Project EMERGE Vision We, Vera House, ARISE, and our community partners, will together create a comprehensive and inclusive community prevention and response system, guided by, and in service to, people with disabilities and d/Deaf people who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Through this system, we will ensure access, equality, empowerment, and safety for all through accountable and knowledgeable providers. Project EMERGE Mission Project EMERGE, a partnership between Vera House and ARISE, will build a community movement through increased collaboration, program policy review and education. This movement will work to improve access by taking important steps that will lead to a comprehensive and inclusive coordinated community response for women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who have experienced domestic and sexual violence. I. Needs & Assets Assessment Proposal Overview A. Introduction Project EMERGE, our local project funded by the Office on Violence Against Women’s 2006 Education and Technical Assistance Grant to End Violence against Women with Disabilities, is working within Vera House and ARISE to make agency services for women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who have experienced domestic and sexual violence better able to partner with each other to deliver more effective services with a high level of accessibility and sensitivity to trauma. We will conduct a Needs & Assets Assessment, hereafter referred to as NA, which will examine the policies and practices in Onondaga County with a focus on our own organizations. Findings from the NA will be utilized to develop a strategic plan for Project EMERGE. B. Purpose The purpose of the Needs & Assets Assessment is to gather information on Vera House, ARISE, and community agency policies and practices, as well as the experiences of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who experience domestic and sexual violence. Project EMERGE will identify opportunities for change at ARISE and Vera House with this Needs & Assets Assessment, develop a strategic plan with the data collected, and, finally, implement this strategic plan. Implementation will begin at ARISE and Vera House, during year two of the grant. Based on lessons learned at our own agencies, Project EMERGE will then provide opportunities for technical assistance to our community partners to implement similar changes at their agencies. We will offer this service with the goal of creating a collaborative community response during the final phase of the grant. C. Global Questions Our team seeks to understand what it is like for service providers to do their job in our community. We are especially interested in how women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence experience services from Vera House and ARISE. Some of the key questions explored include: - What are the gaps or barriers experienced by survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors when they seek and navigate services at Vera House? - What are the gaps or barriers at ARISE that discourage survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors from being connected to and receiving appropriate domestic violence and sexual assault services? - Where are the opportunities at Vera House and ARISE to strengthen partnership through collaborative services to better service to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence? - What is working well and where are the disconnects in the current community wide service delivery system in response to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims/survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence? D. Goals of the Needs & Assets Assessment The Needs & Assets Assessment will specifically seek to learn more about the experiences of individuals and providers, un-met needs in our community, existing community resources, and our current level of focus on empowerment. The Needs & Assets Assessment will respond to the following goals in order to answer the global questions and provide the data needed for the Strategic Plan.   - Experiences: what women with disabilities, d/Deaf women and survivors think and feel about services AND the thoughts and opinions of providers providing these services - Un-Met Need: identifying any relevant gaps between the community’s needs and the available services (design and delivery) AND methods of filling these identified gaps - Community Resources: a summary of the state of current interventions designed to address the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence - Empowerment Focus: analysis of how front-line service providers, programs and agencies in Onondaga County are working together to create a culture of empowerment for women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence, through appropriate response and support E. Needs & Assets Assessment Think Tank Project EMERGE is seeking guidance and feedback from people who work in the field to shape and direct the process and content of our NA. A group of staff members from ARISE, Vera House, and other key agencies who serve women with disabilities and d/Deaf women have come together to form a ‘Think Tank’. This group has provided consultation on the content and design of this NA Proposal with specific attention to the needs of women with disabilities, deaf women, and survivors. This group will continue to guide the NA, particularly the outreach to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women and survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. II. Needs & Assets Assessment Plan A. Methodology Overview The Needs & Assets Assessment will include both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with a greater emphasis on qualitative. Qualitative research provides an in-depth understanding of human behavior and seeks to discover the motivation for that behavior. The research measures values, judgments, opinions, and observations based on personal perceptions. It is the expectation of Project EMERGE team members that this Needs & Assets Assessment will work not only to measure the capacity and opportunities in the community for change, but to also connect with the community and give various audiences the opportunity to express their views and participate in our process and mission. We have been careful to include players’ at all different levels of both agencies and the system serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women as well as survivors. We need the voices of leadership, direct service providers, and consumers who participate in services. The NA will listen to the feelings and opinions of all of these players and then overlay them so that we have a complete picture of services in the community and at ARISE and Vera House. The NA will include three assessment methods- Interviews, Listening Circles (focus groups), and a web based survey of direct service providers at community based agencies serving women with disabilities, d/Deaf woman, and survivors/victims of domestic and sexual violence. B. Target Populations of Needs & Assets Assessment The people we will be gathering information from in the Needs & Assets Assessment are the following: Direct Service Staff - ARISE - Vera House - Staff and Personal Care Attendants from Community Based Agencies providing services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women - Staff from Community Based Agencies providing services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence - Local SANE Nurses Leadership - ARISE (executive director and program managers) - Vera House (executive director and program managers) - Community Based Agencies providing Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (executive directors and program managers) - Community Based Agencies providing services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women (executive directors and program managers Community Members - Women who identify as survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence (who may or may not necessarily identify as having a disability and/or being d/Deaf) - Women with Disabilities (who may or may not have disclosed that they are victims or survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual Violence) - d/Deaf women (who may or may not have disclosed that they are victims or survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual Violence) C. Interviews Overview Interviews will provide a global, policy perspective on the strengths and weakness in Onondaga County. The Interviews will be conducted with leadership at ARISE, Vera House, and a diverse group of community based agencies who have rich experience in their field and our community. These individuals have a high level of experience at their agencies and insider knowledge of the systems they provide leadership to. The one on one interview format with these leaders has been chosen in order to collect global information from this unique insider perspective on the capacity for change within our current community wide service delivery system. Leaders are also very busy people and meeting with them individually will be more feasible than asking them to all come together at the same time for a group forum. Participants Project EMERGE will conduct a total of 15-25 interviews with the following people: Leadership: ARISE (executive director and program managers) - Tom McKeown, ARISE, Executive Director - Takida Beckwith- ARISE, Service Coordinator - Mary Ann Piaza-Tomes- ARISE, Mental Health Clinical Director - Julie Wheeler – ARISE, Consumer Services Director - Christa Zirgulis – ARISE, TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Program’s Director - Beata Karpinska-Prehn – ARISE, Director of Advocacy - Karen Santy – ARISE, MSC (Medicaid Service Coordinator) Manager - Tony McEniry – ARISE, CDPAP (Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Program) Manager VERA HOUSE (executive director and program managers) - Randi Bregman- Vera House, Executive Director - Monica Brown and Elizabeth Berson, Vera House Shelter Co-Coordinators - Ellen Ford- Vera House Clinical Director - Colleen O’Brien- Vera House, Program Services Coordinator - Melissa Bornstein- Vera House, Advocacy Program Coordinator Community Based Agencies providing Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (executive directors and program managers): - The Salvation Army - Catholic Charities (The Dorothy Day House) - McMahan Ryan Child Advocacy Site - Spanish Action League Community Based Agencies providing services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women (executive directors and program managers): - Arc of Onondaga - Central New York Developmental Disability Services Office (CNYDDSO) - Transitional Living Services (TLS) - Aurora of Central New York - Enable - Spaulding Support Services Protocols Process: Each one-on-one interview will last approximately an hour and will all be conducted in person. The interviewer will gain insight from a structured, 'casual' conversation which will challenge the person being interviewed to not get too narrow in addressing a single