudes condoning IPV, Prior completed or non-completed IPV treatment, except for the current referral, Victim-initiated separation from the offender, Unemployment, Pro-criminal thinking patterns and/or influences. Each category is rated in the following categories: IPV Elev. Critical, IPV Critical, IPV Sig., IPV, Non-IPV | means any criminal offense involving violence or physical harm or threat of violence or physical harm, or any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit a criminal offense involving violence or physical harm, when committed by one cohabitant against another. Includes: (a) aggravated assault, as described in Section 76-5-103; (b) aggravated cruelty to an animal, as described in Subsection 76-9-301(4), with the intent to harass or threaten the other cohabitant; (c) assault, as described in Section 76-5-102; (d) criminal homicide, as described in Section 76-5-201; (e) harassment, as described in Section 76-5-106; (f) electronic communication harassment, as described in Section 76-9-201; (g) kidnapping, child kidnapping, or aggravated kidnapping, as described in Sections 76-5-301, 76-5-301.1, and 76-5-302; (h) mayhem, as described in Section 76-5-105; (i) sexual offenses, as described in Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, Sexual Offenses, and sexual exploitation of a minor and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, as described in Sections 76-5b-201 and 76-5b-201.1; (j) stalking, as described in Section 76-5-106.5; (k) unlawful detention or unlawful detention of a minor, as described in Section 76-5-304; (l) violation of a protective order or ex parte protective order, as described in Section 76-5-108; (m) any offense against property described in Title 76, Chapter 6, Part 1, Property Destruction, Title 76, Chapter 6, Part 2, Burglary and Criminal Trespass, or Title 76, Chapter 6, Part 3, Robbery; (n) possession of a deadly weapon with criminal intent, as described in Section 76-10-507; (o) discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, near a highway, or in the direction of any person, building, or vehicle, as described in Section 76-10-508; (p) disorderly conduct, as defined in Section 76-9-102, if a conviction or adjudication of disorderly conduct is the result of a plea agreement in which the perpetrator was originally charged with a domestic violence offense otherwise described in this Subsection (4), except that a conviction or adjudication of disorderly conduct as a domestic violence offense, in the manner described in this Subsection (4)(p), does not constitute a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 921, and is exempt from the federal Firearms Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 921 et seq.; (q) child abuse, as described in Section 76-5-114; (r) threatening use of a dangerous weapon, as described in Section 76-10-506; (s) threatening violence, as described in Section 76-5-107; (t) tampering with a witness, as described in Section 76-8-508; (u) retaliation against a witness or victim, as described in Section 76-8-508.3; (v) unlawful distribution of an intimate image, as described in Section 76-5b-203, or unlawful distribution of a counterfeit intimate image, as described in Section 76-5b-205; (w) sexual battery, as described in Section 76-9-702.1; (x) voyeurism, as described in Section 76-9-702.7; (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title77/Chapter36/77-36-S1.html)” |
| Vermont | Once a referral has been received, the program schedules an intake interview within two weeks of the date of referral. Rationale: It is recommended that those referred to programs from the court system be referred for service as quickly as possible. Partners of program participants have expressed that the period between conviction and the beginning of intervention services is a stressful time. Every effort should be made to keep this period to a minimum even though enrollment in the program does not guarantee safety for partners and their children. Implementation: Community-based programs may schedule the interviews themselves or provide referring agencies with an intake schedule so that the referring agency may schedule the candidates. The following data is required to be collected during initial screening: 1. Demographic information 2. A history of abusive behavior, 3. Information about partner/victim (including new partners) and children for the purpose of partner contact 22 4. A history of Relief from Abuse Orders, including any violations and the conditions of any current RFA(s) 5. History of involvement with the criminal justice system, including any violations of court conditions 6. Relevant probation and/or furlough information, including probation/furlough conditions and risk assessment score. |
Only a definition for a Domestic Violence Offender is listed. It reads as the following: “A domestic violence offender is a person who uses a pattern of coercive control against a partner that may be primarily psychological, economic, or sexual, but that is reinforced by one or more acts of physical violence, credible physical threat, or sexual assault.” (https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2018/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/H.689/Testimony/H.689~Auburn%20Watersong~Final%20Standards~2-14-2018.pdf, pg13) |
| Virginia | The 11 screening questions first responders are required to ask under Virgina’s LAP (Leathality Assesment Program) were unavailable for viewing. But here is what I could find regarding LAP: “LAP provides an “immediate, consistent, and proportional response” through use of a two-stage protocol: (1) a standardized, evidence-based lethality assessment tool is used by trained law enforcement officers in response to an intimate partner domestic violence call to identify victims in high danger of serious injury or homicide, and (2) identified victims are immediately connected to a local domestic violence service program through a local domestic violence hotline. This protocol can also be expanded for use by other first responders such as health care professionals.”(https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/sites/dcjs.virginia.gov/files/lap_analysis_report_through_december_2021.pdf, pg 2) |
“domestic violence is referred to as “family abuse”. Family abuse is when a family or household member commits any act involving violence, force, or threat that results in serious injury or places you in reasonable fear of death, sexual assault, or bodily injury. Such acts include, but are not limited to, any forceful detention, stalking, criminal sexual assault, or any criminal offense that results in bodily injury or places you in reasonable fear of death, sexual assault, or bodily injury.”(https://www.chesterfield.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9167/Family-or-Household-Member-Definition-PDF#:~:text=household%20member%20commits%20any%20act,any%20criminal%20offense%20that%20results pg 1) |
| Washington | The following categories are assessed 1. High Risk Factors: – Previous physical assaults causing injury, sexual assaults, strangulation, or previous reported incidents toward more than one partner, or previous domestic violence, threats of domestic violence or a pattern of assaultive, coercive and controlling behaviors. – Access to firearms, previous use or threat with weapons and prior training with weapons. -Signs of jealousy, possessiveness, isolation, monitoring or stalking. -Holding a victim captive. -Abuse of children, pets or elderly. -Recent instability (unemployment, new or increased substance use, etc.). -Children that are not the participant’s biological children. -History of violence in or outside of the home -Previous domestic violence or anger management treatment or assessments 2. TBI Screening: Traumatic brain injury, a history of concussions, strokes, dementia, or a history of experiencing repeated blows to the head. 3. Mental Health Screening: Symptoms associated with: PTSD, complex trauma, bi-polar, depression, anxiety or personality anomalies. Previous mental health treatment. Other mental health or emotional conditions such as psychosis 4. Belief Systems: Hierarchical relationships. Spiritual, cultural or religious beliefs about gender and family roles that condone partner violence. Readiness to change and level of accountability 5.Substance Use Screening: Current or past substance use. Current or past treatment for substance use 6.Environmental: Factors: Friends or family with criminogenic behaviors. -Employment status and level of satisfaction. -Criminal / Legal history. -Barriers to education or learning. -Support system (presence or absence of pro-social supports). -Social engagement or isolation 7. Objective and Empirical Data: Results from an evidence based, empirical and objective standardized test that assesses risk, lethality, or needs for domestic violence perpetrators. -Results for level of psychopathy when indicated and measured. -Medium or high level of psychopathy Rating System: Within Category, each are given a number to assess risk. Rating numbers are 1-4, where 1=low risk (treatment plan requires a min. of 6 months), 2=medium risk(Treatment plan requires min of 2 months), 3= high risk (treatment requires a min of 12 months), and 4=hight risk(execpt this treatment requires a minimum of 18months). Then the numbers are averaged out to give overall rating of risk. |
“Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault; nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration; coercive control; unlawful harassment; or stalking of one intimate partner by another intimate partner; or Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault; nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration; coercive control; unlawful harassment; or stalking of one family or household member by another family or household member.” |
| West Virginia | The following factors are screened and assessed for intake: Identify individuals who would benefit from concurrent mental health or substance abuse treatment programs. Screen out those individuals from the program who have substance abuse problems or other impairments which make them unable to participate in the group intervention even with concurrent or preliminary treatment of those problems; Screen out those individuals from the program who may be dangerous or have severe mental illness and would not benefit from the program. (https://www.biscmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/West-Virginia-BATTERER-INTERVENTION-AND-PREVENTION-PROGRAMS-LICENSURE-STANDARDS-Title-191-Series-3-Final-5-2015.pdf pg5) |
Definitions for Domestic Battery and Domestic Assault are only listed. 1. Domestic Battery: “Any person who unlawfully and intentionally makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with his or her family or household member, or unlawfully and intentionally causes physical harm to his or her family or household member” 2. Domestic Assault: “Any person who unlawfully attempts to commit a violent injury against his or her family or household member, or unlawfully commits an act that places his or her family or household member in reasonable apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury” (https://code.wvlegislature.gov/61-2-28/#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Any%20person%20who%20unlawfully%20and,conviction%20thereof%2C%20shall%20be%20confined) |
| Wisconsin | No Standards | N/A |
| Wyoming | No Standards | N/A |
| State | Victim Contact |
| Alabama | (d) The court making referrals may not refer victims or their family or household members to batterers’ intervention programs. The court shall only order an adjudicated perpetrator of domestic violence to batterers’ intervention programs. |
| Alaska | 22 AAC 25.040. Program participant monitoring and program accountability (a) An approved program shall monitor the recidivism of all program participants for a period of not less than 12 months following their compliance with the discharge from the program or non-compliance and termination from the program. This procedure must include, whenever possible: (1) interviews of the victim and the program participant’s current domestic partner; (2) review of the former program participant’s criminal justice records; (3) interviews with the former program participant; and (4) contact with the local victim advocacy agency and other appropriate agencies. (b) An approved program must submit, no later than February 1 a written report evaluating its services for the previous calendar year in a format specified by the department. The approved program must provide a copy of the report to the department. The report must include (1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the program; (2) a description of the types of data collected; (3) an identification of program elements that have proven effective and the factors impacting the elements; and (4) an assessment of how the program affects the community that the program serves, including the program participants and victims of domestic violence. 8 (c) In addition to the requirements of (b) of this section, the department may request that an approved program file with the department statistics, schedules, and other information that the department determines is reasonably necessary for the department to determine the efficacy of the approved program. An approved program must furnish the data, statistics, schedules, or other information requested by the department no later than 90 days from the date of the request. An approved program that does not timely submit the requested information will be subject to withdrawal of approval of the program under the provisions of 22 AAC 25.010(d), unless the approved program provides information to the department that the department determines is good cause as to why the program did not timely submit the requested information. |
| Arizona | Application and Renewal A. An applicant applying to become a provider shall submit to the Department an application packet that contains: 1. An application in a format provided by the Department that includes: a. The applicant’s name; b. The applicant’s mailing address and telephone number; c. The applicant’s email address; d. The name, telephone number, and email address of the individual acting on behalf of the applicant according to R9-20-202, if applicable; e. The name under which the applicant plans to do business, if different from the applicant’s name; f. The name of each referring court; g. The address and telephone number for each facility where treatment is provided; and h. The applicant’s signature and the date signed; 2. A copy of the: a. Program description required in R9-20-208(A)(1), b. Policies and procedures required in R9-20-208(B), and c. Policies and procedures required in R9-20-208(D); 3. The name and qualifications of the administrator; and 4. A copy of the applicant’s: a. U.S. Passport, current or expired; b. Birth certificate; c. Naturalization documents; or d. Documentation of legal resident alien status. |
| Arkansas | 1.The provider shall develop a process by which survivors can be informed of the program’s structure, expectations, and confidentiality. For the service provider to remain confidential and neutral, the ACADV has a template letter for service providers to utilize to contact victims and notify them that their offender is enrolled in a DVIP program and resources for victim services. 2. it is not appropriate for the batterer intervention program to seek information about a batterer from the survivor/current partner. Should contact be made with the survivor/current partner, in any way, the following are limitations regarding survivor/current partner contact |
| California | 1.Procedures to inform the victim regarding the requirements for the defendant’s participation in the intervention program as well as regarding available victim resources. The victim also shall be informed that attendance in any program does not guarantee that an abuser will not be violent. 2.A requirement that the defendant enter into a written agreement with the program, which shall include an outline of the contents of the program, the attendance requirements, the requirement to attend group sessions free of chemical influence, and a statement that the defendant may be removed from the program if it is determined that the defendant is not benefiting from the program or is disruptive to the program. 3.A requirement that the defendant sign a confidentiality statement prohibiting disclosure of any information obtained through participating in the program or during group sessions regarding other participants in the program. |
| Colorado | 1.Treatment victim advocates (TVAs) typically work for or contract with offender treatment providers. They attempt to contact victims of the offenders who are in treatment, to provide information, support, and resources. TVAs have a duty to maintain confidentiality and are mandatory reporters of known or suspected child abuse and abuse of elders and at-risk adults. 2.If you wish to contact the TVA, you can contact: The supervising officer or victim services from the supervising agency to obtain the contact information or provide your contact information, The treatment provider directly for the contact information and The Colorado Domestic Violence Offender Management Board |
| Connecticut | |
| Delaware | 1.The provider shall make every effort to contact the victim. When the offender is enrolled in a Domestic Violence {Batterers Type Intervention Type} Program contact can be by phone or by letter. All contact with a victim should be documented in a separate file. If the victim is sent a letter, it should contain an overview of the domestic violence intervention program, information about community resources for victims, suggestions for a safety plan, and an inventory of abusive behaviors to be filled out and returned to the provider. If contact is made with the victim by phone, the same information should be covered. The victim should be encouraged to contact the provider throughout the period during which the offender is in intervention. When the offender completes the program, an inventory of abusive behaviors should be mailed to the victim to complete and return to the provider so that intervention effectiveness can be measured. 2.In interventions with other Domestic Violence offenders the victim contact will be at the discretion of the provider. 3.The provider must immediately attempt to report any threat of violence from an offender to a prior potential victim and, if not successful, must immediately contact local law enforcement. This action must be documented in the offender’s file and a separate file to show attempted contact with the victim(s)and with law enforcement. 4.Any information obtained from victims shall be deemed confidential and shall not be disclosed to any third party without specific, written authorization from the victim or a court order. 5.Efforts should be made to have the victim liaison be the same gender as the victim. This will assure that attention is paid to gender issues and will help tofoster an uninhibited flow of information. |
| Florida | (1) Application. (a) Application for initial certification or for renewal of certification shall be made on Form CF 831, Batterers’ Intervention Program Certification Application, (August 2022), which is incorporated by reference and available at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-14616. The individual owner or the designated representative of a corporation or partnership shall complete the application. (b) All program locations of a provider shall be included in the application. (2) Initial Certification. (a) An applicant for initial certification of a Batterers’ Intervention Program shall submit to the ODV the following: 1. Form CF 831, Batterers’ Intervention Program Certification Application, 2. The program’s policy and procedure manual, 3. All curricula, forms (including screening and assessment tools), and informational brochures used by the program, 4. Educational, experiential, and training documentation for each direct service staff and, if applicable, contracted assessor, and 5. Form CF 1649, Affidavit of Good Moral Character, (April 2021), which is incorporated by reference and available at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-14615, for each direct service staff. Thereafter, this information must be updated and maintained in such a form as to permit review for rule compliance by the Department. (b) If the initial certification application includes all information and documentation set forth in paragraph (2)(a) above, the Department will issue a provisional certification. The provisional certification shall not exceed a period of six months. If the initial certification application meets all certification requirements, the certification shall be issued. The provisional license shall end on the date the Department issues the final certification decision. (c) Certification is issued in the name of the owner, corporation, or partnership of the program. Certification is non-transferable and valid only for the program and location or locations named in the certificate. Any changes in ownership shall be reported to the Department at least 60 days prior to the change. |
| Georgia | 1.Victim contact for a duty to warn by the FVIP must be limited to a brief description of the reason for concern and immediate referral to the victim liaison, 911, 1-800-33-HAVEN and the nearest CJCC-certified domestic violence program. The FVIP must not provide any further advice or information to the victim. The FVIP must also immediately contact the victim liaison, the referring court, law enforcement, DCS (if applicable), and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles (if applicable). 2.Enrollment: A Victim Contact Request Form must be sent to the victim liaison within five (5) calendar days of a participant’s enrollment or re-enrollment in the FVIP. FVIPs must forward the name of every participant and a Victim Contact Request Form to the Victim Liaison regardless of whether the participant identifies the victim. FVIPs should make reasonable effort to secure the victim’s contact information from the participant. If the identity and contact information of the victim is not disclosed, the Victim Liaison will then determine whom the victim is and call the victim to explain FVIP services and limitations, provide information about available resources, and provide safety planning information, if appropriate. |
