Children’s Capacity Building Project

New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence and CYFD

Introduction

The Children’s Capacity Building Project (CCBP) was developed in 2014 and was purposed with increasing the capacity of domestic violence programs across New Mexico to provide trauma-informed services for children exposed to violence. Prior to this, only 9 out of 31 domestic violence contractors in New Mexico provided services to children exposed to domestic violence. The New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NMCADV) developed this pilot project, funded by the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), to address this deficiency and help build program capacity in domestic violence programs across the state.

Project Overview

The Capacity Building Project for Children’s Services began in July, 2014. The eight low or limited capacity sites that were chosen and are currently participating in the Children’s Capacity Building Pilot Project include:

·  Valencia Shelter Services (Los Lunas, NM)

·  Family Crisis Center (Farmington, NM)

·  Grammy’s House (Artesia, NM)

·  Roberta’s Place (Grants, NM)

·  Community Against Violence (Taos, NM)

·  Enlace Comunitario (Albuquerque, NM)

·  Center Of Protective Environment (Alamogordo, NM)

·  Nambe Healthy Family Services (Nambe Pueblo, NM)

Capacity Building Activities

During the initial stages of capacity building, the NMCADV directly provided and/or contracted with others to provide, extensive training to all pilot sites including a foundational trauma-informed training, reflective supervision training, cultural accessibility training, and Circle of Security parenting training. Monthly case consultations were also provided by the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health (NCDVTMH). NMCADV also provided intensive, on-site training and technical assistance. Training for this project was supplemented by extensive trauma-informed training provided widely to program staff at most all domestic violence organizations, as part of the NMCADV Training Project.

Project Goals

The Children’s Capacity Building Pilot Project provides enhanced services for children, non-offending parents and families impacted by domestic violence in order to:

1.  Strengthen the bond between domestic violence survivors and their children and

2.  Enhance coping skills and reduce trauma-related responses in children, birth through 18 years of age.

Through on-going training, advocates and counselors working in domestic violence programs understand trauma-informed care and have the knowledge and skills to implement trauma-informed services. Domestic violence advocates assist non-offending parents in understanding how domestic violence may have impacted their children and their relationship with their children, how to respond to their children’s trauma related behaviors, and how to comfort and engage their children in activities that can rebuild their relationship. Advocates also support non-offending parents in understanding and promoting resiliency in their children, increasing their knowledge of developmental stages and trauma related responses.

Project Outcomes

Outcomes have been measured through pilot sites administering the Parental Stress Index – Short Form (PSI-SF) to all parents participating in services. The PSI is administered at intake, discharge and if possible, throughout services in 4 week increments. The PSI administration, collection process, and analysis are additionally supported by the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health (NCDVTMH). Initial results have shown tremendous success in the services that have resulted from this project.

The Present and Future of the CCBP

The CCBP is now in its third year and all project sites have successfully built capacity within their organizations to provide trauma-informed services to children and parents.

Some of project goals moving forward include:

·  Increased peer-to-peer support activities including peer reviews, peer led trainings, and reflective consultation.

·  Efforts to build relationships and increase capacity in other DV programs outside of the funded piloted sites.

·  Increased resource sharing and public outreach.

·  Building collaborations with child protective services and other child and family serving systems within communities.

·  Applying for local and federal grants to help further expand the project.

·  Forming a CCBP Steering Committee to help guide these and other CCBP initiatives moving forward.

For more information about the Project, please contact the CCBP Coordinator, Shana Aldahl at 505-490-5387 or