point. The interviewer will take the liberty of asking questions until an adequate and broad response is obtained. A note taker will be present during the interview to record the conversation. An audio recording of the conversation will also be made with permission of the interviewee. At the beginning of the interview, the interviewer will explain these steps and an acknowledgement form will be signed by the interviewee. Recruitment: We are confident that we can access leadership at both ARISE and Vera House for interviews. One of our projects strengths is that both of the Executive Directors at ARISE and Vera House are part of the collaborative team of Project EMERGE. There is a high degree of buy in at each agency, supported by the Executive Directors, and participation from program leadership in these interviews is not a concern. Our Executive Directors at Vera House and ARISE can also use their social capital to encourage participation from leaders at other community agencies. Many of these agencies have leadership and managers who are participating on the Accessibility Task Force and have expressed interest and commitment to the project. Participation will be solicited by email and telephone contact and the interviews will be scheduled at the convenience of the interviewee. Consent: All of the leaders who participate in the interviews will sign a consent form acknowledging that they fully understand the purpose, facts, risks and benefits of the research before making a decision to participate. See Attachment A Confidentiality: Interviews will be conducted by the Project EMERGE Director and a note taker will be present. These will be the only two people who have knowledge of what is shared in the interview. Audio files of the interview will be made with the interviewee’s consent. The notes and audio tape will be coded with a number. People will not be able to identify the role or agency. This will ensure will be no way to trace respondent’s answers to their identity. as agency and role identifiers will not be linked to interview responses. The audio tapes and scripts of the interviews will be stored in a locked file cabinet monitored by the Project EMERGE Director. When Project EMERGE has completed developing the strategic plan the tapes will be destroyed. Tool Development: There will be five main questions that structure the interview. The questions begin with asking about the interviewee’s perspective on the strengths and gaps in Onondaga County in addressing the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Interviewees will then provide perspective on policy and culture that ARISE and other disability agencies operate under, as well as Vera House and other agencies providing victim/survivor services. The opportunity to offer ideas on specific improvements will conclude the interview. The person conducting the interviews will have the opportunity to ask probing questions in order to guide the interview. Attachment B-Interview Questions D. Surveys Overview The survey will focus on exploring the strengths and gaps of the service delivery system from the perspective of the direct service provider as well as their experiences with implementing policy at their agencies. Through surveying direct service staff at ARISE and Vera House we will examine our current ability serve consumers across disciplines and identify opportunities at Vera House and ARISE to strengthen our partnership. There will be two types of providers’ surveys, with the goal of 150 total completed surveys. The first will explore the opinions of sexual assault and domestic violence service providers and the second will target disability and d/Deaf service providers. The questions will focus on examining areas of improvement and methods to achieve physical and attitudinal accessibility and establish an improved referral and response system. Methods to accomplish community collaboration in regard to the issues of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse towards women with disabilities and d/Deaf women will also be explored. Participants The opinions of service providers from both fields are essential for the detailed evaluation of current services and community coordination provided in Onondaga County. Direct Service workers bring a vital perspective to the table. Medical Service providers bring an important standpoint because they are sometimes the first contact for a victim/survivor. Therefore, Project EMERGE will survey the following people: Direct Service Staff - ARISE - Vera House - Staff and Personal Care Attendants from Community Based Agencies providing services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women - Staff from Community Based Agencies providing services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence - Local SANE Nurses Protocols Process: Both service provider surveys will be distributed through the use of a web based system, called SurveyMonkey and, when requested, the surveys will be provided on paper. A link to the survey will be distributed through email, promotional posters and flyers, and in person solicitation by Project EMERGE staff. Participants will the access the link to complete and submit the survey all from their personal computer. The entire process of completing the web based survey will take between five and ten minutes. If people would like to, or need to, take the survey on paper or receive support in accessing the survey online, they will have the information needed to request alternative formats or be provided with convient web access. Recruitment: Diversity of the sample is an important goal. Service providers will be invited to participate through various list serves that team members have access to. Project EMERGE currently has an email list of 75 professionals working in various settings across the community. Invites will be sent through email and individuals will be encouraged to solicit their professional peers to complete the survey online. A phone number and email will be provided in this email for people to utilize an alternative format to complete the survey or be provided with convient web access. The survey will be available to be completed on paper, with assistance, in large print, Braille, and/or in plain language. In settings where staff may not have web access Project EMERGE will work with supervisors of direct care staff to encourage and provide access for them to complete the survey. At ARISE for example, staff that are based in the community report to the main office to submit their timesheet and receive their pay check. Program managers have agreed to partner with Project EMERGE to provide web access and alternative formats of the survey when these staff members report to the main office. Natural opportunities like this will be replicated at community based agencies where similar obstacles for direct service staff may exist. Consent: All individuals who take the survey will read a consent statement. By then choosing to take the survey they will be acknowledging that they fully understand the purpose, facts, risks and benefits of the research before making a decision to participate. See Attachment A Confidentiality, Accessibility, and Safety: There will be no way to link surveys to specific respondents. The submission of the surveys will be completely confidential. The data and responses from the surveys will be stored in a locked file cabinet monitored by the Project EMERGE Director. When Project EMERGE has completed developing the strategic plan the data will be destroyed. All individuals who take the survey will read an ‘Accommodation Statement’ at the beginning of the survey. This statement will provide alternative formats that one could complete the survey in. Contact information will be provided during recruitment to participate in the survey and in the ‘Accommodation Statement’ on how to access the survey in paper format, large print, or Braille. The suggestion will also be made that one could choose to utilize the assistance of another in completing the survey. The survey will be written in plain language and at a 6th grade reading level. Project EMERGE is sensitive to the reality that some providers will be and are survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence. Therefore, all individuals who take the survey will read a ‘Safety Statement’ at the beginning of the survey. This statement will highlight that some of the questions in the survey refer to domestic and/ sexual violence. Grounding techniques and local and national crisis and support lines will be listed. On each question screen the hotlines will be visible. Participants will also be told that they can end the survey at any time by closing the web page if they choose to not complete the survey. Tool Development: The surveys will contain mainly closed ended questions with multiple choice, categorical and likert scale answers. The surveys will also contain one or two open-ended questions, where participants will respond with their own words. This survey is currently under development in partnership with Accessing Safety at Vera Institute for Justice. Upon the completion of the tool it will be submitted to the Office of Violence Against Women for approval. E. Listening Circles Overview The Listening Circles will be the main source of group research and will be structured as organized discussions. The ‘focus group’ format will be particularly well-suited to obtaining a variety of perspectives, by encouraging a diverse group of participants (both consumers and direct service providers) to share their attitudes, feelings, beliefs, experiences and perceptions regarding access to and delivery of trauma and disability services at Vera House and ARISE, in a safe and supportive environment. The main purpose of the Listening Circles will be to provide a forum to examine in-depth and detailed views on the intersection of disability and deafness with domestic and sexual violence through the personal experiences of survivors with disabilities and d/Deaf survivors, and focus on how best to build empowerment into the delivery of services. Participants Since the goals of Project EMERGE and this NA are to improve services for women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault, the most important group that will provide us with the “insider” point of view are women themselves. Their opinions will allow us to create a strategic plan that will directly respond to their needs and ultimately bring a more responsive and cohesive delivery system within our agencies and Onondaga County. We will conduct two Listening Circles with each group. Given that the implementation of Project EMERGE’s Strategic Plan will begin at Vera House and ARISE, we will conduct Listening Circles with out direct service staff members in addition to surveys. This will be in an effort to collect detailed information on the opportunity for partnership and the level of empowerment focus at our agencies. Community Members - Women who identify as survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence (who may or may not necessarily identify as having a disability