| Hawaii | 7.3 Participant Monitoring. This standard is designed to have providers assess client’s continuing progress in DVI services and referrals. Information to consider includes: A. Attendance and participation levels. B. Compliance with program guidelines and requirements. C. Freedom from violence and/or abusive behavior. D. Abstaining from alcohol and other drugs for a 24-hour period before DVI sessions. E. Information from collateral contacts such as probation, parole, DHS social workers, supervised visitation, etc.. F. Personal accountability as it relates to parenting, court orders, employment, financial obligations including child support. |
| Idaho | Victim and their current partner if they have one must be contacted and informed when the offender is discharged from the program. Intervention staff also have to make sure that they have a program protocol in place for the victim. |
| Illinois | a) The first step is for the PAIP to determine if the victim is safe, then they discuss and implement a safety plan and order of protection, then link them to a domestic violence victims service program if that is what the victim wants. b) PAIP’s priority is to keep contact with the participant’s current partner, and/or the participant’s ex-partner if they have a relationship with them still if they have victim contact included in their program. c) The partner abuse intervention program (PAIP) have to make sure victims are aware of the nature of the program. This includes the attendance of the participant, and the progress or lack thereof by the participant. Orientation sessions, telephone contacts, and/ mailing of written material explaining the PAIP are ways of given the information. |
| Indiana | The AIP must have policies and procedures in place for when there is contact between the victim and the abuser. Victims are allowed to know about the participants attendance and activity within the AIP program. |
| Iowa | |
| Kansas | Victim service agencies must be contacted by the program and informed of their victim contact policies as well as who will be taking care of the victim contacts. |
| Kentucky | |
| Louisiana | |
| Maine | Some cases involve no contact with former partners from victims. They work to provide other means for partner contact that does not include CBIP participant. |
| Maryland | Upon the initial contact, the victim must be informed of everything that they must report. These include child abuse, elder abuse, and any abuse towards other vulnerable adults. They also must report any other possible signs of abuse. Unless stated otherwise by the victim, the victim must be informed about the abuser’s attendance at the program. Three attempts of contact must be made by phone. |
| Massachusetts | |
| Michigan | Some intervention techniques are not good especially when they endanger the victim. This would be when they disclose confidential information to the abuser or bringing the victim in to contact with the abuser. |
| Minnesota | (g) If a counselor or facilitator contacts the victim, the counselor or facilitator must not elicit any information that the victim does not want to provide. A counselor or facilitator who contacts a victim shall (1) notify the victim of the right not to provide any information, (2) notify the victim of how any information provided will be used and with whom it will be shared, and (3) obtain the victim’s permission before eliciting information from the victim or sharing information with anyone other than staff of the counseling program. (Source:https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/518B.02) |
| Mississippi | No State Standards |
| Missouri | Programs will develop policies and procedures to make information available to the survivor/current partner of batterers, including domestic violence services and referrals to other appropriate services. Within these policies, survivor/current partner safety is paramount. Every consideration must be made to protect the physical safety of both the survivor and the batterer if both parties receive services in the same location. These policies and procedures, as well as any informational materials, must be developed by the intervention program in close consultation with domestic violence survivor service programs. The provider shall develop a process by which survivors can be informed of the program’s structure, expectations and confidentiality. If contact can be made safely, it may be made only for the following reasons: • To inform the survivor/current partner that the batterer’s attendance or completion of the program does not guarantee that the batterer will not be violent or abusive; • To inform the survivor/current partner that she is not responsible in any way for the batterer’s success or failure in the program as responsibility for change lies solely with the batterer; • To inform the survivor/current partner of the importance of continually assessing the options for safety, whether remaining in or leaving the relationship, and resources for assistance in developing a safety plan; • To provide information about local domestic violence advocacy agencies, survivor service providers and information on Orders of Protection; • To notify the survivor/current partner of the batterer’s acceptance or non-acceptance in the program; • To notify the survivor/current partner of the batterer’s non-compliance with program guidelines or requirements; • To notify the survivor/current partner regarding the batterer’s supervision by state or local authorities; • To inform the survivor/current partner of the batterer’s scheduled program start date; and • To report when the batterer presents a danger to himself or others. Administrators of programs and/or facilitators who are licensed clinicians in the state of Missouri are bound by licensure requirements—Missouri Revised Statutes 337.630; Requirements for Social Workers 4 CSR 263-3.100 (3); and Requirements for Psychologists 4 CSR 235-5.030 (7c1). (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://dps.mo.gov/dir/programs/cvsu/documents/batterer-intervention-programs.pdf) |
| Montana | A. The OIP must establish and maintain cooperative relationships with programs serving survivors of domestic, sexual, dating violence and stalking located in their community. B. The OIP must invite local victim service providers to attend staff meetings and other planning events when appropriate. C. The OIP must maintain a current list of victim service providers in the geographic area outining the services each offers and make the list available upon request. D. OIPs are urged to develop a written plan outlining the specifics of: 1) Consultation with victim service providers regrding policy decisions; 2) Victim service provider involvement in developing any materials to be provided to victims; 3) Participation on committees and workgroups convened by victim service programs; 4) Provision of training to victim service providers; and 5) Receipt of training from victim service providers. (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mbcc.mt.gov/_docs/Programs/Victim-Services/Grants/Other/Adopted-OIPS-Dec.-13-2018.pdf) |
| Nebraska | The program shall have a policy to notify victims, in writing, within no more than 5 business days after the participant has signed the program contract. The program’s policy MAY 23, 2016 – 16 – shall require reasonable efforts to determine a correct address to send the written information to victims. The policy shall at a minimum include seeking a correct address from at least 2 sources which might have this knowledge, such as the program participant, law enforcement or adult probation. The policy will include the documenting of efforts to determine a correct address to send information. · Batterer Intervention Programs may conduct initial notification by telephone, however, the letters and accompanying information are still required. Notifications must include the following information: · Information about the Batterer Intervention Program including program structure, program content and program philosophy. o The limitations of the program, including a statement that participation in a BIP does not ensure the participant will stop any or all abusive behaviors. o Contact information for the local domestic violence/sexual assault program. o Name and contact information for probation office. o A clear statement that the victim is not expected in any way to help the participant complete any BIP requirements and that the participant’s eligibility for the BIP’s services is not contingent in any way on victims participating in the intervention. o Provision for further contacts. o Copy of “A Partner’s Guide to Batterer Intervention Programs for Men found in Appendix I · Programs should not provide any information that suggests behavioral change guarantees or success rates of the program. · The BIP shall document in writing initial notification. If written notification is returned, it shall be appropriately filed. If phone contact is initiated, the BIP must also document this for the victim’s file. No victim contact information shall be kept in the participant’s file. (Source: https://www.nebraskacoalition.org/get_informed/domestic_violence.html) |
| Nevada |
1. No staff member of the program: (a) Blames a person who is a victim of domestic violence for the domestic violence; or (b) Places a person who is a victim of domestic violence in danger as a result of any statement made or action taken by the staff member. 2. If a provider of treatment receives a request from a person who is a victim of domestic violence or who he or she determines is at risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence by the offender, the provider of treatment assists the person in developing and carrying out a plan for the safety and protection of that person. 3. Each staff member of the program maintains any information relating to a victim of domestic violence separate from any records or other information relating to an offender. (Added to NAC by Com. on Domestic Violence by R213-99, eff. 8-1-2000) (Source: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nac/nac-228.html) |
| New Hampshire | No especific information on victim contact other than “Batterer Intervention Programs strive to maximize abuser accountability while not compromising victim and child safety.” and “3. Enhance victim and child safety. ” (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.courts.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt471/files/documents/2021-06/c19.pdf ) |
| New Jersey | a. Service providers must remain cognizant that batterers programs can never promise to protect victims, and should encourage victims to have a safety plan. b. Every effort should be made by the BIP to contact the victim for the purpose of orientation to the BIP, limitations of the BIP and contact information for future communication with the BIP. Information about services available to the victim shall always be provided, however, victims should never be pressured to contact or participate in a domestic violence program or to divulge information that may compromise their safety or that they are uncomfortable revealing. c. Contact and communications with the victim shall remain confidential unless the victim otherwise consents to the sharing of information. (Depending on the nature of a communication between a victim and a BIP staff, and the nature of the relationship between a BIP and a domestic violence service program, a communication with a victim might be considered privileged under New Jersey’s victim-counselor privilege statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:84A22.13 et seq., provided the BIP staff person has otherwise met all the requirements of the statute). d The BIP should relay to the victim the possible benefits and risks of sharing information disclosed by the victim to her partner in the course of intervention so that the victim can make an informed decision. If the victim chooses not to have information relayed to the partner, such information may assist in informing specific batterer intervention strategies, but never in a manner that would breach confidentiality. (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/RFP_Batterers.Intervention.2017.pdf ) |
| New Mexico | No specific information on the victim contact other than ” The program will warn potential victims or survivor advocates of threats of imminent harm (NMAC 8.8.7.10(H)). New risk factors must be addressed in the Program Participant’s Re-offense Prevention Plan.” and “A written policy requiring a duty to warn potential victims of threats of imminent harm and other mandatory reporting requirements designed to protect victim, potential victims, and children NMAC 8.8.7.10(H) ” (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/604fcc3a4aa2e9408664a68a/t/621e53f7f77cc74334e652f5/1646154744430/DRAFT+CYFD+DVOTI+Standards+12202021+%281%29.pdf ) |
| New York | No State Standards |
| North Carolina | All BIP’s shall establish and comply with written policies and procedures regarding victim safety. These policies and procedures shall include the following: (1) The program shall make good faith attempts, which shall be documented, to make contact with the victim upon the participant’s enrollment in the program. This contact must include information about the program and its limitations, victim confidentiality, and local resources for victims. The program shall attempt, in collaboration with the victim service agency, to contact the victim when the program participant has completed half of the sessions, and at termination, unless the victim declines contact or is unable to be located. (2) Program participants and person who have been victimized by those participants may receive direct services from the same agency. In those instances, the same staff person or volunteer shall not provide services to both parties. (3) All information about or from the victim shall be kept confidential from the program participant, except with written permission from the victim. (4) The program shall not schedule victims’ groups and Batterers Intervention groups to occur simultaneously at the same facility. (5) The BIP shall network with its local victim services program and have a current memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation with that program in place. Whenever possible and if the victim agrees, it is preferable that BIP staff contact the victim with a face-to-face interview. During the interview BIP staff provides information about the purpose of the program, the procedure for reporting further offenses, a preliminary assessment for the victim’s own use in determining risk, limitations of the program, resource information regarding victim services and opportunity for the victim to provide input in the assessment process. Phone and/or mail contact can be used after assessing victim safety, or if the victim does not permit a face to face interview. (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/DVIP-Program-Guidelines.pdf ) |
| North Dakota | Battering intervention programs shall establish procedures regarding contact with the partners of group participants in intervention groups. All contacts should promote the safety of the victim and should include a minimum of the following: • Working collaboratively with domestic violence programs to assure that domestic violence victims are provided advocacy, safety planning, and other assistance while group participants are in the intervention program. • Informing victims of their right to be free of violence and to access legal protections. • Requesting domestic violence victim feedback regarding the group participant’s history of violence, as well as other issues and concerns believed to be important in assessments. All input from battered partners shall be given voluntarily; programs shall not intimidate or coerce anyone into providing information. • Explaining to domestic violence victims the procedures on interfacing with the battering intervention program staff. • Giving victims of domestic violence informed referrals to domestic violence programs, victim-witness assistance, supervised visitation/exchange and legal services. • Assessing the lethality of battering at intake and periodically throughout the intervention programming. • Warning domestic violence victims and appropriate law enforcement agencies of potential violence by the group participant. (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cawsnorthdakota.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-NDAEPA-Battering-Intervention-Standards.pdf ) |
| Ohio | While working with perpetrators directly, it is critical that BIPs give a conscious effort in keeping victim safety a top priority in its philosophy and work implementations. In every aspect of the BIP work, including but not limited to policy development, group sessions, and communication with a referral source, safety of the victims should be taken into account. A. BIPs shall establish a policy on victim contact contingent upon agreement with the local domestic violence programs. If the local agreement is to implement the victim contact, the BIP and domestic violence program, and other concerned organizations shall collaborate on policy development. The policy shall be in writing, supported by the local domestic violence programs and other collaborators, and be regularly assessed for appropriateness. B. The purpose of the victim contact policy shall be to assist with victim safety rather than to observe BIP participants’ behavior. Therefore, BIPs with a victim contact policy shall make good faith attempts to notify the BIP participants’ partners about the BIP information, limit of BIP work and information about local domestic violence programs and other supportive services. C. BIPs shall keep all information provided by the victim confidential. D. If the victim informs the BIP of participants’ recent use of violence, the BIP shall provide the victim of some options: a) contacting appropriate authority such as law enforcement or probation; and b) contacting local domestic violence program or other support services. E. Duty to Warn: If the BIP participant makes direct threats to harm or escalates behaviors that may lead to violence, the BIP shall: 1. Make a good faith effort to contact the victim or person to whom the threat is directed. This may be done through a third-party, such as other service providers and family members. 2. Contact the law enforcement if deemed appropriate. 3. Contact the referral agency, including the court, to discuss appropriate responses and/or to report the actions that took place in response to an imminent danger. (Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.odvn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BI_Standards_2010__Final3_Ohio.pdf ) |
| Oklahoma | All victim contact initiated by the program must be done by a staff or supervisor level employee as defined in WAC 388-60A-0240 and WAC 388-60A-0250, unless the program contracts with victim service agency to contact victims. |
| Oregon | 1. Make a reasonable effort to contact the victim and obtain a statement describing the effect of the defendant’s offense upon victim. If contacting the victim directly might be detrimental, and if a statement about the effect of the crime on the victim can be gathered through another method, such as through a victim advocate, the writer may use professional judgment in deciding how to include a victim statement report. 2. If the victim is under 18 years of age, obtain the consent of the victim’s parents or guardian before contacting the victim. 3. Include the statement of the victim in the presentence investigation report. 4. If unable to contact the victim or if the victim declines to make a statement, report that he/she was unable to contact the victim after making reasonable efforts to do so, or if the contact was made with the victim, that the victim declined to make a statement. 5. Before taking a statement from the victim, inform the victim that the statement will be made available to the defendant and the defendant’s counsel prior to sentencing as required under ORS 137.079 |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards |
| Rhode Island | |
| South Carolina | Currently no standards; website says “waiting for update on Standards” |
| South Dakota | No State Standards |
| Tennessee | 1. A procedure that ensures that any contact of victims by the batters intervention program is done in a safe manner. 2. A procedure to take reasonable steps to inform a victim about imminent danger to the victim or to anyone associated with the victim. 3. A procedure for consulting with a local battered women’s program or a victim advocate if there is a question as to whether to inform a victim about imminent danger to that victim or anyone associated with that victim. |
| Texas | 1. Informing victims that information shared will not be disclosed to batterers. This includes victims verifying batterers’ compliance or continue abuse. 2. Informing victims about trained professionals who may provide safety planning. 3. Informing victims about safety issues and potential consequences that may arise from program contact or continue communication with the program. 4. Informing victims about options available, such as protective orders, referrals to a family violence shelter center, family violence non-residential center, legal advocacy, and other services. 5. Informing victims about their choice to initiate or terminate contact with the accredited program at will. 6. Informing victims that batterers’ completion of the program is not a guarantee of the absence of future violence. |
| Utah | The evaluator will attempt to obtain voluntary input directly from the victim unless she/he determines that obtaining such input is inappropriate or not possible given the circumstances. In these cases, the evaluator will document the reason(s) for not attempting to contact the victim. Information obtained from a victim that is not already publicly available may not be used without the victim’s consent/ informed written consent which may be revoked at any time. When consent is withdrawn service providers will not share previously unreleased information. When victim contact is established, the evaluator should inquire if a victim advocate is involved and whether the victim wants the advocate to participate in the interactions with the evaluator. If the victim is not receiving advocacy services, the evaluator will offer to provide information about how to access these services. When the evaluator is not able to contact the victim, she/he will inform the victim advocate agency of jurisdiction of the initiation of the evaluator process in an effort to facilitate victim involvement |
