Remote Advocacy

What can advocates and service providers reasonably do “remotely” for clients versus normal in-person services? Are there best practices for remote service provision? How do service providers best stay connected to clients during this time?

Remote advocacy can be very effective and may even offer more connection to clients than less frequent in-person services. After discussing with clients what forms of communication are safe for …
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What can advocates and service providers reasonably do “remotely” for clients versus normal in-person services? Are there best practices for remote service provision? How do service providers best stay connected to clients during this time?

Remote advocacy can be very effective and may even offer more connection to clients than less frequent in-person services. After discussing with clients what forms of communication are safe for them, providers can reach out and check in with clients by text, email, phone, video chats, and many other options. All of these communication methods allow survivor/advocates to engage in the same forms of services/advocacy as in-person — it just looks a little different. Clients, during this time, may benefit from more frequent check-ins (via text or IM if that’s safe and comfortable for the client). See https://www.techsafety.org/ for some ideas of safer tech strategies and solutions.

michael munson, FORGE

Safety Net’s Digital Services Toolkit dives into the various ways that services can be provided remotely, as well as best practices for doing so. If you have more questions after reviewing that, please contact safetynet@nnedv.org
Are there any sample policies for working remotely and administrative leave?

The Resource Sharing Project has pulled together some sample policies that address working remotely, administrative leave, and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. These policies can be found at http://www.resourcesharingproject.org/covid-19-sample-policies.

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Are there any sample policies for working remotely and administrative leave?

The Resource Sharing Project has pulled together some sample policies that address working remotely, administrative leave, and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. These policies can be found at http://www.resourcesharingproject.org/covid-19-sample-policies.
Do you recommend using WhatsApp for working with survivors?

WhatsApp can offer secure, end-to-end encrypted conversations but we don’t recommend asking survivors to use something that has to be downloaded and have an account since that may not be …
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Do you recommend using WhatsApp for working with survivors?

WhatsApp can offer secure, end-to-end encrypted conversations but we don’t recommend asking survivors to use something that has to be downloaded and have an account since that may not be a safe option for all survivors (since there will always be a trace of the app download and use). Communications on the device could also be monitored if there is spyware on the phone – that device safety assessment should be done regardless of platform. For these reasons, we would not recommend using WhatsApp as a platform for designing and offering services. If some survivors choose that as their safe method for contact and that’s something your agency wants to explore as a way to respond, that’s different. Something that may not be designed for service provision may be ok for a one-off to meet the individual needs of survivors. – Safety Net Team
How do you maintain confidentiality when working with survivors remotely?

Safety Net’s Digital Services Toolkit dives into the various ways that services can be provided remotely, as well as best practices for ensuring confidentiality, privacy, and safety. If you have …
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How do you maintain confidentiality when working with survivors remotely?

Safety Net’s Digital Services Toolkit dives into the various ways that services can be provided remotely, as well as best practices for ensuring confidentiality, privacy, and safety. If you have more questions after reviewing that, please contact safetynet@nnedv.org
What are safest and most confidential forms of communication when working with clients remotely?

Survivors should always be the ones leading the conversation on what type of communication will work best for them. What works for one survivor may not work for someone else. …
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What are safest and most confidential forms of communication when working with clients remotely?

Survivors should always be the ones leading the conversation on what type of communication will work best for them. What works for one survivor may not work for someone else. Communication, especially during COVID-19 and social distancing will be ever evolving as survivors have to stay at home with their abusers and not be able to access support outside of the home. It is important to think through with the survivor what type of communication may be safest for them. For example, video conferencing may not be good for a survivor who is considered that an abuser could see or hear them talking to an advocate. This survivor may want to use chat or texting services as they are discreet and can limit the audible sound of advocacy services being delivered. For some survivors, a video call may be easier, because they are already using video services to communicate with their jobs or loved one. Whatever service your agency chooses to use, the important part is to ensure that we are meeting the confidentiality obligations we have and making sure survivors are able to choose what works best for them. We have created a comparison chart that lists several different types of platforms that can meet a variety of needs. As a practice, Safety Net does not and cannot recommend software products. We also cannot say if a product is or isn’t compliant with the federal confidentiality laws. But what we can do is offer information we gather from the software companies, and information about best practices related to confidentiality, privacy, and safety while using technology to communicate with survivors.
Are there any low cost platforms for providing online services?

Depending on what the needs are for your agency, finding the right technology platform will be important. Safety Net has created a comparison chart that lists several different types of …
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Are there any low cost platforms for providing online services?

Depending on what the needs are for your agency, finding the right technology platform will be important. Safety Net has created a comparison chart that lists several different types of platforms that can meet a variety of needs. Some of these options have a free component, or offer a non-profit rate. Tech Soup also works with non-profits to help them get the best rate possible. As a practice, Safety Net does not and cannot recommend software products. We also cannot say if a product is or isn’t compliant with the federal confidentiality laws. But what we can do is offer information we gather from the software companies, and information about best practices related to confidentiality, privacy, and safety while using technology to communicate with survivors.
We’ve never used video conferencing to work with clients. Where do we start?

Safety Net offers several different ways to learn more about using technology to communicate with survivors during COVID-19, including video conferencing. They have created a comparison chart that lists several …
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We’ve never used video conferencing to work with clients. Where do we start?

Safety Net offers several different ways to learn more about using technology to communicate with survivors during COVID-19, including video conferencing. They have created a comparison chart that lists several different types of platforms that can meet a variety of needs. Likewise, to learn more about communicating with survivors using video, they have created a Best Practices guide to get agencies started. It is important to note that once the crisis of COVID-19 is over, you should re-evaluate what services your agency is using and determine if changes need to be made to better align with in-person services and best practices. At every point of time and with any service your agency is adopting or using, survivors and their needs should always be at the core of the work.
Many virtual platforms say they are HIPPA compliant. Does this mean they meet the confidentiality requirements of VAWA/FVPSA/VOCA?

Many platforms specify if they are “HIPAA-compliant,” however that is not a phrase that ensures we will uphold our VAWA/FVPSA/VOCA obligations. It’s important to note that no product or platform …
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Many virtual platforms say they are HIPPA compliant. Does this mean they meet the confidentiality requirements of VAWA/FVPSA/VOCA?

Many platforms specify if they are “HIPAA-compliant,” however that is not a phrase that ensures we will uphold our VAWA/FVPSA/VOCA obligations. It’s important to note that no product or platform is going to be labeled as “VAWA-compliant” and our assessment should rather focus on whether the platform allows us to ensure the level of confidentiality we need to offer. While there are many HIPAA compliant products out there, we at Safety Net do not endorse any products. We also cannot say if a product is or isn’t compliant with the federal confidentiality laws. While many products do offer added layers of privacy protections, many for an additional cost and contract, many products still lack great accessibility and security options. – Safety Net
What should our organization consider when choosing a platform for providing remote services?

Safety Net offers several different ways to learn more about using technology to communicate with survivors during COVID-19, including video conferencing. They have created a comparison chart that lists several …
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What should our organization consider when choosing a platform for providing remote services?

Safety Net offers several different ways to learn more about using technology to communicate with survivors during COVID-19, including video conferencing. They have created a comparison chart that lists several different types of platforms that can meet a variety of needs. Likewise, to learn more about communicating with survivors using video, they have created a Best Practices guide to get agencies started. It is important to note that once the crisis of COVID-19 is over, you should re-evaluate what services your agency is using and determine if changes need to be made to better align with in-person services and best practices. At every point of time and with any service your agency is adopting or using, survivors and their needs should always be at the core of the work.