and/or being d/Deaf) - Women with Disabilities (who may or may not have disclosed that they are victims or survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual Violence) - d/Deaf women (who may or may not have disclosed that they are victims or survivors of Domestic and/or Sexual Violence) Direct Service Staff - ARISE - Vera House Protocols Facilitation: The Listening Circles will be facilitated by specially selected and trained community partners and will be conducted with the Project EMERGE Director in the room as an observer. These individuals are all women with disabilities and/or d/Deaf women who are public leaders in our community, participants in the Accessibility Task Force and Needs & Assets Assessment Think Tank, as well as women having the necessary skill set to effectively facilitate our Listening Circles. They will be provided with a stipend of $45.00 for each training they participate in and Listening Circle that they facilitate. Two training sessions will be conducted by Project EMERGE staff with the Listening Circle facilitators. The first will orient them to the Project EMERGE Needs & Assets Assessment plan. The second training will focus on the Listening Circle goals and questions. Expectations around the Listening Circles will be detailed for the facilitators. The role of group facilitator will be critical, especially in terms of providing clear explanations of the purpose of the group, helping people feel at ease, and facilitating interaction between group members. During the circle, the facilitator will need to promote dialogue, perhaps by asking open ended questions or redirecting the conversation back to a topic of interest. They may also need to challenge participants, especially to draw out people’s differences, and tease out a diverse range of opinions and perspectives on the issues. Sometimes facilitators will need to probe for details, or move things forward when the conversation is drifting or has reached a minor conclusion. Facilitators also have to keep the session focused and so sometimes they may deliberately have to steer the conversation back on course. Procedure: There will be a total of ten Listening Circles and group size will be six to twelve participants in each. If we can only recruit less than six participants in a particular informant group, we will consider expanding the criteria. It is expected that each focus group will last one and a half hours. The focus group facilitator will use prepared protocols for guiding the focus groups. An audio recording of the dialogue during the Listening Circle will be recorded, with the consent of all participants. A script of the dialogue will then be recorded. The audio files and scripts of the Listening Circles will be stored in a locked file cabinet monitored by the Project EMERGE Director. When Project EMERGE has completed developing the strategic plan the tapes and scripts will be destroyed. Recruitment: The consumer participants in the Listening Circles will be recruited utilizing the resources of Vera House, ARISE, and the Accessibility Task Force. We will recruit women with various disabilities and d/Deaf women to achieve diverse representation. We are conscious of issues of safety for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and therefore will implement recruitment procedures that will be sensitive to maintaining safety. Project EMERGE will plans to carefully and thoughtfully recruit participants for the Listening Circles. Listening Circle recruitment flyers will be distributed to service providers with a cover letter describing how to safely distribute them to consumers. The cover letter will outline for service providers that there could be safety or confidentiality concerns for women in bringing the flyer about the Listening Circles home and prompt them to safety plan with women about this. The flyer will invite women to participate in Listening Circles focused on providing feedback on the services of Vera House and ARISE, thus keeping the topic general. Consumers will be prompted to contact us for more information on attending. The flyer will also state that accommodations will be provided during the Listening Circle and individual accessibility requests will be met. A recruitment email will also be sent to members of the Accessibility Task Force with the flyer attached and comments in the email around safety considerations. The initial contact with each potential participant will include discussion around safety, accessibility needs, and the focus of the Listening Circle on domestic and sexual violence; ensuring informed participation when a woman decides to attend a Listening Circle. This will ensure that women understand the full purpose of the Listening Circle and are informed of this in a safe way, in connection with Project EMERGE staff. Consent: All participants in the interviews will sign a consent form acknowledging that they fully understand the purpose, facts, risks and benefits of the research before making a decision to participate. Depending on individual need, the participant will not be required to physically sign the consent form. Accessibility will be ensured as it is essential that each person understands the consent form. See Attachment A Stipends: At the end of each focus group, consumer participants will receive their stipend, a $10 gift certificate to Wegmans, and a note of appreciation from Project EMERGE that will include the phone number of key contact person should the participant have further questions about the focus group or the