| Vermont | Paid and unpaid staff communicate and act in ways that are free of victim blaming, sexism, or any misogyny and remain open to self-examination and receptive to feedback on issues of power and control, sexism, and collusion. There and their own lives. |
| Virginia | |
| Washington | All victim contact initiated by the program must be done by a staff or supervisor level employee as defined in WAC 388-60A-0240 and WAC 388-60A-0250, unless the program contracts with victim service agency to contact victims |
| West Virginia | |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin currently does not have standards. |
| Wyoming | Wyoming currently does not have standards. |
| State Name | Supervision requirements |
| Alabama | Supervisors shall be certified to provide these programs through initial certification by the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, and the programs and personnel shall be annually recertified by the department to ensure that they meet specified standards. Not enough information |
| Alaska | For a supervisor, training and at least one year experience in working with both victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. |
| Arizona | Behavior health professional, an individual who is qualified to a health care institution’s policies and procedures to provide behavioral health services. |
| Arkansas | Battering is a pattern of behavior, not a standalone event Battering is NOT an addiction or disease, and NOT caused by alcohol or substance abuse Batterers are solely responsible for their actions, and must be held accountable for their violence and abuse DVIP service providers shall remain neutral in court settings to prevent collusion or manipulation by abusers, if subpoenaed. The goal of the DVIP program is to address the batterer’s use of violence and abuse, NOT to reunite a family or couple. |
| California |
A provision whereby the private agency or entity agrees to operate in compliance with any available standards promulgated by state correctional agencies and bodies, including the Corrections Standards Authority, and all statutory provisions and mandates, state and county, as appropriate and applicable to the operation of home detention programs and the supervision of sentenced offenders in a home detention program. (ii) A provision that clearly defines areas of respective responsibility and liability of the county and the private agency or entity. (iii) A provision that requires the private agency or entity to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility, submitted and approved by the board of supervisors, in amounts and under conditions sufficient to fully indemnify the county for reasonably foreseeable public liability, including legal defense costs, that may arise from, or be proximately caused by, acts or omissions of the contractor. The contract shall provide for annual review by the correctional administrator to ensure compliance with requirements set by the board of supervisors and for adjustment of the financial responsibility requirements if warranted by caseload changes or other factors. (iv) A provision that requires the private agency or entity to provide evidence of financial responsibility, such as certificates of insurance or copies of insurance policies, prior to commencing any operations pursuant to the contract or at any time requested by the board of supervisors or correctional administrator. (v) A provision that permits the correctional administrator to immediately terminate the contract with a private agency or entity at any time that the contractor fails to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility. |
| Colorado | Not enough information |
| Connecticut | |
| Delaware | a. Domestic violence intervention should be mandated as a condition of supervision and as a condition of an Order of Protection, unless the court makes written factual findings in its judgment or order finding that domestic violence intervention would be inappropriate in that particular case. b. Delaware law now requires the court to order completion of a psychosocial assessment upon a second conviction for a domestic violence crime. If an offender has already completed a domestic violence intervention program, the court should consider whether referring the person to attend a domestic violence intervention program again, is appropriate. A psychological evaluation may be appropriate before any referrals are made in those cases. |
| Florida | No State Standards |
| Georgia | The Board of Community Supervision, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence, adopted the rules governing family violence intervention programs. The policies and procedures will be followed unless the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee, in his or her discretion, authorizes the use of another procedure. |
| Hawaii | A. Mandatory minimum supervision will be provided to DVI staff including volunteers a minimum of twice a month, for at least one (1) hour. This can be accomplished in a group setting, or individually, by phone, video conferencing or in person. Supervision will include observation of and feedback on group facilitation and/or other service delivery. B. It is recommended that internal supervision include audio/video taping of actual sessions with participants. Supervision should regularly review at least the following: 1)Case coordination within the agency and with other providers including the criminal justice system and survivor’s services. 2)Each staff members’ services are provided to clients. 3)Staff members services, intervention strategies and evaluation of client progress. 4)Ethical and cultural issues. 5)Laws and standards relative to domestic violence. 6)The application of appropriate motivational responses, transference and countertransference and other ethical and boundary issues. С.Regular performance evaluation of staff and volunteers. 1. Documentation of strengths, challenges, continuing education and a performance improvement plan. |
| Idaho | the program shall establish and implement policies, procedures, and supervision schedules ensuring adequate supervision for all intervention staff. Each program shall have a program supervisor. Hold a masters or doctorate degree from an accredited university/college in counseling, psychology, social work, or related field. Must be licensed in their respective field. Completed a minimum of 60 hours of education. Supervision may include education, direct, observed one-on-one supervision; client consultation. |
| Illinois | PAIPs must have written personnel policies and procedures. Supervision of PAIP facilitators must be provided by an individual who meets the required 40-hour training standard and include structured supervisions of facilitators. Immediate supervisors must have sufficient training and experience to provide oversight of quality and effectiveness of service provision. At a minimum, supervisors will observe facilitators conducting group sessions every six months. Supervision can be provided by a staff person, victim service agency, or another PAIP that has been approved under this Part. Documentation of compliance with this Section must be contained in personnel files and available for review by the Department. Compliance with this Section will be assessed by the Department through the monitoring and technical assistance outlined in Section 501.70. |
| Indiana | |
| Iowa | |
| Kansas | No program shall have as a supervisor, director, or coordinator any individual who has been a batterer of domestic violence or abuse unless the individual: has been free from any criminal convictions, diversions, or similar agreements for the preceding five (5) years; completed a certified batterer intervention program; submitted to the OAG a minimum of three (3) professional references; and worked for a certified BIP in Kansas for a minimum of three (3) years. , the program director, supervisor, or coordinator of any batterer intervention program shall be licensed to practice in Kansas as a licensed psychologist, licensed baccalaureate social worker, licensed master social worker, licensed specialist clinical social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical marriage and family therapist, licensed addiction counselor, licensed clinical addiction counselor, licensed professional counselor, licensed clinical professional counselor, licensed masters level psychologist or licensed clinical psychotherapist. Program directors, supervisors, coordinators, immediately prior to January 1, 2013, may continue if such person remains employed or contracted by the same program, and the program remains a certified program Program directors, supervisors or coordinators shall have an additional two (2) years of intensive work experience in domestic violence. Program directors, supervisors, or coordinators must have: a. Forty (40) hours of domestic violence specific training that is approved by the Office of the Attorney General including, but not limited to: facilitation skills with batterer intervention groups (minimum fifteen (15) hours), completing the KDVOA, and completing Making Victim Contacts in a Batterer Intervention Program. Additional training hours may include but are not limited to: dynamics of domestic violence, legal issues surrounding domestic violence, characteristics of those who batter, victim safety, sensitivity to victims, and the supervisor’s role in batterer intervention programs. This training must be approved by the Office of the Attorney General. i. Training for new program supervisors, coordinators or directors must have been completed in the preceding five (5) years. Programs shall provide documentation of qualifying training and experience for all program directors, supervisors, and coordinators. |
| Kentucky | |
| Louisiana | Creating a solid program infrastructure, which includes ongoing training and supervision of staff and implementing policies that are consistent with best practices; |
| Maine | Program management support is needed, including the hiring, training, supervising, and retaining qualified educators and monitors; implementation of consistent practices statewide; efficient systems for attendance, fee, and data collection and tracking. When asked to evaluate overall effectiveness of the CBIP, survivor responses reinforced existing research18 that indicates that intervention programs are most successful when the participant completes the full course of the program. The only survivors who rated CBIP as “very effective” were those whose offenders completed or were still attending CBIP. This supports both the value of completion of the full program and also the value of ongoing supervision and monitoring that occurs while a person is in the program. |
| Maryland | Files on victims shall be maintained separately from files on abusers. AIPs should not maintain files on victims unless the files are protected by the confidentiality privilege of a licensed supervisor. Volunteers and intern staff must be supervised on site at all times by a paid staff member. Participants who complete the program and are invited to serve as mentors or facilitators in the program will always be supervised by a paid staff member while on site. Every program must have an individual with a Masters’ level clinical license that can provide supervision for program staff. Intake staff without advanced degrees must be supervised by a staff member with a minimum of a Bachelors’ degree in a human service field. Parole & Probation – Provide a minimum of monthly updates on participants supervised by the Division of Parole & Probation. |
| Massachusetts | |
| Michigan | Scientific research conducted under the supervision of an Institutional Review Board, which extensively reviews the procedures to ensure safety and ethical treatment of participants in the research. The BIS shall not disclose, without the written consent of the participant, any confidential communications made by the participant to the intervention provider during the course of intervention; nor shall a BIS program employee, volunteer or associate, whether clerical or professional, disclose any confidential information acquired through that individual’s work capacity; nor shall any person who has participated in service delivery under the supervision of a BIS provider, including, but not limited to, group sessions, disclose any knowledge gained during the course of such intervention without the consent of the person to whom the knowledge relates. See exceptions to confidentiality in Section 6.0, Mandatory reporting. |
| Minnesota | |
| Mississippi | No State Standards |
| Missouri | The staff of the program shall maintain the consistent approach that the batterer is solely accountable for the abuse and that abuse is intolerable in a relationship. Staff should be open to self-examination regarding issues of power and control, dominance, and gender-role conditioning and be receptive to feedback from other staff or supervisors. Staff should continually engage in a process of ongoing professional education and self-reflection on domestic violence. To supervise or direct a batterer intervention program, or to train facilitators, an individual must have: A responsibility for safety of survivors and accountability for batterers; A willingness to recommend stronger sanctions for repeat offenders; A minimum of 80 hours of educational training including, but not limited to, the topics listed on the previous page; and Ongoing education to increase knowledge on topics related to domestic violence. Frequent monitoring of facilitators is essential to ensure compliance with standards. Administrators can develop an evaluation form for staff use in evaluating facilitators. The evaluation form would provide documentation for any necessary disciplinary actions. If a facilitator has a history of battering, staff should remain diligent in their examination of that facilitator’s group supervision. Do we have regular supervision? Rationale: Batterer intervention is a challenging task that can lead to worker burnout. It is important to schedule regular supervision in order to continue this work in an ethical manner and in a healthy environment. The supervision can be a helpful tool to maintain consistency among staff of the batterer intervention program. Strategies: Individual or group supervision of anyone that facilitates a group is appropriate. During these formal or informal meetings supervisors should address safety concerns (for survivors/current partners and staff), problematic group behavior and progress (or lack of progress) of clients, and other challenges that leaders are facing in the supervision sessions. If the program cannot obtain appropriate supervision, it could consider forming a coalition of area batterer intervention professionals to meet with and discuss general issues while maintaining client confidentiality |
| Montana | |
| Nebraska | The BIP shall attempt to immediately contact the supervising adult probation officer of the participant when the BIP, in good faith, believes there is a real or perceived threat to another person, self, or the public. No authorization to release information is required under these circumstances. All program personnel, including staff, facilitators, co-facilitators, supervisors and any other paid or unpaid personnel shall maintain the consistent attitude that the offender is solely accountable for his violence. Program staff must be violence and abuse free in their own lives for the past two years in order to work with batterer intervention programs. Abuse includes stalking, criminal mischief, or non-violent acts that are intended to or do create fear or harass another individual. The existence of a criminal charge of a crime of violence, harassment, stalking or terroristic threats, absent an acquittal, juvenile court proceeding, or no contact order, restraining order or any order of protection shall be evidence of violence or abusive behavior regardless of where the case is found. Any of these incidents committed by program staff must be disclosed to their program supervisor within 24 hours of the occurrence. These program staff shall not continue involvement with the program. Supervisors must have the following minimum qualifications and training: Bachelors degree in a human service-related area OR an equivalent combination of college courses and/or applied experience. Completed approved training on the basics of domestic abuse. Individuals with supervisory roles at the time of these standards are exempt from this requirement. Each program will establish a supervision program to ensure that standards are continuously being met. Group facilitators and the program supervisor must have proper degrees, experience, and training as established by these Standards. Contact the Coalition to determine training availability and approval. The program supervisor, a facilitator, and victim contact/services representative must be available during the site visit. Program staff will be asked to describe the operations of their program and may be required to respond to hypothetical scenarios in order to show operational compliance. |
| Nevada | NAC 228.110 Qualifications for supervisors of treatment and providers of treatment; duties of director of program. (NRS 228.470, 439.258) 1. A person may be employed, or retained as an independent contractor, in the position of a supervisor of treatment at a pro A person may be employed, or retained as an independent contractor, in the position of a supervisor of treatment at a program if he or she: |
| New Hampshire | |
| New Jersey | Staffing Guidelines: · Group co-facilitation by a male and female team, whenever possible. · BIP facilitators shall represent the diversity of the communities that they serve. · Bilingual staff will be provided as needed. · All group facilitators must participate in regular supervision with program supervisor/coordinator. · BIP staff shall meet regularly with the county’s lead domestic violence program, and shall be encouraged to collaborate with victim services programs. |
| New Mexico | |
| New York | No State Standards |
| North Carolina | |
| North Dakota | |
| Ohio | C. Supervision 1. BIPs shall have a supervisor experienced in the batterers intervention work for facilitators. If such supervisor is not available, BIPs may arrange for peer review or other forms of internal monitoring of BIP activities. |
| Oklahoma | Not enough information |
| Oregon | (1) Participation in Judicial or Corrections Response. A BIP’s intervention services may be part of a judicial or corrections response to battering, either as a condition of probation, post-prison supervision or parole, through a domestic violence deferred sentencing agreement, or as otherwise authorized by law. A BIP is encouraged to use the power of the criminal justice system to hold batterers accountable for their battering. |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards |
| Rhode Island | |
| South Carolina | |
| South Dakota | No State Standards |
| Tennessee | Supervision Structure. (a) Supervision shall ensure instructors’ ability to conduct safe and effective interventions with batterers. (b) Certified Programs shall maintain clear records of dates, times, and content of supervisory contacts. (c) Internal Program Supervision. Each Certified Program shall designate one person who shall have supervisory responsibility for the following: 1. Supervision of Certified Program instructors and other staff; 2. Instructor training; 3. Compliance by the Certified Program with these rules; and RULES FOR BATTERER’S INTERVENTION PROGRAMS CHAPTER 0490-1 (Rule 0490-1-.07, continued) December, 1999 (Revised) 17 4. Compliance by the Certified Program with applicable laws |
| Texas | Accredited programs shall provide supervision for staff who work directly with batterers and must document a minimum of one hour of supervision once every four weeks and adhere to the following parameters: 1. Documentation is to be kept in a personnel or administrative file and should include names of staff receiving supervision, staff member providing supervision, and the date, time, format and topics covered during each supervision session. 2. Topics including general administration and non-BIPP related items will not be accepted as supervision. 3. Staff supervising staff who work directly with batterers and individual providers may obtain peer-to-peer supervision with a supervisor from another fully accredited program. Supervision may be conducted face-to-face or through another means of telecommunication. Supervision can include but is not limited to: · Peer supervision group debriefing; 9 · Discussion of ethical dilemmas; · Victim safety planning; · Batterer’s goal revisions; and · Group observation and/or feedback shall not account for more than 50% of the supervision requirement. · Receiving feedback from family violence professionals with experience working with victims and/or batterers. |
| Utah | Supervision by an approved Supervisor/supervising Consultant meeting the minimum frequencies described below, and for which the Supervisor/Supervising Consultant is responsible for determining whether more frequent supervision is necessary: Student/intern: At least 1 hour/week. 3 Terminal Graduate Degree and working toward full independent licensure: • If the Master’s/Doctoral Degree clinician has provided less than 100 hours of domestic violence offender treatment services OR provided such services for less than 12 months, then supervision will be a minimum of 1 hour per week. • If the Master’s Degree/Doctoral clinician has provided more than 100 hours of domestic violence offender treatment services AND provided such services for at least 12 months, then supervision will be a minimum of 1 hour per month. Fully Licensed Clinician: • If the Fully licensed clinician has provided less than 100 hours of domestic violence offender treatment services OR provided such services for less than 12 months, then documented consultation with an approved consultant will be a minimum of 1 hour every month |
