Building Bridges and crossing them

1
Building Bridges (and crossing them!) between
CW/DV The Fresno County Experience
2
Overview Fresno County

• Fresno County covers more than 5,962 square miles
• Population 890,000
• 1 Farm County in the Nation
• Unemployment rate is 8.1
• Median income for a household is 34,725 (state
  average is 48,440)
• 30 of Children in Fresno County live in poverty
  compared to 19 statewide

3
Domestic Violence Services in Fresno County

• The Marjaree Mason Center (MMC) is the only
  comprehensive shelter based program in Fresno
  County
• MMC has 3 shelters with 93 emergency beds and 49
  transitional beds
• 904 unduplicated clients stayed at the Marjaree
  Mason Center in 2006 more than 50 were
  children
• 38,019 nights of shelter were provided
• Client base mirrors the community ethnic makeup
• 50 Hispanic 26 White 11 African American
  3 Asian 1 Multi Racial

4
Domestic Violence in Fresno County

• Over a ten year period of time (between 1993 and
  2003), the number of domestic violence related
  calls for assistance decreased by 18.7 (238,895
  to 194,288) statewide. While Fresno County calls
  for assistance increased by 61 (5,151 to 8,291).
• Fresno County ranks 1 in felony domestic
  violence arrests in California (per capita).
• 26 of the homicides in Fresno are related to
  domestic violence the 5th highest in
  California.
• 33 of the county's total DV calls involved a
  weapon, compared to over 70 of the calls from
  unincorporated and rural areas

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Collaboration

• The Fresno County Domestic Violence Roundtable
•  3 Marjaree Mason Center Advocates co-located
  with Fresno Police Department Domestic Violence
  Unit
• 1 CPS Social Worker co-located within DV Unit
• CPS Social Workers are presenters in the 40 hour
  training

• Fresno Family Intervention Team (F.F.I.T).
  Volunteers respond to Domestic Violence Calls
  with Fresno Police Department trained by
  Marjaree Mason Center and CPS
• Marjaree Mason Center Case Managers and Victim
  Advocates participate in Family to Family
  Neighborhood Collaboratives (in 3 high risk zip
  code areas) and Team Decision Making sessions

6
Shared Values

• Safety
• Respect
• Best Practice
• Community Commitment/Collaboration
• Early intervention
• Family well-being

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The Case that Brought us Together

• Threatening father
• Multiple CPS referrals
• Physical verbal abuse
• Multiple law enforcement contacts
• Family Court

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Recognized Barriers
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Lessons Learned

• Recognition that no one can do it alone
• Better decisions and outcomes for families and
  children
• Developed more open communication and listening
  skills
• Improved efficiency in processing of cases

• Improved overall safety
• Improved understanding of available resources
• Cross training of advocates
• Mutual Respect