project. Confidentiality, Accessibility, and Safety: Project EMERGE will do everything possible to ensure that all participants feel confident that their participation, stories, feelings, and views will not be tied to their identities in the future. Information will only be accessed by those on the Project EMERGE team who are responsible for processing the data. Full disclosure of how the information gathered at the Listening Circles will be utilized will be covered at the beginning of each group. This will include a statement on mandatory reporting of child abuse and a check in to see if anyone has any questions. Participants will sign an informed consent form and a commitment to confidentiality form. The facilitator will discuss with participants the importance and high priority of keeping confidential what they hear during the circle and the necessity of confidentiality. Data from the Listening Circles will be kept anonymous and confidential in all logging, discussion and reports. The basic design of the Listening Circle will be accessible to as many people as possible and all participants will be provided with the necessary accommodations that will ensure a comfortable environment for open discussion. This means that reasonable accommodations will be made according to the needs of every participant. Seeking requests for accommodation in advance will assist us in providing for the needs of all participants. Listening Circles will take place in physically accessible locations. There will be at least one accessible bathroom located in close proximity to the meeting room. The facilitators of the Listening Circles will be instructed to speak slowly in a normal voice and pause whenever necessary in order to accommodate individuals with various levels of comprehension. Enough time will be provided for all participants to express their opinions according to their comfort level. All of the written materials will be prepared with the consideration of plain language. If hard of hearing or d/Deaf individuals are present, Project EMERGE will provide ASL interpreters. Facilitators will encourage participants to take care of themselves and exit the circle if needed for any reason. It is possible that during the focus group, a woman may realize or remember an abusive situation and wish to immediately speak to an advocate or therapist. At the beginning of the Listening Circle, participants will be reminded to take care of themselves. A safe room or private space will be provided and identified at the beginning of the Listening Circle. A Vera House Advocate, Therapist or trained volunteer who has the knowledge and experience of working with people with disabilities and d/Deaf people will be available during and after the Listening Circles. This support person will understand the importance of providing for requests for accommodation. Follow up will be provided around disclosure during the Listening Circles- support people will be easily available, follow up phone calls, if requested, will be made, referral to Vera House programs, and resources and contact information will be made available. Throughout the Listening Circle respectful interactions and self care will be modeled by the facilitator.   Tool Development: Listening Circle questions are currently under development in partnership with Accessing Safety at Vera Institute. Upon the completion of the tool it will be submitted to the Office of Violence Against Women for approval. VI. Estimated Timeline November 13, 2007 NA Proposal submitted to OVW November 2007 Team to develop Survey Tool and Listening Circle Questions December 15, 2007 Survey Tool and Listening Circle Questions submitted to OVW December 2007 Receive OVW Approval on Proposal December 2007/January 2008 Conduct Needs & Assets Assessment February 2008 Compile results and Draft NA Report March 1, 2008 NA Report and Results Submitted to OVW March 2008 Conduct Strategic Plan in Consultation with Accessing Safety April 1, 2008 Strategic Plan Submitted to OVW VII. Compiling Needs and Assets Assessment the Feedback A. Needs & Assets Assessment Summary The Project EMERGE Needs and Assets Assessment will result in a problem statement, which will clearly summarize the Needs & Assets Assessment information from the three different modalities utilized. B. Distributing Our Findings Members of our Collaboration We will provide a copy of the report to members of Project EMERGE, which will enable the team to work to develop a Strategic Plan. The findings will highlight the four main Needs & Assets Assessment goals of experiences, scope, community resources, and un-met needs. The Strategic Plan will work to implement the Needs & Assets Assessment results to improve services and build the capacity of service providers to meet the needs of survivors with disabilities and those who are d/Deaf. Participants in the Needs & Assets Assessment Project EMERGE will provide a copy of the report to those individuals who were surveyed, interviewed, or included in a Listening Circle. This will show our gratitude for their time and input. Participants will also have access to the Strategic Plan Other Key Stakeholders and Potential Decision-Makers The report will also be available to the Accessibility Task Force and to other people who may be interested in its findings. This will assist Project EMERGE in maintaining energy on the Accessibility Task Force and serve to update the community on our progress and accomplishments. Attachment A CONSENT TO BE PART OF A NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT PROJECT