| Vermont | When observed, such indications should be documented. Tests that indicate past use of substances (i.e. positive test for THC within the past thirty days) should not be used to consider a participant under the influence. For participants referred by the court, any information about substance use or abuse should be reported to the Department of Correction’s staff responsible for the participant’s supervision. Prior to the participant’s departure, program staff should determine whether this is an elevated risk factor that needs to be shared with law enforcement, referring agency or the partner. |
| Virginia | In 2003, the Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association-VCCJA joined the partnership to enhance public safety and treatment options for individuals in the community while under supervision. |
| Washington | |
| West Virginia | A batterer intervention and prevention program shall employ or contract with staff to cover the following areas: class facilitation; administration and supervision of the program; program direction to provide overall development; coordination of personnel; volunteer activities; case supervision; direct services; record keeping; and community education activities. Volunteers may also be used for class facilitation. |
| Wisconsin | No state Standards |
| Wyoming | No State Standards |
| State Name | Race & Culture |
| Alabama | ACADV values the dignity of every human being and are committed to taking an intersectional approach in understanding and addressing the root causes of racial, gendered, economic, and all other forms of oppression in the fight for equity and to end abuse. |
| Alaska | consider the characteristics, concerns, and distribution of the populations to be served, including the population’s culture, heritage, traditions, and language. |
| Arizona | |
| Arkansas | Service providers should be engaged as a community partner that supports cultural movements to end violence and abuse;the pages that follow will include the broadest possible view of diversity |
| California | facilitator needs to have a minimum of eight hours in multicultural, cross-cultural, and multiethnic diversity and domestic violence. |
| Colorado | It is imperative that treatment providers are prepared to assess and respond to the diversity of experiences and needs within female offender populations. |
| Connecticut | We value diverse perspectives and strive to incorporate an anti-oppression lens in all aspects of our work. |
| Delaware | Domestic violence intervention providers should also address each of the following content areas in the intervention sessions: The roles of ethnicity/culture and differences in physical abilities in domestic violence. |
| Florida | |
| Georgia | I will treat all program participants and the victims of their violence fairly. I will not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, class, age, religion, educational attainment, ethnicity, national origin, handicaps, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or economic condition. |
| Hawaii | Though intimate partner violence can impact anyone, women and particularly people of color, including Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Indigenous people and Black people, and LGBTQ+ individuals and other underserved groups, experience intimate partner violence in specific ways and face unique challenges and barriers to resources |
| Idaho | Provider should consider offender’s risk and needs when determining type of group, including level or risk based on charge (felony, misdemeanor, amended), gender, sexual orientation/identity, culture/language, etc. |
| Illinois | PAIPs must respect the rights and individuality of all participants, including not discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disabilities, sexual orientation, or economic circumstances. |
| Indiana | The agreement is designed to ensure decisions are uniform and predictable and so discrimination does not occur against any participant based on actual or perceived race, class, age, disability, religion, educational attainment, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. |
| Iowa | |
| Kansas | Battering crosses all social categories, including race, gender, ethnicity, education level, social and economic class, sexual orientation, religion, and physical and mental ability. |
| Kentucky | |
| Louisiana | |
| Maine | “Diversity” covers a wide spectrum of community members. This section will address cultural diversity, tribal programs, the deaf/hard of hearing, and LGBTQ communities. The debate in the literature is whether standalone groups led by facilitators from the same culture for all diverse individuals are more effective, as opposed to “culture blind” groups, or whether diverse individuals can effectively be integrated into a mainstream BIP. The limited research on cultural approaches to BIPs is mixed in terms of outcome.121 One clinical trial of a “culturally focused” program designed for black male abusers had no better outcomes than a mixed abusers group.122 But a culturally focused group for African American men, for example, “may prove to be more effective especially within community-based organizations tied to local services and supports.”123 Engaging the group participants with sensitivity to their specific circumstances and the issues facing them in their communities may also improve the effectiveness of the group, especially if engaging the participants using language and examples from their culture means they complete the program and do not drop out. “The challenge here is to link the experiences of low-income and racially or ethnically diverse men in BIPs and the cultural competence of service providers with increased program completion rates and reduced IPV recidivism. |
| Maryland | |
| Massachusetts | |
| Michigan | Each program must analyze how it is responding to cultural differences among participants and staff. Additionally, it must have a plan for culturally competent practice which may include referrals to appropriate culturally-based services. |
| Minnesota | |
| Mississippi | No State Standards |
| Missouri | Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin and sex in the delivery of services. National origin discrimination includes discrimination on the basis of Limited English Proficiency; |
| Montana | |
| Nebraska | The program does not discriminate against any applicant based on race, class, age, physical handicap, religion, educational attainment, ethnicity, national origin or sexual preference. |
| Nevada | |
| New Hampshire | |
| New Jersey | The contractor or subcontractor, where applicable, will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex. Except with respect to affectional or sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, the contractor will ensure that equal employment opportunity is afforded to such applicants in recruitment and employment, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex. Such equal employment opportunity shall include, but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices to be provided by the Public Agency Compliance Officer setting forth provisions of this nondiscrimination clause. |
| New Mexico | |
| New York | No State Standards |
| North Carolina | the commission shall not discriminate against any abuser treatment program or its providers because of age, race, sex, creed, color, national origin, or disabling condition. No approved abuser treatment program shall deny services to any participant or its providers because of age, race, sex, creed, color, national origin, or disabling condition. |
| North Dakota | |
| Ohio | |
| Oklahoma | all certified programs shall offer services that are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination based on race, sex, color, age, national origin, genetic information, religion, and/ or disability, including a policy starting that services will not be denied or diminished on the basis of immigration status. Each client has the right to receive service suited to the client’s need without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, genetic information, religion, degree of disability, or legal status. |
| Oregon | Admission criteria and practices shall not discriminate against any potential participant based on national origin, race, culture, age, disability, religion, educational attainment or sexual orientation. |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards |
| Rhode Island | |
| South Carolina | |
| South Dakota | No State Standards |
| Tennessee | |
| Texas | |
| Utah | Treatment services should be provided in ways that are respectful and responsive to issues of difference and diversity including language and communication needs. Services for racial and ethical minority groups should be responsive to social conditions and stressors. |
| Vermont | Program competencies should be designed to minimize any disparities in program success based on race, socio-economic background, educational level and/ or cognitive abilities. |
| Virginia | |
| Washington | |
| West Virginia | |
| Wisconsin | No State Standards |
| Wyoming | No State Standards |
| State Name | Program certification vs. Facilitator certification | What do the standards say about synchronous vs. asynchronous programming |
| Alabama |
Program certification – Makes the victim’s safety the priority, meets minimum standards for weekly sessions (16 weeks), holds him accountable, has a curriculum that addresses the root of his problem, makes no demand on the victim to participate, is open to input from the victim, provides information to ACADV victim programs and the referring court. Facilitator certification – |
Synchronous – (Monitoring & Evaluation) Evaluation shall occur annually, on-site or desktop, as determined by the Director. However, an evaluation may occur at any time there is a complaint to the Director. Asynchronous – N/A |
| Alaska | Program Certification – no incidents of physical or sexual violence by the program participant for at least six months; compliance by the program participant with attendance requirements, which may permit no more than two unexcused absences from program activities; appropriate participation in the program by the participant as reflected in formal case reviews; compliance by the program participant with all the conditions and provisions of the contract entered into under (b) of this section; and payment by the program participant of all applicable fees. Facilitator Certification – minimum qualifications for staff and volunteers that include: no history of domestic violence or crimes against a person for at least three years before application; no felony convictions for crimes against a person; no convictions for three years before application is made involving a controlled substance as defined in AS 11.71.900, under federal law or under any other state’s law; misdemeanor assault; a crime involving domestic violence; or the violation of a municipal ordinance or law from another jurisdiction having elements similar to the offenses specified in this paragraph; a demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment; and for a supervisor, training and at least one year experience in working with both victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Arizona | Program Certification -Criteria for a client’s successful completion treatment, including attendance, conduct, and participation requirements. Facilitator Certification – 1. Treatment is provided by a behavioral health professional who: a. Has at least six months of full-time work experience with domestic violence offenders or other criminal offenders, or b. Is visually observed and directed by a behavioral health professional with at least six months of fulltime work experience with domestic violence offenders or other criminal offenders; and 2. Policies and procedures are developed, documented, and implemented that establish education and training requirements for a behavioral health professional providing treatment that demonstrate that the behavioral health professional is qualified to provide treatment. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Arkansas | Program Certification – Pay all fees in full; and Fulfill all program guidelines, to at minimum include the following: Take responsibility for personal abusive behaviors without blaming others; Demonstrate to staff an understanding of alternatives to abusive behavior; Demonstrate to staff the use of respectful language regarding survivor/current partner and an understanding of benefits of equal relationships; and Any and all other additional program components as determined appropriate by the service provider Facilitator Communication – Qualified professionals shall have at least a high school diploma or GED, however, a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is preferred; be a certified facilitator in an ACADV-approved domestic violence intervention program (i.e. Duluth, EMERGE, Family Peace Initiative, etc); Complete a minimum of 20 continuing education hours in domestic violence and related topics, each year; and, Disqualifying criteria include those who: refuse a background check; knowingly makes a materially false statement in connection with the background check; is registered, or is required to be registered, on the State or National Sex Offender Registry; has been convicted of a felony consisting of murder; child abuse or neglect; crime against children; spousal abuse; crime involving rape or sexual assault; kidnapping; arson; physical assault; or a drug-related offense committed during the preceding 5 years; or has been convicted of a violent misdemeanor committed as an adult against a child. Training for all new facilitators, co-facilitators, and staff should include 40 hours of educational training on the following topics: Dynamics of domestic violence, History of the domestic violence movement, Survivor behavior, Elements of Power & Control, Human trafficking and exploitation, Cultural diversity, Anger management versus domestic violence intervention program (DVIP), Relevant domestic violence laws and legal issues, Responsibility versus denial, Characteristics of men who batter, Impact of violence on children and family, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Sexism, racial bias, and oppression, Group facilitation skills, Dynamics & History of the LGBTQIA+ community, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All facilitators who will have contact with groups should have a minimum of 40 hours of experience co-facilitating a batterer intervention group prior to leading a facilitation session. A log of their hours shall be kept on record, with signatures from the co-facilitators who worked with them during the sessions. A minimum of 20 hours of continuing education each year, on any of the above topics. Training opportunities that qualify for continuing education will be made available on Coalition Manager (ACADV database for service providers) and members can also use the database to log their hours to stay in compliance. Continuing education that is provided outside of ACADV must be submitted to ACADV within 30 days, prior to completion, for approval. All facilitators and staff must sign an agreement to be non-abusive during their service with the organization, in all of their relationships (personal and professional). ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – It is strongly recommended that all DVIP sessions are conducted in person. However, if virtual DVIP sessions are being conducted, they should adhere to the following minimum guidelines: Only available if the offender resides over sixty (60) miles from the DVIP location, exceptions to this rule can be approved on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on each program’s specific rules; Participants must agree to abide by the program standards and rules, including any additional rules specific to the virtual session; For example, cameras must remain on, stable internet, appropriate equipment to participate virtually (headphones, microphones, speakers, etc…) no drinking alcohol or smoking/vaping during the session, no eating food during the session, and participants must show a 360 degree (full view) of the room they are in to ensure they are alone for the duration of the session. Participants must have prior approval from the DVIP program and/or facilitators in order to attend virtual DVIP sessions. Asynchronous – N/A |
| California | Program Certification – Successful completion of a batterer’s program, as defined in subdivision (c), or if none is available, another appropriate counseling program designated by the court, for a period not less than one year with periodic progress reports by the program to the court every three months or less and weekly sessions of a minimum of two hours class time duration. The defendant shall attend consecutive weekly sessions, unless granted an excused absence for good cause by the program for no more than three individual sessions during the entire program, and shall complete the program within 18 months, unless, after a hearing, the court finds good cause to modify the requirements of consecutive attendance or completion within 18 months. Upon recommendation of the program, a court shall require a defendant to participate in additional sessions throughout the probationary period, unless it finds that it is not in the interests of justice to do so, states its reasons on the record, and enters them into the minutes. In deciding whether the defendant would benefit from more sessions, the court shall consider whether any of the following conditions exists: The defendant has been violence free for a minimum of six months. The defendant has cooperated and participated in the batterer’s program. The defendant demonstrates an understanding of and practices positive conflict resolution skills. The defendant blames, degrades, or has committed acts that dehumanize the victim or puts at risk the victim’s safety, including, but not limited to, molesting, stalking, striking, attacking, threatening, sexually assaulting, or battering the victim. The defendant demonstrates an understanding that the use of coercion or violent behavior to maintain dominance is unacceptable in an intimate relationship. The defendant has made threats to harm anyone in any manner. The defendant has complied with applicable requirements under paragraph (6) of subdivision (c) or subparagraph (C) to receive alcohol counseling, drug counseling, or both. The defendant demonstrates acceptance of responsibility for the abusive behavior perpetrated against the victim. Facilitator Certification – Forty hours of basic core training. A minimum of eight hours of this instruction shall be provided by a shelter-based or shelter-approved trainer. The core curriculum shall include the following components: A minimum of eight hours in basic domestic violence knowledge focusing on victim safety and the role of domestic violence shelters in a community-coordinated response. A minimum of eight hours in multicultural, cross-cultural, and multiethnic diversity and domestic violence. A minimum of four hours in substance abuse and domestic violence. A minimum of four hours in intake and assessment, including the history of violence and the nature of threats and substance abuse. A minimum of eight hours in group content areas focusing on gender roles and socialization, the nature of violence, the dynamics of power and control, and the effects of abuse on children and others as required by Section 1203.097. A minimum of four hours in group facilitation. A minimum of four hours in domestic violence and the law, ethics, all requirements specified by the probation department pursuant to Section 1203.097, and the role of batterers’ intervention programs in a coordinated-community response. Any person that provides documentation of coursework, or equivalent training, that he or she has satisfactorily completed, shall be exempt from that part of the training that was covered by the satisfactorily completed coursework. The coursework that this person performs shall count toward the continuing education requirement. Fifty-two weeks or no less than 104 hours in six months, as a trainee in an approved batterers’ intervention program with a minimum of a two-hour group each week. A training program shall include at least one of the following: Cofacilitation internship in which an experienced facilitator is present in the room during the group session. Observation by a trainer of the trainee conducting a group session via a one-way mirror. Observation by a trainer of the trainee conducting a group session via a video or audio recording. Consultation or supervision twice a week in a six-month program or once a week in a 52-week program. An experienced facilitator is one who has the following qualifications: Documentation on file, approved by the agency, evidencing that the experienced facilitator has the skills needed to provide quality supervision and training. Documented experience working with batterers for three years, and a minimum of two years working with batterers’ groups. Documentation by January 1, 2003, of coursework or equivalent training that demonstrates satisfactory completion of the 40-hour basic core training. A facilitator of a batterers’ intervention program shall complete, as a minimum continuing education requirement, 16 hours annually of continuing education in either domestic violence or a related field with a minimum of eight hours in domestic violence. A person or agency with a specific hardship may request the probation department, in writing, for an extension of time to complete the training or to complete alternative training options. (1) An experienced facilitator, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), is not subject to the supervision requirements of this section, if he or she meets the requirements of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a). This section does not apply to a person who provides batterers’ treatment through a jail education program if the person in charge of that program determines that the person providing treatment has adequate education or training in domestic violence or a related field. A person who satisfactorily completes the training requirements of a county probation department whose training program is equivalent to or exceeds the training requirements of this act shall be exempt from the training requirements of this act. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Colorado | Program Certification – The offender has demonstrated adherence to all of the following: All required competencies (pg. 52-57), Conditions of the Treatment Plan (pg. 45-49), Conditions of the Offender Contract (pg. 43-45). Facilitator Certification – :Associate Level Provider Candidacy is for individuals who want to become a DVOMB Approved Provider. Associate Level Provider Candidates, regardless of their credentials, must receive approval from the Application Review Committee (ARC) prior to beginning to provide any services to domestic violence offenders. Individuals who have never applied to become listed on the DVOMB Approved Provider List must first start the process by applying for Associate Level Provider Candidacy using the required application (Application 1 – Associate Level Provider Candidate Application). Initial listing as an Associate Level Provider Candidate is valid for one year from the date of approval in order to allow the applicant time to develop competency in the required areas. Associate Level Provider Candidates may begin accumulating the required hours once approved by the ARC. The Associate Level Provider Candidates shall: A. Hold a professional mental health license, substance use certification, or be listed as a candidate for a mental health license or substance use certification, or Unlicensed Psychotherapist listing with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), and not be under current disciplinary action that the Application Review Committee (hereafter ARC) determines would impede the Associate Level Provider Candidate’s ability to continue practicing as a DVOMB Approved Provider. B. Possess 300 general experiential counseling hours. These hours shall be face-to-face client contact hours providing evaluations and/or individual and/or group counseling sessions. The Associate Level Provider Candidate must have received a minimum of 15 hours of one-to-one supervision while accruing the 300 hours. Discussion Point: Associate Level Provider Candidates with a CAS or higher or a masters in counseling may demonstrate this with transcripts, licensure or certification. C. Have accrued 54 face-to-face domestic violence offender contact hours working with domestic violence offenders within the past five years for those who hold a master’s degree in counseling or higher. These contact hours may not be solely accrued via teletherapy and are in addition to the 300 general experiential hours and shall include the co-facilitation of offender evaluations, group sessions, and may include individual treatment. These contact hours shall not be obtained in less than a four-month period. OR Have accrued 108 face-to-face domestic violence offender contact hours working with domestic violence offenders within the past five years for those who hold a Baccalaureate degree. These contact hours are in addition to the 300 general experiential hours and shall include the co-facilitation of offender evaluations, group sessions, and may include individual treatment. These contact hours shall not be obtained in less than a four- month period. D. Submit documentation of co-facilitation hours from a Full-Operating Level Provider or a DVCS through a letter of support verifying the face-to-face client contact hours working with domestic violence offenders. E. Possess a minimum of 25 face-to-face client contact hours providing clinical substance abuse treatment at a Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) licensed facility or co-facilitated by a CAS or higher, and supervised by an LAC. II. Training Criteria The Associate Level Provider Candidate shall: A. Have obtained the following DVOMB CORE trainings: DV100 – DVOMB and Standards Training (Required), DV101 – Domestic Violence Risk and Needs Assessment (DVRNA) Training (Required), DV102 – Offender Evaluation Training (Required), DV103 – Offender Treatment Training (Required) B. Possess a minimum of 14 hours of documented training within the past five years regarding victim safety and dynamic subject areas.52 Domestic Violence Victim Safety and Dynamics – 14 Hours Role of victim advocate in domestic violence offender treatment, Offender containment and working with a victim advocate, Crisis intervention, Legal issues including confidentiality, duty to warn, and orders of protection, Impact of domestic violence on victims, Victim dynamics to include obstacles and barriers to leaving abusive relationships C. Complete any training recommended by the DVCS in order to meet or improve applicant competencies. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Teletherapy means to deliver services through a secured telecommunications system that facilitates the synchronous, real-time, video-based assessment, treatment, and behavioral management of a domestic violence offenders in locations different from the Approved Provider. Only those Approved Providers who have applied and been approved by the ARC shall be able to provide domestic violence offenders services via teletherapy. Asynchronous – N/A |
| Connecticut | Program Certification – Participants shall be considered to have completed the Domestic Violence Offender Program once they have fulfilled the requirements set forth in the Participant Agreement including, but not limited to: Compliance with court orders related to participation in an offender program, Compliance with Program Rules of Conduct, Attendance and active participation (including processing of personal behaviors and/or feelings) in program sessions, Completion of all homework and other assignments, Expressed and demonstrated acceptance of responsibility (by word and/or action) for all violent and abusive behavior without blaming the person(s) they victimized or others, Has not engaged in any threatening, harassing, stalking of the victim(s) or attempted any prohibited contact with the victim(s). Facilitator Certification – Staff working directly with domestic violence offenders must meet the following initial educational and work experience requirements to ensure the quality and effectiveness of services provided: A bachelor’s degree in social science, human service or related field, A minimum of 40 hours of didactic training on domestic violence and offender services. Staff must have documented professional training on their legal and ethical responsibilities under the state mandated reporting laws (i.e. duty to warn, report of child abuse). They must have education and experience in domestic violence group dynamics, group process, and group facilitation skills. Specific areas about which direct service staff should be skilled and knowledgeable, and able to provide documentation, include but are not limited to: Dynamics of intimate partner violence and abuse (including coercive control), Characteristics and tactics of domestic violence perpetrators, Legal statutes (state and federal) addressing domestic violence including firearm laws and mandated reporting laws, Effects of violence, victimization and trauma on an intimate partner, Impact of violence and abuse on children, Victim safety and sensitivity to victims, Assessment and interviewing skills, Risk factors associated with homicide, suicide, or further domestic violence and interviewing skills, Teaching problem-solving and emotional regulation skills as well as non-controlling alternatives to violent and coercive behavior, Methods for rapport and trust building and strategies for effective confrontations, Behavioral change, accountability, and ethical considerations including collusion and boundaries, Connections between substance abuse/addiction, mental illness, and domestic violence, Demonstrated ability to provide services in a culturally competent manner. Direct service staff working with offenders should be capable of demonstrating the following skills: Ability to actively listen and process using reflection, clarification, and paraphrasing, Ability to recognize and process denial, minimization, and other defense mechanisms, Methods for communicating respect and tolerance of diverse cultures and lifestyles, Methods for assessing a participant’s comprehension and ability to learn and incorporate new ideas and strategies. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous -N/A |
| Delaware | Program Certification – The offender has complied with rules and regulations, attended scheduled appointments, participated at an acceptable level, and completed homework and other assignments. At the time of completion, additional recommendations may be made and sent to the referring agency. Facilitator Certification – The facilitator applicant must have a Bachelors degree in social science, human services, or a similar field, as well as: 104 hours of direct face-to-face contact facilitating or co-facilitating domestic violence intervention groups using a power and control model. This requirement must be completed in not less than six months; 40 hours of victim-centered training, which can include providing advocacy to battered women and their children, conducting women’s and children’s groups, attending victim panels or presentations at which victims discuss their victimization, and any other program or training where victim issues are taught; 40 hours of training on domestic violence intervention and or appropriate related training as determined by the certification board; and Attendance at 4 hours of domestic violence hearings. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Florida | Program Certification – Completion indicates that the participant has completed the assessment performed by an assessor, has been in compliance with the program’s rules and contract, has participated in the group at an acceptable level as determined by the facilitator, and has paid required provider program fees. Facilitator Certification – Facilitator Employment Credentials. A facilitator employed or contracted by a provider shall meet the following educational, experiential, and training requirements: Bachelor’s degree or, in lieu of a bachelor’s degree, two years of experience working with domestic violence victims and batterers; Completion of 40 hours of domestic violence training to include at a minimum, domestic violence tactics, risk indicators to homicide, culturally informed/culturally competent practices, batterers as parents, the relationship of substance abuse and mental health in domestic violence, victim blaming, perpetrator accountability, participation in coordinated community response efforts, and court attendance during domestic violence cases; Completion of 21 hours of facilitator training on the power and control model of intervention, gender-based violence model, and group facilitation; Completion of 72 hours of supervised facilitating or co-facilitating batterers’ intervention groups. Within six months of promulgation of this rule, supervised facilitating or co-facilitating batterer’s intervention groups must be completed with a Florida certified batterer’s intervention program; Documentation for all facilitator training shall be submitted to the ODV for approval prior to a facilitator facilitating groups on their own. Facilitator training will be approved if it meets the standards set forth in this rule. Facilitator Continuing Education Training: Each facilitator shall complete a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education annually. The training must contribute to the advancement, extension, or enhancement of the facilitator’s skills and knowledge related to domestic violence and BIP facilitation. Training shall comply with the program curriculum as required in Rule 65H-2.017, F.A.C., and include information in any of the following areas as they pertain to intimate partner violence: Current law, Evaluation and intervention with families, Victimization, Effects on children, Dating violence, Intervention and prevention, Substance abuse, and The power and control model. Documentation for all continuing education training must be updated and maintained in the facilitator’s personnel file. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Groups shall be in-person or virtual to ensure safety and confidentiality. Virtual groups must require attendees to participate on camera with audio and must be accessible to all participants when offered regardless of personal access to technology. Asynchronous – N/A |
| Georgia | Program Certification – (a) Participants must complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) weekly classes that are ninety (90) minutes in length to complete an FVIP program. (a) FVIPs shall require each participant to attend a minimum of twenty-four (24) weekly group classes. Participants may not attend more than one (1) class per week. (b) Classes shall be at least ninety (90) minutes in length. Administrative duties, including taking attendance and collecting fees, are prohibited during the ninety (90) minutes of instruction time. Breaks shall not be included in the ninety (90) minutes. (c) A certified facilitator may not hold a class with more than eight (8) participants if only one (1) certified facilitator is present. Two (2) certified facilitators may co-facilitate a class not to exceed sixteen (16) participants. (d) Participants may not have more than three (3) absences. A fourth absence must result in automatic termination from the FVIP. (e) Participants arriving late to class may attend class but not receive credit, and no payment shall be charged or received by the FVIP. If a participant is late to class three (3) times, it shall counted as one (1) absence. (f) Transfer of a participant to another program will not be permitted unless the transfer has been approved by the court, other referral source, or the Commission. If approved, the FVIP the participant is transferring from shall notify the victim liaison of the participant’s transfer within four (4) calendar days. FVIPs who accept transferred participants must complete all procedures required of new participants. Facilitator Certification – Facilitator Training Requirements. Applicants shall provide proof of completing the following training requirements within three (3) years of applying for certification: 1. Completion of twenty (20) hours of Commission delivered facilitator training; i. Applicants must attend “FVIP Basics,” a six (6) hour training, prior to beginning all other training requirements and class participation requirements. The remaining fourteen (14) hours of Commission delivered training may be completed in conjunction with the additional training requirements. 2. Completion of forty (40) hours of Commission-approved training. These training hours must be preapproved by the Commission. 3. Completion of forty (40) hours of participation in community education and victim advocacy. i. Fifteen (15) of these forty (40) hours must be spent participating in the Community Task Force on Family Violence or other coordinated community response to domestic violence. If no such body exists, the applicant shall attend other family violence community meetings for this requirement or may request from the Commission that these hours be met through domestic violence court observations, law enforcement ride-alongs, or volunteering with a domestic violence advocacy program. The remaining hours may be comprised of domestic violence court observations, law enforcement ride-alongs, or volunteering with a domestic violence advocacy program; (b) FVIP Class Participation Requirements. Applicants shall provide proof of completing the following participation requirements within three (3) years of applying for certification. 1. Thirty-six (36) hours as a participant observer in a certified FVIP. A facilitator trainee may participate in an FVIP class after completing six (6) hours of training as outlined in 105-3-.05(1)(a)(1)(i) and only with a certified facilitator. 2. Thirty-six (36) hours of direct face-to-face contact as a facilitator trainee with a certified facilitator. A facilitator trainee may have direct face-to-face contact as a facilitator trainee after completing requirements outlined in 105-3-.05(1)(a)(1)(i) and 105-3-.05(1)(b)(1). (c) Recommendation Letter. Applicants shall submit a letter of recommendation from the certified facilitator with whom the applicant completed their direct face-to-face facilitator trainee hours. (d) Facilitator Educational Requirements. Facilitators must have a four (4) year college degree or two years of experience as a group facilitator, instructor or counselor. (e) Principles of Practice. Each facilitator trainee and certified facilitator shall adhere to the following Principles of Practice, submit a signed copy of the Principles of Practice upon certification and recertification and prominently display them in the program facility in which they are facilitating. (f) Code of Ethics. Each facilitator trainee and certified facilitator shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and submit a signed copy upon certification and recertification. (g) Background Check Requirement. All applicants shall undergo a comprehensive criminal background, temporary protective order, and driver history check. Facilitators may be subject to additional background checks at any point during their period of certification. All background checks will be conducted by the Department. The Commission shall report to the facilitator the results of the background checks at the request of the applicant or facilitator. Notification of Arrest Requirement. Once certified, facilitators shall report to the Commission by the next business day after release any arrest. (i) Notification of Temporary Protection Order Respondent Requirement. Once certified, facilitators shall report to the Commission any temporary protection or stalking orders of which they are a respondent by the next business day after service of the order. (j) Facilitator Certification Schedule and Fees. The Commission will review certification applications for facilitators on an ongoing basis. Each applicant will be required to submit a nonrefundable $150.00. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Participants must attend class in-person. No online classes will be approved. Asynchronous – Participants must attend class in-person. No online classes will be approved. |
| Hawaii | Program Certification – 8.2 Program Completion Criteria: It is important for providers to develop criteria that participants must achieve prior to completion. Participants should demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum and an ability to apply the principles to their own lives. It is critical, however, that no person be assumed to be non-abusive because that person has completed the required sessions in the program. Caution: information regarding continued violence/abuse from the survivor or other sources can only be used if it will not endanger the survivor. A. Providers shall ensure that all decisions regarding participants achieving criteria for “program completion” are consistent and objective. B. Satisfactory completion of DVI requirements includes meeting measurable objectives that reflect the content of curriculum as described above (in Section 6.4). C. The following are examples of suggested measures of behavior change while in program to indicate successful program completion. They can be evaluated based on observable skill acquisition, belief and attitude change, participation in group discussion, role plays, other group exercises and homework assignments. 1) Hass accepted responsibility for their violent/abusive behavior. 2) Not engaging in violent, controlling or abusive behavior during program participation according to survivor and collateral reports, as well as self-reports. Status should be supported by periodic risk and lethality assessments conducted during program participation. 3) Has cooperated in sessions by openly processing attitudes and emotions, and actively participating in replacement attitude, belief and skill development. 4) Completion of a detailed prevention plan to prevent future perpetration of intimate partner violence. 5) Demonstrates the acquisition of new attitudes, beliefs, skills and behavior. 6) Has demonstrated an understanding of and concern for the impact of domestic violence on children. 7) Demonstration of use of respectful language regarding their partner, women in general and other disenfranchised communities. 8) Completion of any other DVI requirements. Facilitator Certification – All staff and facilitators providing DVI services must be knowledgeable about the following: 5.1 Attitudes, Knowledge and Skills Domains A. Attitudes: 1) The values framework that guides the work. 2) The definitions and dynamic of coercive control, violence, abuse, domination, and oppression. 3) Cultural, societal and gender issues related to use of violence in intimate relationships. 4) The tactics used to maintain dominance and oppression. 5) The effects of intimate partner violence on victims/survivors, children and those who use violence including the impact of trauma. 6) The dynamics of power and control in relationships. 7) Cognitive distortions. 8) Laws related to DV. 9) Safety Planning. B. Knowledge: 1) The ways children may be used as part of a pattern of abuse. 2) Child protection resources, referrals and definitions and dynamics of child abuse/neglect. 3) Skills to respond sensitively to the issues posed by those who abuse who are also parents. 4) A well developed understanding of what constitutes effective parenting, co-parenting, its importance and how to parent children who have been exposed to domestic violence. C. Skills: 1) Facilitation and counseling orientation, knowledge and skills. 2) Strengths-based approaches. 3) Trauma-informed approaches. 4) Knowledge of and ability to use attitudes and skills od motivational interviewing. 5) Skills and strategies for use in responding to resistance so as to support movement toward behavior change and accountability. 6) Stages of change theory. 7) Individual counseling skills and strategies. 8) Group counseling skills and strategies including knowledge and skills in dealing with group dynamics. 9) Recognition of and ability to work sensitively and effectively within a multi-cultural environment and among individuals with diverse learning styles. D. Assessment, interviewing, and crisis intervention skills and strategies: 1) Ability to use rick od recidivism, risk of re-assault and lethality to inform work. 2) Placing survivor safety at the center of any assessment and response to lethality or risk factors. 3) Interviewing skills. 4) Screening for additional needs, e.g., substance misuse or mental health concerns. 5) Recognize and respond to suicide, crisis situations, and de-escalate aggressive behavior. E. Plan services so that client needs are matched with the skills and approaches of the staff delivering the services: 1) Effective preparation for individual or group sessions. 2) Participate in regular supervision and debrief sessions. 3) Maintain program integrity. 4) Establish and maintain appropriate boundaries with clients. 5) Maintain case records and complete paperwork in a timely fashion. The standards below are desired expectations and requirements for DVI providers to work toward. They include the following: 5.2 Educational and Other Requirements A. Entry level requirements for DVI staff and facilitators: 1) Those who provide DVI services are encouraged to have, at minimum, a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a behavioral science area of study from an accredited college or university or the equivalent in training and experience, including lived experience. Alternatively, any combination of education and lived or work experience that would provide the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position should be considered. 2) Individual and/or group counseling experience. 3) A current background check of state criminal history records. a) Shall not have a conviction for a state or federal misdemeanor or felony, or have accepted a court plea of guilty or nolo contendere to the same if that violation is related to the perpetration of domestic violence or other crimes that may interfere with the effective provision of DVI. 4) Demonstrated values, attitudes and ability to communicate and work effectively wit people of diverse social, economic, age, gender identities, cultural and racial backgrounds. 5.4 Training Requirements A. Staff must receive a minimum of 25-40 hours of basic training in domestic violence dynamics, which will include all areas listed in 5.1 A above, at minimum, and complete an additional 20 hours of continuing education related to DVI per year. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – Where group work is genuinely not possible – for example, in remote rural areas or for clients with unusual additional needs – a planned, structured program of individual intervention may be considered. This intervention should adhere to the same principles and standards as for group and should cover the same topics, approaches and skills practice. |