EMERGE- A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VERA HOUSE & ARISE OUR AGENCIES AND COMMUNITIES RESPONSE TO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND DEAF WOMEN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE For Participation in an Interview: REASON FOR THE NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT You are being asked to be participate in research as part of Vera House and ARISE’s Needs & Assets Assessment. The reason for doing this research is to understand from the perspective of leaders in our community how to address the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. PROCEDURES If you decide to be part of the research, you will be asked to participate in an interview that asks about your views on providing services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors or victims of domestic and/or sexual violence in Onondaga County and the agency you represent. The interview will last approximately 90 minutes. One person will interview you and another will take detailed notes of the conversation. An audio tape of the interview will be made with your consent. RISKS Some of the research questions in this interview will refer to domestic and sexual violence. You might find that some of the questions remind you of events in your own life. If you feel that answering these types of question might be harmful, you may choose not to do it. Some of the research questions will also ask about your opinions about our community and the agency you represent. If you feel that answering these types of question might be harmful, you may choose not to do it. BENEFITS By being part of the research, you are helping increase knowledge about serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors or victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. This knowledge will be very helpful to Project EMERGE. Your input will help us to better serve the community in addressing the needs of sexual/domestic violence with regard to women with disabilities. KEEPING YOUR IDENTITY SAFE The person who interviews you today, along with the person taking notes, will be the only people who can link your responses to you. An audio tape of the interview will be made with your consent. The notes and audio tape taken today will remain confidential and will not be recorded with your name, agency, or position. When Project EMERGE has completed developing the strategic plan the tapes and scripts will be destroyed. The facilitator and observer of this interview are mandated reporters. This means if you tell about a child (under the age of 18) being physically or sexually abused, neglected, or witnessing domestic violence OR your intention to hurt yourself or others they are required to report this to someone who could take action. COSTS/PAY There is no cost to you as a participant. You will not be paid for your time. You do have the choice of seeing the results of the Needs & Assets Assessment once it is finished. RIGHT TO REFUSE OR CHANGE YOUR MIND You may change your mind about being part of the research and decide not to be a part of it at any time. At any point during or after the interview you can withdraw your interview from the Needs & Assets Assessment. If you do so the audio tape and any notes from the interview would be destroyed. QUESTIONS All of your questions should be answered before you agree to be part of the research. If you have any other question about this Needs & Assets Assessment, you may call the Project EMERGE Director, Crystal Collette, LMSW at 315-425-0818 x234. CONSENT I voluntarily give my consent to participate in this Interview as part of the Needs & Assets Assessment. I also agree to an audio recording being made of this interview. I understand that I will be given a copy of this consent form. __________________________________________ Participant’s Name (Print) __________________________________________ ____________ Participant’s Signature Date CONSENT TO BE PART OF A NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT PROJECT EMERGE- A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VERA HOUSE & ARISE OUR AGENCIES AND COMMUNITIES RESPONSE TO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND DEAF WOMEN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE For Participation in Web Based Provider Survey: REASON FOR THE NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT You are being asked to be part of research as part of Vera House and ARISE’s Needs & Assets Assessment. The reason for doing this research is to learn about how to better serve women with disabilities and d/Deaf women in Onondaga County. You are being asked to be part of this research because you are a service provider in Onondaga County. PROCEDURES If you decide to be part of the research, you will be asked to fill out a web based survey that asks about delivering services to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims or survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. The survey will take approximately ten minutes. RISKS Some of the research questions in this survey refer to domestic and sexual violence. You might find that some of the questions remind you of events in your own life. If you feel that reading or answering these types of question might be harmful, you may choose not to do it. BENEFITS By being part of the research, you are helping increase knowledge about serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors or victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. This knowledge will be very helpful to Project