| Idaho | Program Certification – Compliance Discharge shall be given when completion of the program is achieved with no recommendation for further intervention. a. Including adherence to all stipulations in the Offender Contract. (See Offender Contract under Section IV.C. below.) b. Referral to another program. c. The program retains the discretion to make determinations about the appropriate services to be provided to offenders transferring from their original point of service. When an offender transfers into intervention from another provider, a new or continuing plan of care must be established. Facilitator Certification – General Guidelines 1. Individuals who work in an approved domestic violence offender intervention program are referred to as Program Supervisors, Direct Service Providers, or Trainees. These can be either paid or volunteer staff persons who provide direct services. 2. Intervention staff must have documented professional and continuing education regarding intimate partner abuse, child abuse, sexual and emotional abuse, elder abuse, risk factors for future dangerousness, risk factors for lethality, causes of violence, violence in families, substance abuse/chemical dependency issues, mental health issues, and the legal system as it applies to violent relationships, intervention and recovery methods, current literature and research in the field; must be aware of and responsive to how the issues of power and control relate to abusive behavior and that issues of classism, cultural bias, racism, sexism, heterosexism, and gender identity may need to be addressed. 3. The program shall establish and implement policies, procedures, and supervision schedules ensuring adequate supervision for all intervention staff. 4. At the time an approved program adds a new Program Supervisor, Direct Service Provider, or Trainee, either volunteer or paid, the program must submit documentation to the OIP Committee of meeting the minimum qualifications. Program Supervisor or Direct Service Providers may not provide sole direct services to offenders until the qualifications have been reviewed and approved by the OIP Committee Chair pending consideration by the entire committee at its’ subsequent meeting. 5. Providers shall demonstrate specific knowledge of their legal and ethical responsibilities to protect victims and potential victims and to report child abuse. They must have specific education and experience in domestic violence group dynamics and group process. 6. Providers shall be free of criminal convictions, criminal conviction probation or parole including withheld judgements or I.C. § 19-2604 relief, protection orders, and substance abuse or dependence in their own lives for a minimum of five years prior to becoming a Program Supervisor, Direct Service Provider, or Trainee. 7. Direct services are to be provided by a Program Supervisor or Direct Service Provider only. A Trainee may participate in direct service provision under on-site supervision only. . Program Supervisor Each program shall have a Program Supervisor (PS), maintain a position description for the PS, and all PS must meet these criteria: a. Hold a master’s or Doctorate Degree from an accredited university/college in counseling, psychology, social work, or related field. b. Must be licensed in their respective field. c. Completed a minimum of sixty (60) hours of education including and not limited to: i. Domestic violence from victim/advocate service programs in Idaho. ii. Topics from this document under Continuing Education. iii. The OIP Committee reserves the right to reject education that does not appear to be from a qualified source or appears duplicative when considering this provision. iv. An applicant who fails to meet the “broad range of topics” requirement but otherwise shows sixty (60) hours of education in the field may be granted a provisional approval pending additional education. v. Have completed a minimum of five hundred (500) hours of supervised intervention experience including: 1. A minimum of two hundred fifty (250) hours of supervised education and/or experience that is directly related to counseling, assessing, or providing intervention to DV offenders and/or victims, as well as working with, or receiving training from, domestic violence victim advocacy services. 2. A minimum of two hundred fifty (250) hours of supervised direct intervention with offenders in an Idaho, or other state approved offender intervention program, which includes a minimum of fifty (50) hours supervised experience in offender group facilitation or other experience deemed sufficient by the OIP Committee upon request of the applicant. 3. Supervision may include education, direct, observed one-on-one supervision; client consultation, one hour for every 20 hours for the above total requirements. (At least one hour will be direct observed.) C. Direct Service Provider (DSP) Each program will maintain a position description for the DPS(s). DSPs must meet these criteria: 1. Hold an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university/college in a behavioral science-related field or equivalent work-related experience. 2. Sixty hours (60), minimum education: a. Domestic violence from victim/advocate service programs in Idaho. b. Topics from this document under Continuing Education. c. The OIP Committee reserves the right to reject education that does not appear to be from a qualified source or appears duplicative when considering this provision. i. One hundred fifty (150) hours minimum of supervised intervention experience including: 1. Seventy-five (75) hours minimum of supervised direct intervention contact with offenders. 2. A minimum of seventy-five (75) hours of supervised education and/or experience that is directly related to counseling, assessing, or providing intervention to DV offenders and/or victims, as well as working with, or receiving training from, domestic violence victim advocacy programs. D. Trainees 1. A Trainee is a paid or volunteer staff person who has not completed the minimum requirements to become a Direct Service Provider. 2. Must hold related behavioral science degree or be working toward a degree in a related field. 3. Trainee(s) may serve as a co-facilitator of groups with a Direct Services Provider or Program Supervisor but may not facilitate a group alone. 4. An individual may be considered a Trainee for no more than two (2) years unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated, and provisional approval of the Committee is granted, subject to additional requirements. E. Continuing Education Intervention programs are required to maintain written records of continuing education units for Program Supervisors, Direct Service Providers, and Trainees. Continuing education requirements include: 1. Sixty (60) hours of continuing education (through an approved CEU provider) are required every three (3) years from the date of the initial intervention program approval by the OIP Committee for all Program Supervisors and Direct Service Providers. Trainees who work for over a year in any particular intervention program shall be required to meet the same continuing education requirements as a Program Supervisor or Direct Service Providers. No more than five (5) of those hours may be obtained by attending “in-house” educational sessions. 2. Continuing professional education may be obtained through classes, seminars, workshops, or webinars. No more than thirty hours (30) of self-study programs may be used toward the requirement of sixty (60) hours of continuing education. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Telecommunication Services: Telecommunication is one tool that may be utilized in OIPs. In-person group sessions are the preferred modality; however, the Council recognizes the need for offender intervention telecommunication services in certain circumstances. As such, the OIP Committee has established the following protocol for offender intervention telecommunication services: Participants will participate in an approved Domestic Violence Intervention program that does not exceed more than 12 participants per group. 1. Telecommunication services are to be utilized in extreme circumstances only. Hardships include but are not limited to mileage, terrain, employer limitations, transportation, lack of services in the area, acts of nature, and public health crises. Hardships may be determined by a court. 2. The participant may only be enrolled in the telecommunication group upon approval from the court or court’s designee. The intervention provider is responsible for keeping signed approval forms from the court on record for program monitoring. 3. Intake may be conducted using telecommunication services for approved telecommunication participants. 4. The intervention provider must keep separate lists of in-person participants and telecommunication participants for each session. Lists will be included in program monitoring. 5. The participant may be removed from the group for failure to participate as directed by the provider. 6. The software of the telecommunications shall meet or exceed applicable federal and state legal requirements of medical/health information privacy, including compliance with the health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and state privacy, confidentiality, security, and medical retention rules. 7. Before engaging in a telecommunication program, the approved Domestic Violence Intervention provider must seek and obtain approval for such program from ICDVVA. This request must be submitted in writing on an application form provided by the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance. 8. Failure to comply with these telecommunication standards and policies can result in termination of telecommunication services. Intervention shall be 90-minute group sessions for a minimum of 52 sessions. Generally, sessions should be once per week and occur over the course of a minimum of 52 weeks (unless court order differs). Sessions may be more frequent based on risk and needs of the offender. a. Provider should consider offender’s risk and needs when determining type of group, including level or risk based on charge (felony, misdemeanor, amended), gender, sexual orientation/identity, culture/language, etc. b. Providers are discouraged from placing high-risk offenders and low-risk offenders or male/female offenders in the same group. c. Providers shall consider, through assessment, if individual intervention or other interventions appropriate to culture, language, community, disability, etc. may be implemented to address offender needs and reduce risk to the community. For group intervention, group size shall not exceed twelve individuals, including telecommunication attendees. A second facilitator is highly recommended if group size exceeds eight individuals. Asynchronous – N/A |
| Illinois | Program Certification – These program requirements must include, at a minimum: 1) Fulfillment of all contractual requirements; 2) Admission of and accountability for abuse and violent and controlling behavior, taking responsibility for the participant’s own behavior, and understanding of contributing factors; 3) Demonstration of understanding of alternatives to abusive behavior and reporting the use of those alternatives; 4) Demonstration of use of respectful language regarding a partner and understanding of benefits of egalitarian relationships; 5) Demonstration of violence prevention action planning that addresses such issues as identification of risky beliefs, healthy behaviors and support systems; 6) No current evidence of threats or acts of physical violence; and 7) Completion of any other PAIP requirements (i.e., substance abuse and/or mental health evaluations and treatment, etc.). Facilitator Certification – a) PAIP staff must be competent in general communication skills and those specific skills required to challenge and facilitate change in attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. They must have a general knowledge of human behavior and specific knowledge about intimate partner violence, and they must have attitudes and behavior consistent with this Part. b) All PAIP direct service staff and supervisors must have completed 40 hours of training consistent with the requirements of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act [750 ILCS 60], and an additional 20 hours of Department approved training in abuser services. Facilitators who are unable to complete the Department approved 20 hour training within the first three months of employment must submit a training plan to the Department for approval. The 20 hours must consist of formal training or conference attendance in abuser intervention and/or experience in facilitating partner abuse intervention groups. In order for experience to count as part of the training plan, it must be gained through a protocol approved PAIP and under the direction of a supervisor meeting the protocol requirements. The training must be documented and sent to the Department within 30 days after completion. c) All PAIP staff must receive ongoing training as a part of their professional development. At a minimum, six hours of continuing education that supports the work of intimate partner violence services must be obtained annually. Continuing education hours shall: 1) Be earned by verified attendance (e.g., certificate of attendance or certificate of completion) at or participation in a program or course (program) that is offered or sponsored by a continuing education sponsor approved by the Department. Those programs shall contribute to the advancement, extension and enhancement of the professional skills and scientific knowledge of PAIP staff; 2) Foster the enhancement of general or specialized work in the practice of partner abuse intervention; 3) Be developed and presented by persons with education and/or experience in the subject matter of the program; and 4) Specify the course objectives, course content and teaching methods to be used. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Indiana | Program Certification – The applicant must submit a curriculum synopsis, agendas, worksheets, and activities that will be used for group sessions. The applicant must submit a policy and procedure requiring participants to sign an explicit, Confidentiality Notification at the time of intake. The applicant must submit a policy and procedure requiring participants to sign a contract at the time of intake. The applicant is also required to submit a copy of the group rules. If the rules are different for in person and virtual both must be submitted. The applicant must submit a policy and procedure documenting the reasons for denial. 1. The following are not grounds for denial: a. The participant is unwilling to disclose the use of violence at the time of intake. b. The participant failed to complete an AIP. c. The participant failed to complete a substance use disorder treatment program. d. The participant needs language accommodations. e. The participant needs other reasonable accommodations. 2. The applicant’s policy must include, at a minimum, the following administrative requirements. a. Grounds for denial must be documented in writing. b. Procedures for immediately notifying the referral source of the denial. The applicant must submit a policy and procedure requiring participants to sign an expulsion agreement at the time of intake. The agreement is designed to ensure decisions are uniform and predictable and so discrimination does not occur against any participant based on actual or perceived race, class, age, disability, religion, educational attainment, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. 1. The following are minimum grounds for expulsion: a. Continued abuse or physical violence. b. Failure to comply with conditions of the participant’s contract. c. Violation of program rules. d. Bringing weapons or illegal substances to program property. e. Threats or violence to AIP staff. 2. The applicant’s policy must include, at a minimum, the following administrative requirements. c. Grounds for expulsion must be documented in writing. d. Procedures for immediately notifying the referral source of the expulsion. The applicant must submit a policy and procedure requiring participants to sign a compliant protocol at time of intake. i. AIPs must provide a minimum of 26 sessions once per week. ii. AIPs sessions must last at least 90 minutes. Facilitator Certification – In order to obtain certification, an applicant must complete the following: 1. Submit an AIP Program Application (Form A) that includes a complete checklist of requirements. a. Including a detailed programmatic synopsis, relevant policy and procedures, and supplemental attachments using the Abuse Intervention Programs (AIP) standards as minimum guidelines for operation. b. Each policy must include detailed procedures for implementation that align with the program’s structure, capacity, and mission. c. Submit a Guided Orientation (Form B) for proof of participation in coordinated community response interviews with the following entities for each county you plan to offer AIP classes. i. Recognized DV Program Guided Orientation ii. Probation Guided Orientation iii. DCS Guided Orientation d. Attachments such as brochures/manuals/sample letters/intake information will not substitute addressing the questions/policy requirements. 2. Submit a Facilitator Application (Form C) and all supporting documentation. The requirements for facilitator certification at a new and existing program are outlined below. a. Requirements for the establishment of a new AIP in the state of Indiana. At least one staff must become a facilitator. The requirements to become a facilitator are as follows: i. Participation in an ICADV AIP Academy online and in-person. ii. Proof of participation (certificate) in the programs’ AIP curriculum. This can be facilitated by the curriculum developer (i.e. Duluth/Emerge/Family Peace Initiative) or a certified AIP program supervisor. Curriculum must be approved by ICADV. b. Requirements for additional qualified staff to facilitate groups at an existing certified AIP. i. Completion of a Facilitator application form and certification payment. ii. Participation in AIP Training Academy. Note: While not required, applicants are strongly encouraged to observe multiple sessions at a certified AIP before starting the certification process. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Online only “DV classes” do not comply with the state statute. Asynchronous – Online only “DV classes” do not comply with the state statute. |
| Iowa | Program Certification – A person convicted of, or receiving a deferred judgment for, domestic abuse assault shall report to the district department in order to participate in a batterers’ treatment program for domestic abuse offenders. Participation in the batterers’ treatment program shall not require a person to be placed on probation, but a person on probation may participate in the program. The district departments may contract for services in completing the duties relating to the batterers’ treatment programs. Facilitator Certification – The department, in cooperation with victim service providers, shall work with various professional organizations to encourage organizations to establish training programs for professionals who work in the area of domestic abuse prevention and services. Domestic abuse training may include, but is not limited to, the following areas: 1. The enforcement of both civil and criminal remedies in domestic abuse matters. 2. The nature, extent, and causes of domestic abuse. 3. The legal rights and remedies available to domestic abuse victims, including crime victim compensation. 4. Services available to domestic abuse victims and their children, including the domestic abuse telephone hotline. 5. The mandatory arrest provisions of section 236.12, and other duties of peace officers pursuant to this chapter. 6. Techniques for intervention in domestic abuse cases. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Kansas | Program Certification – Participants are assessed before entering the program based upon KDVOA standards, typically determines type of group individual will be placed in (Ex. asynchronous or synchronous). Participants must initially sign an agreement covering all content, expectations, and information regarding the program. Minimum standards for completion include attendance to all sessions, cooperating and attitude on program rules, participation actively, freedom from the violent and abusive behavior (also necessary with probation), and compliance with the financial aspect of the program. Programs are a minimum of 24 weekly group sessions, minimum ninety minutes and maximum two hours long. Certification includes completing all 24 sessions, but is also based upon the demonstration of goal completion and maintained skills from the program overall. Must acknowledge confidentiality is limited due to victim information and probation expectations. Individual BIP’s made for each participant. Facilitator Certification – Employees may not be hired if they have a history of domestic violence/battering, and if they have they must be free of criminal convictions for 5 years, have completed a program, and have acted as a co-facilitator for at least two years, may not be a victim of domestic violence unless candidate has proven free of violence and convictions for what the program director feels is necessary, they must not abuse alcohol or drugs, must follow ethical behavior, and must undergo extensive background checks. Facilitators must have previous experience in specifics with domestic violence, group dynamics, and interpersonal skills. They must have a baccalaureate degree or two years of experience working with individuals who batter or victims, must have forty hours of face-to-face co-facilitating experience in battering intervention groups, and forty hours of domestic violence training approved by the Office of Attorney General. Trainings must proceed for five years. Documentation must provide all requirements as well as previous working and educational experiences. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Typical format for these types of programs. Highly encouraged to participate face-to-face compared to asynchronously. Exclusive use of electronics and electronic communications typically discouraged unless certain requirement allows for it. Asynchronous – Typically discouraged but can be used if specific policies and procedures of this type of program is developed and stated. Oftentimes the use of these programs can be due to distance from the program, transportation issues, health and safety issues, etc. They must consider victim safety, group size, and group rules and expectations. They must require active participation and groupings the same as in-person programs |
| Kentucky | Program Certification – Unable to access specific requirements for certification as log-ins are required for specific standards, but completion of programs can be court-ordered, must not make excuses for violence (such as background, substance use, etc.), have the right to complain about services provided. Must comply with confidentiality limitations, must pay for the program, and must follow all rules and expectations (discussed privately) to be certified. Facilitator Certification – Submitting a DVPR-001 application to the department and must choose to apply as an associative provider or autonomous provider. Sixteen hours of continuing education is required for certification renewal on domestic violence and abuse. Certification cannot be granted or can be removed if the application is complete, requirements are not met, has been convicted in the past ten years of crimes relating to violence and abuse. Also may not be certified if has experienced domestic violence within five years, substance use diagnosis, has restraining orders, etc. Certified facilitators must have a bachelors degree, twenty-four hours of specialized training involving domestic violence, two years post-grad (4000 hours) with clinical experience relating to dating violence, etc. Autonomous providers are required a masters degree, 150 hours clinical experience, two years post-grad experience (4000 hrs), etc. Background checks often required. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – No specifications found regarding synchronous vs. asynchronous, but common themes of BIP’s encourage synchronous participation over asynchronous participation. Asynchronous – No specifications found on asynchronous programs. Synchronous participation often encouraged over asynchronous participation. |
| Louisiana | Program Certification – Agreements on cooperation with program required, such as contact with law enforcement might be necessary, thus affecting some confidentiality. Must cover the fees/cost of the intervention program, must face consequences if violation of policies happens, must go through initial screening to determine best fit in programs, ongoing assessments of lethality through history with domestic violence (threats), drug use tracked, signed contract that agrees to stop the behavior, follow the program, allow the release of all necessary documents, consistent attendance, completion of homework, cooperation with group, and absence overall of violent behaviors. Facilitator Certification – Several training topics are available for staff within all different positions, involving courses regarding: Children Exposed to Violence (3 hrs), ODARA Risk Assessment (3 hours), Safe and Positive: Intersection Between DV and HIV/AIDS (3 hours), Safe Mothers, Healthy Babies (3 hours), and Domestic Violence 101 (1-1.5 hours). Each course lists who might benefit from which course, for example social workers with the Child course or law enforcement with the ODARA course. General training is implemented through “Using Shared Risk and Protective Factors to Develop Prevention Strategies Webinar” which is implemented for staff working in violence prevention. Minimum of 40 hours of initial training required with 20 hour annual training required. Must be licensed or certified mental health professional, 20-hours of victim centered training, psycho-educational training, nationally recognized domestic violence training completion, substance abuse training, commitment to nonviolence, ongoing development of program commitment, annual trainings to enhance understanding and learning. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – No specifications regarding programs, but training can be done online or in-person for facilitators and staff. Programs encouraged to be completed in-person as connections with parole, court, victims, etc. are necessary for completion. Asynchronous- No specification. Training for facilitators and employees may be completed online/ asynchronously. |
| Maine | Program Certification – 48 week completion of CBIP, 90 minute long sessions, check in maximum 30 minutes, attend one class per week, enter in a written agreement beforehand that covers: their responsibilities, agreement to stop violence, waiver of confidentiality limitations, criteria for discharge, copy of complaint procedure, readmission criteria, curriculum, etc. Must provide all correct identification, legal history, probation information, and agree to a monitoring process. Facilitator Certification – No prior convictions involving violence in the past ten years, not be on administrative release, parole, etc. Must meet the specific hiring and enrolling criteria per BIP program. Must receive sufficient training defined sufficient by DOC, provide certification six months prior to co-educating groups, continuing education of approximately 6.25 hours annually. Must follow ethics code, mandated reporting criteria, and declarations of states of emergency. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Recommended and encouraged to complete program certification in-person compared to virtually. Asynchronous – Some programs/trainings took place during COVID-19, current recommendations for online program certifications. |
| Maryland | Program Certification – Acceptance of responsibility for abuse without using excuses such as substance abuse or emotional problems. Individual follows appropriate recommendations following victim contact, provide history of behavior with victim the law, in general, etc. Must provide personal information such as name, age, ID, mental health history, background check, employment information, descriptions of incidents, waiver of confidentiality with limitations, can accept resources helping with contributing factors (substance use, etc.), attendance reports to victim (if they wish). 32 hours of group time over 20 weeks, individual sessions 16 hours over at least 12 weeks. New plans put in place if violence happens after certification. Facilitator Certification – Application must be submitted with required documents to submit, experience with programs, and certification lasts for three years after initial date issued. Any program documents may be available for inspection and audit at any time. Must have a minimum of a bachelors in a human service degree, supervisors must have at least a masters, must have supervised training, minimum 30 hours training within hiring, 30 hours specific training to work with perpetrators specific to cases of domestic violence. Participants who complete the program are invited to be facilitators. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Highly recommended to have in-person group formats unless circumstances prevents the individual from being in the group format such as disability and language barriers. Asynchronous – Not specified. |
| Massachusetts | Program Certification – Must undergo intake/evaluation process over eight weeks while following all program conditions, issues such as substance use, emotional problems, etc. must be addressed but not used as justification with all responsibility taken. Must attend sessions, cooperate with the rules, actively participate, and be free of violent and abusive behaviors. Must follow the fee agreement, minimum 80 hours with regular attendance, agreements and commitments to stop violence, partner victim contact limited with certain policies and procedures in place with victim consent. Violence free no less than 20 consecutive weeks before discharge, completed any other treatments (mental health, substance use, etc.), accepted full responsibility of behavior, paid all fees, and complete risk assessment. Facilitator Certification – Must undergo background checks (no history of domestic violence and has remained violence free for 3-7 consecutive years), minimum 24 hour training from DPH approved partner abuse program, observe at least 6 group sessions, completion of domestic violence training, demonstrate understanding of all aspects on domestic violence (factors, demographics, safety plans, etc.). Receive frequent supervision from supervisor with complete training and approximately three plus years of experience. Continuing education with 24 hours over three year period, 12 hours must pertain to victims or perpetrators of domestic violence. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Highly recommended to conduct in-person group formats and conduct communications through appropriate means to victims/partners through in-person meetings, or telephone conversations. Asynchronous – Online/virtual programs not specified, but some trainings for facilitators may be completed online. Online contact to victims or participants discouraged and not appropriate. In-person highly encouraged. |
| Michigan |
Program Certification – He has attended the minimum number of sessions as required by the program; and there have been no reported incidents (e.g. police, self report, victim report (if authorized), or any other sources) of physical violence since he began or restarted the BIS; and the batterer appears to have ceased threatening, harassing, stalking, having unwanted and/or prohibited contact, or gathering information regarding the victim and/or children; and the batterer acknowledges that he assaulted, abused, and controlled the victim and/or children by choosing to use patterns of coercive control to gain advantage; and the batterer acknowledges that he was NOT out of control and that it is his responsibility to be aware of, and stop, his battering; and the batterer has participated in the intervention sessions by talking openly and processing personal behaviors; and the batterer has complied with other services received as a condition of the batterer intervention. For example, the batterer is accountably responding to any history of drug/alcohol problems; and the batterer has met the financial agreements of the BIS. Facilitator Certification – Each facilitator must have experience and training in interpersonal skills, group dynamics, and specific issues in domestic violence as it relates to both victims and batterers. Each facilitator must have: A bachelor’s degree, or, in lieu of a bachelor’s degree, two years of equivalent experience involving direct contact work with victims and/or batterers, AND 40 hours of direct, face-to-face facilitating or co-facilitating experience in batterer intervention groups, AND 40 hours of training including, but not limited to: causes and dynamics of domestic violence, legal issues surrounding domestic violence, facilitation skills with batterer intervention groups, characteristics of batterers, victim safety and sensitivity to victims, and assessment and intake skills with batterers. Facilitators shall be able to provide documentation of this training. This training may be provided internally by the BIS provider. No BIS shall employ any individual as a facilitator, paid or volunteer, who has been a perpetrator of domestic violence except under the following conditions: The individual has completed a BIS; and there has been no reported violence for a minimum of two years. |
Synchronous – N/A Asynchronous – N/A |
| Minnesota | Program Certification – Client must attend 24 sessions or 26 hours of programming, unless the probation agent recommends fewer. Facilitator Certification – I was not able to find information about the facilitator requirements, the link to that is currently a dead link, as the site got shut down. I was able to find that they require all volunteers and facilitators to be violence free in their own lives, but nothing about specific requirements. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Mississippi | No State Standards ______________________________________________________________ |
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| Missouri | Program Certification – Programs must develop standards for participants’ completion. At a minimum, the batterer will: Pay all fees in full; Fulfill all program guidelines; Take responsibility for personal abusive behaviors without blaming others; Demonstrate to staff an understanding of alternatives to abusive behavior; Demonstrate to staff the use of respectful language regarding survivor/current partner and an understanding of benefits of equal relationships; and Have no recently reported abusive or violent behavior. Facilitator Certification – To facilitate groups for batterers, an individual must have: A minimum of 50 hours of educational training, including but not limited to the topics listed on the previous page; A minimum of 24 hours of direct co-facilitation with a qualified facilitator in batterer intervention groups; and Ongoing education to increase knowledge on topics related to domestic violence. It is recommended that the individual have a master’s or bachelor’s degree, in a related field, with two or more years of direct service in domestic violence advocacy or group work with batterers. It is preferable to have some combination of education and direct experience. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Montana | Program Certification – Montana statute requires that any individual convicted of partner or family member assault (Montana’s domestic violence crime), shall complete at least 40 hours of counseling “directed toward their violent and controlling behavior.” (MCA 45-5-206). This is then followed by “Unfortunately, Montana does not have an established mechanism to make sure that batterers actually complete their required hours and receive consistent treatment.” Facilitator Certification – Nothing specific to domestic violence. But must be qualified under Montana’s definition of a “Mental Health Professional”. (Found under Trainee and Supervisor requirements) – “a certified professional person” ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Nebraska | Program Certification – The program shall have established criteria for program completion that may include, but is not limited to meeting all financial obligations and compliance with the contract and group rules. Communications with the offender, the victim and the court specify only that the offender has completed the program based on adequate compliance with the contract and any court order. It is advised that release for completion is not predictive of recidivism. The intervention program will not refer to completion of the program as “graduation” or “successfully completing the program.” The program shall not provide a certificate of completion. The program will not express to anyone the prediction of future behaviors of any of the offenders. The program shall have an established procedure for notification of victims about program completion. The program shall have an established procedure that notifies the court of the program completion of court-mandated offenders. The program shall have an established procedure for notifying the local agency overseeing the intervention program of the program completion. Facilitator Certification – Facilitators, Co-Facilitators and Intake Workers must have the following qualifications and training: Bachelors degree in a human service-related area OR an equivalent combination of college courses and/or applied experience. Completed structured training specific to Nebraska on the basics of domestic abuse and additionally attend an offenders’ education curriculum (Emerge or Duluth). One facilitator must have had the approved training before the program begins and the other facilitator must have the approved training within six (6) months of the program beginning. This shall include training on how to conduct a class, the process, what forms are used and group dynamic issues. Continuing education is required. All offender program providers must complete 12 hours of continuing education training annually. A variety of topics relevant to improving skills and enhancing the development of the program through workshops, seminars, videos and reading will also be accepted as part of the requirement. The provider must document dates of attendance and relevance of the training if the training is not on the list of trainers or trainings in order to remain in compliance with these standards. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Nevada | Program Certification – An organization that operates a program shall ensure that: (a) The program issues a certificate of completion to an offender who: (1) Successfully completes the program; and (2) Complies with the provisions of the agreement set forth in NAC 228.175. The program issues a discharge to an offender who is unable to complete the program because he or she has moved from the area of service of the program or has been referred to another program. The program terminates the treatment of an offender who violates any of the provisions of the agreement set forth in NAC 228.175. 2 – If the program issues a discharge to an offender or terminates the treatment of an offender, the organization that operates the program shall notify: The court that sentenced the offender of the discharge or termination and provide to the court a written summary concerning the behavior of the offender in the program and the number of treatment sessions the offender successfully completed, if any; and The offender that he or she is required to make a request to the court that sentenced him or her to reassign him or her to another program. An organization that operates a program shall ensure that if, at the time that a discharge or termination of an offender is considered, the offender exhibits signs of violent behavior and resists treatment, a provider of treatment: Notifies each person who is known to be a victim of domestic violence by the offender, if possible; Provides to the court that sentenced the offender, and to each of the following persons the provider of treatment determines is necessary, a statement of the progress of the offender and the recommendation of the provider of treatment concerning whether the treatment of the offender should be continued or terminated: The parole and probation officer of the offender; prosecuting attorney; and An agency which provides child welfare services; and Requests that the offender continue his or her participation in the program or refers the offender to another program. An organization that operates a program shall ensure that any documentation of actions taken under this section is placed in the file of the offender. Facilitator Certification – A person may be employed, or retained as an independent contractor, in the position of a supervisor of treatment at a program if he or she: Possesses a master’s or doctorate degree in a field of clinical human services from an accredited college or university; Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, has: At least 2 years of experience in a supervisory capacity in the provision of services to victims of domestic violence or in the treatment of persons who commit domestic violence; or At least 5 years of experience in the direct provision of services to victims of domestic violence or treatment of persons who commit domestic violence; Has satisfactorily completed at least 60 hours of formal training in domestic violence which includes at least 30 hours of training in the provision of services to victims of domestic violence and at least 30 hours of training in the provision of treatment to persons who commit domestic violence; Has satisfactorily completed at least 15 hours of the training in domestic violence required by paragraph (d) during the 2 years immediately preceding the date on which the person is employed, or retained as an independent contractor, in the position of a supervisor of treatment at the program ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Is permitted as long as treatment is not taking place in one of the following cities; Boulder City, Carson City, Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Reno or Sparks. Asynchronous – N/A |
| New Hampshire | Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A | |
| New Jersey | Program Certification – BIPs shall incorporate methods of program evaluation that address the assessment process, intervention issues, program staff, service provision, and standards of professional practice. Facilitator Certification – While qualifications for group facilitators shall be determined by individual programs and supervisors/coordinators, a minimum of 40 hours of domestic violence victim and batterer intervention training is strongly recommended. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| New Mexico | Program Certification – Discharge after Program Completion – Discharge of a program participant who completes the required number of group sessions, assignments, and other program requirements in the specified timeframe. Facilitator Certification – For all DVOTI program staff who bill for services or facilitate DVOTI groups without a fully qualified co-facilitator: a Completion of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) Training Program and complete the ODARA certification23. b At least 40 hours of training which includes the dynamics of domestic violence, tactics of abuse, the effects of domestic violence on victims and their children, the relationship between domestic violence and substance abuse, best practices in performing ongoing danger assessments, state and federal laws against domestic violence, cultural diversity, group facilitation skills, and best practices for working with offenders, Eight (8) hours of CYFD-approved annual retraining on advanced issues related to offender treatment and intervention (NMAC 8.8.7.10(N));25d A demonstrated work history with domestic violence offenders; A demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and model positive work relationships for staff and Program Participants; An ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing; For staff providing DVOTI group facilitation, all of the above plus: A minimum Master’s degree in a human services related field or Bachelor’s degree with one (1) year experience in a human services related field OR High School/GED diploma with five (5) years relevant experience and appropriate training and have one (1) year experience in conducting interviews and writing assessments. Specific and sufficient training in offender treatment and intervention, including the specific curriculum/curricula in use by the program. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Approved DVOTI Providers may deliver group sessions virtually, including hybrid in person/virtal sessions. Virtual group sessions must be live. Program requirements are the same for virtual and in-person classes, including participant/facilitator ratios, group duration, length, and content. Asynchronous – Not approved. |
| New York | No State Standards | |
| North Carolina | Program Certification – Client must attend 26 consecutive weekly sessions with each session lasting an hour and a half, occurring once a week. Attendant cannot miss more than three sessions, however missed sessions can be made up. Facilitator Certification – BIP staff facilitating groups should have a minimum of one year of experience/training working in the domestic violence field. Initial training should include (at a minimum): Observing groups, reviewing books, videotapes, and articles on domestic violence, communicating with various agencies with which the BIP interacts. Attending volunteer training at the local battered women’s shelter, observing their hotline, and viewing videos with battered women as the primary subject. Training in the BIP curricula used by the agency. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous and Asynchronous not accepted. |
| North Dakota | Program Certification – When participants have completed the 24 weeks of group work as well as abide by the group contract, attending at least the minimum number of meetings, maintaining an acceptable level of group discussion participation, then they are discharged with a certificate of completion. Facilitator Certification – Every group will have 2 facilitators, and between the 2 facilitators will have the following pre-requisites, if there is only one facilitator then they will have all the following requirements; a bachelors degree in a human related field, prefer experience in working with both victims and offenders of domestic violence, knowledge on client ethics are required, and a minimum of one facilitator in each group must complete a formal domestic violence intervention training program. There is also a smaller list of follow on trainings that covers more specific types of training such as dynamics of domestic violence. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous and Asynchronous not accepted. |
| Ohio | Program Certification – The participant has complied with the rules and regulations of the BIP, attended scheduled sessions, participated at an acceptable level, and completed homework and other assignments. At the time of completion, additional recommendations may be made and sent to the referring agency. Facilitator Certification – All group facilitators will have training in the dynamics of domestic violence and the behaviors used by the batterers as part of a pattern of power and control, issues of victim safety and batterer accountability, strategies for effectively confronting excuses for violence, including substance abuse/addiction and victim blaming, the impact of battering on partners, children, and others, the role BIPs in a coordinated community response and new facilitators shall receive comprehensive training on domestic violence in general. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Oklahoma | Program Certification – Upon completion of the program, an exit interview and service termination report shall be completed and documented in the client record. It shall be documented that the client participated in planning for the client’s exit from the program. The client and staff shall sign and date acknowledgment of this service or an explanation shall be documented if staff is unable to obtain the client’s signature. The service termination report shall include a disclosure stating that completion of the batterer’s intervention program does not indicate that the client will not re- offend; it is a report that the person has completed the necessary requirements of the certified program without any other known or reported re-offending during the time of enrollment in the program. Facilitator Certification – Personnel facilitating batterers intervention groups shall minimally have a graduate degree in a behavioral health or criminal justice related field and one-year related work experience, have a Bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health or criminal justice related field and two years related work experience, or have been employed as a facilitator in a certified batterers intervention program prior to July 1, 2008. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Oregon | Program Certification – Completion of 36 weeks, weekly attendance with a tardiness policy, completion of an accountability plan, compliance with group and classroom policies, participation within the course, etc. Excused and unexcused absences policies dependent on the program. Completed copies of requirements provided to LSA and counsel. Facilitator Certification – Facilitators should document 200 hours of face-to-face contact BIP facilitating experience, have a bachelors or masters degree in human services, must complete 80 hours of training regarding domestic violence, 40 of the hours must be nongovernmental victim advocacy, other forty can be BIP trainings. Sections must cover topics such as victim advocacy, cultural factors, risk factors, etc. Continuing education required with minimum of 32-hours every two calendar years and complete background checks. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Majority of programs encouraged to be in-person classes with groups. Asynchronous – Not specified; In-person programs encouraged. |
| Pennsylvania | No State Standards ______________________________________________________________ |
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| Rhode Island | Program Certification – Must attend without missing a meeting for a minimum of 20 weeks, an 1 1/2 – 2 hours long. Fees are collected but accommodations can be made if requested. Must be able to identify abusive behavior and taught how to react not abusively and try methods of communication instead. Other programs are suggested for correlating issues such as for substance abuse, but distinguished as separate and not causes for domestic violence. Participants are held accountable for their attendance. If not court-ordered, attendance is still monitored and encouraged. Must follow classroom rules and expectations with active participation and group work. Facilitator Certification – Must meet the minimum degree requirements (different depending on the program), specialized trainings, and group facilitation experiences. Majority require a minimum of a bachelors degree, 35 hours of specialized trainings, and 100 hours conducting BIP’s as a facilitator. Of the 35 specialized areas of training, 7 hours must be in domestic abuse issues and dynamics, 7 hours in victim resources and services, 7 hours in group dynamics, and the other 14 may be in other fields relating to the topic at large. Continuing education is required for 12 hours annually, 6 of which must be relating to group dynamics, domestic violence, and/or victim resources with the other 6 hours in another related field. Documentation must be finished annually. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Majority of group meetings encouraged and take place in-person. Asynchronous – Online training courses for facilitators are offered, not specified for program certification. |
| South Carolina | ______________________________________________________________ | Waiting for updates on standards. Information unavailable. |
| South Dakota | No State Standards ______________________________________________________________ |
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| Tennessee | Program Certification – Stop abusive behavior, hold selves accountable, recognize domestic violence and other coercive behaviors as wrong, recognize just themselves are responsible for their actions, understand their negative consequences, stop denying or minimizing their behavior, and stop victim blaming are all standards for batterer accountability. Participants are required to sign a contract agreement with the program, to pay their fees unless ruled “indigent” or if it is a jail-based program. Intakes required initially to intake process with screenings, victim batterer contract, and referrals out of the programs. Acknowledgement of limited confidentiality. Information cannot be released unless certain circumstances require, such as victim safety, informing courts, etc. Contracts signed address attendance policies, compliance with rules, non-violence, confidentiality limitations, active participation, fees to be paid, referrals to additional services, agreement to not interfere with victim or partners communication with staff, and supplying court documents required. The certified program contacts all necessary persons on completion of the program. Communications do not imply “rehabilitation.” Completion of the process is recognized as the first step towards change. Further recommendations can be applied for the future. Minimum of 24 class sessions. Weekly meetings for approximately 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Facilitator Certification – Must not engage in domestic violence, former abusers not have committed acts of violence for at least two years prior to employment, must not abuse alcohol or drugs, communicate as a positive role model, demonstrate interest in working towards elimination of domestic abuse, and demonstrate sensitivity to racial, linguistic, and ethic differences. Minimum of a baccalaureate degree, unless paired with an instructor who does have the degree, has two years of working experience working in the criminal justice system or with batterers or victims. Annual training required on domestic violence with supervision required often. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Programs often mandated in-person and encouraged to be in-person. Groups can be open or closed depending on the program, typically meeting in person. Asynchronous – Not specified. Majority of programs completed in-person. |
| Texas | Program Certification – 36 hours of group sessions in a minimum of 18 weekly sessions with breaks, assessments, and orientation not included towards the certifications. Group participation, development of critical thinking skills, assigning responsibility for violence, non-violent lifestyle, completion of orientation and assessment, paid full fees, and compliance with the program rules and policies. Facilitator Certification – Documentation of complete training hours kept on file, forty training hours must be completed (15 family violence and 25 battering intervention), ethics trainings limited to six hours, training must be complete within six months of employment. Licensed four years working in the field required to fifteen hours completed with six hours of ethics trainings, supervision often required for facilitators before unsupervised sessions. Degree in higher education relating to the topic often required. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Courses highly recommended to be completed in-person, trainings can however be hybrid for facilitators. Asynchronous – Facilitator trainings may be completed online, no specific information listed on the provided site. |
| Utah | Program Certification – Risk factors adequately addressed, IPVRNE for court ordered or voluntary search for this service, duration and intensity of services based upon background such as level of violence towards victims, threats, substance abuse, etc. Typically between 60-90 minutes long. Low risk range 4-12 weeks long. Medium risk 13-24 sessions long, between 13-30 weeks long. High risk between 25-32 sessions, 30-40 weeks long. Risk factors must be addressed by end of program, attendance, group participation, recommendations made for separate programs based upon substance use, mental health and diagnoses, and trauma focused services. Facilitator Certification – Complete specialized training in domestic violence and treatment practices. 24 hours pre-service trainings for domestic violence, completion within last two years, 24 hour preservice mental health trainings, 24 hours trauma trainings, 16 approved CEU’s related to domestic violence annually. Obtain licensing through Utah Department of Human Services. License in human services. Follow training competencies subjects such as confidentiality, trauma, etc. Minimum two years or one thousand hours specialized in domestic violence treatment experiences. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Often completed in-person and encouraged to be synchronous. Asynchronous – Not specified within certification requirements and specifications. |
| Vermont | Program Certification – Compliance with standards and completion of requirements. Terms like “graduation” and “successful” not encouraged and not seen as appropriate. Participation through demonstration of skills, attitudes, and competencies. Signed contract with acknowledgement of limited confidentiality. Demographic info, ID, history of abusive behavior, victim/partner information, involvement in the legal system, etc. Acknowledgement of abuse through demonstration, meet for at least 1 1/2 hours, minimum 26 weekly sessions, endure screening and intake. Identify battering as a coercive behavior to gain control. Proper documentation provided at release. Facilitator Certification – Free of domestic violence in personal life for at least three years, act free of victim blaming, sexism, misogyny, openness to self-examination and receptive feedback, orientation provided for new staff, attend and complete training based upon Batterer Accountability Committee of Vermont Council on Domestic Violence within three months of employment, 10 hours per year of professional development, supervision at least twice per year, and overall enthusiasm and dedication to changing domestic violence issues. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Often completed in-person and encouraged to be so. Asynchronous – Not specified, but several resources listed online for hotlines, communications with programs, etc. |
| Virginia | Program Certification – Minimum of 36 hours of group services, over 18 weeks, assessment for drug/alcohol dependency, mental health issues, victims notified if they leave the program, paid fees in full, be violence free, identify accurately abusive behaviors, have alternatives to violence, understand impact of behavior on all other individuals, and examine beliefs surrounding violence. Group compliance, attendance, and participation necessary for certification. Initial intake process, all necessary information provided, and screening intake before completion of the program. Completion of homework, do not seek or disclose information on the victim, and overall compliance with the program to complete certification. Facilitator Certification – 32 hours of initial domestic violence training with additional 12 hours of annual continuing education. Must have licensing and degree in bachelors or masters in appropriate field with minimum two years experience facilitating. Three months of weekly, direct, co-facilitation or observation of these programs, and background checks complete on past criminal history, education, and violence history. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – In group sessions often completed and encouraged to be in person for full participation and experience to receive certification. Asynchronous – Trainings for facilitators may be completed online, but program certification virtually not specified. |
| Washington | Program Certification – Definition of high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk to specialize plan. Screening and assessment complete on background, beliefs, mental health, substance use, environmental factors, and data overall. Program director provided documentation of completion, required attendance, compliance with policies, identify other factors and received treatment for outside factors such as substance use, signed a contract with the program to comply and follow procedures to complete the program. Assessment and treatment plan in place and specified to individual with risk-factor assignments. Understanding of limited confidentiality. Develop and complete Accountability Program. Facilitator Certification – Minimum 50 hours working with a supervisor in treatment for domestic violence programs, DVIT groups with debriefing with facilitators afterward, licensed or registered by DOH, good standing with DSHS, bachelors degree in related field, minimum 30 hours DV training in victims, and 30 hours for treatment of DV. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous – Programs must be face-to-face and in-person. Asynchronous – Not specified; Not offered. |
| West Virginia | Facilitator Certification – Facilitators shall have a minimum of 30 hours of training approved by the Board, including, but not be limited to, the following: The dynamics of domestic violence within the context of power and control; The effects of domestic violence on victims and their children and the critical nature of victim contacts and safety planning; The understanding that domestic violence is deeply rooted in historical attitudes toward women and other learned oppressive attitudes and behaviors. The risks of homicide, suicide, further domestic violence or other violent aggressive behaviors and the access to or use of weapons. Information on state and federal laws pertaining to domestic violence, including the policies affecting court-ordered program participants, orders of protection, child abuse, divorce and custody matters; The role of the facilitator in the context of a coordinated community response to domestic violence; Facilitators shall have at a minimum a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma. Facilitators shall receive on an annual basis a minimum of three (3) hours of continuing education or training approved by the Board. The training shall include, but not be limited to, the following: Domestic violence and substance abuse. Domestic violence and the law; Other issues which pertain to domestic violence. Program Certification – A batterer intervention and prevention program shall have a contract outlining the responsibilities of the batterer and the facilitator. The terms of the contract will be agreed to and signed by the batterer and the authorized program representative. (3.5.d.) The contract shall require completion of at least 32 sessions. ______________________________________________________________ |
Synchronous & Asynchronous – N/A |
| Wisconsin | Currently does not have standards ______________________________________________________________ |
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| Wyoming | Currently does not have standards ______________________________________________________________ |