EMERGE. Your input will help us to better serve the community in addressing the needs of sexual/domestic violence with regard to women with disabilities. KEEPING YOUR IDENTITY SAFE The research is set-up to make sure your answers are not linked to you. There is no way that anyone can link a survey to you. COSTS/PAY There is no cost to you as a participant. You will not be paid for your time. You do have the choice of seeing the results of the Needs & Assets Assessment once it is finished. RIGHT TO REFUSE OR CHANGE YOUR MIND You may change your mind about being part of the study and decide not to be a part of it at any time. Be aware that once you send your survey, there will be no way for your survey to be removed from the results since there is no way to link your survey to you. QUESTIONS All of your questions should be answered before you agree to be part of the research. If you have any other question about this Needs & Assets Assessment, you may call the Project EMERGE Director, Crystal Collette, LMSW at 315-425-0818 x234. CONSENT Your submitted survey says that you have read and understand the above and have agreed to be part of this Needs & Assets Assessment. CONSENT TO BE PART OF A NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT PROJECT EMERGE- A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VERA HOUSE & ARISE OUR AGENCIES AND COMMUNITIES RESPONSE TO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND DEAF WOMEN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE For Participation in a Listening Circle of Providers: REASON FOR THE NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT You are being asked to be part of research as part of Vera House and ARISE’s Needs & Assets Assessment. The reason for doing this research is to learn about how to better serve women with disabilities and d/Deaf women in Onondaga County. You are being asked to be part of this research because you are a service provider in Onondaga County PROCEDURES If you decide to be part of the research, you will be asked to participate in a Listening Circle (focus group) that asks about your views on delivering services at Vera House or ARISE to women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims or survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. An audio tape of the Listening Circle will be made with your consent. RISKS Some of the research questions in this survey refer to domestic and sexual violence. You might find that some of the questions remind you of events in your own life. If you feel that reading or answering these types of question might be harmful, you may choose not to do it. BENEFITS By being part of the research, you are helping increase knowledge about serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors or victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. This knowledge will be very helpful to Project EMERGE. Your input will help us to better serve the community in addressing the needs of sexual/domestic violence with regard to women with disabilities. KEEPING YOUR IDENTITY SAFE The person who conducts the Listening Circle today will be the only person who could link your responses to you. The notes taken today will remain confidential and will not be recorded with your name, agency, or position. An audio tape of the Listening Circle will be made with your consent. The research is set-up to make sure your answers are not linked to you. When Project EMERGE has completed developing the strategic plan the tapes and scripts will be destroyed. The facilitator and observer of this Listening Circle are mandated reporters. This means if you tell about a child (under the age of 18) being physically or sexually abused, neglected, or witnessing domestic violence OR your intention to hurt yourself or others they are required to report this to someone who could take action to check on the people’s safety. COSTS/PAY There is no cost to you as a participant. You will not be paid for your time. You do have the choice of seeing the results of the Needs & Assets Assessment once it is finished. RIGHT TO REFUSE OR CHANGE YOUR MIND You may change your mind about being part of the study and decide not to be a part of it at any time. Be aware that once you participate in the Listening Circle, there will be no way for your comments to be removed from the results since there is no way to link your comments to you. QUESTIONS All of your questions should be answered before you agree to be part of the research. If you have any other question about this Needs & Assets Assessment, you may call the Project EMERGE Director, Crystal Collette, LMSW at 315-425-0818 x234. CONSENT I voluntarily give my consent to participate in this Listening Circle as part of the Needs & Assets Assessment. I also agree to an audio recording being made of this interview. I understand that I will be given a copy of this consent form. __________________________________________ Participant’s Name (Print) __________________________________________ ____________ Participant’s Signature Date CONSENT TO BE PART OF A NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT PROJECT EMERGE- A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VERA HOUSE & ARISE OUR AGENCIES AND COMMUNITIES RESPONSE TO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND DEAF WOMEN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE For Participation in a Listening Circle of Consumers: REASON FOR THE NEEDS & ASSETS ASSESSMENT You are being asked to be part of research as part of Vera House and ARISE’s Needs & Assets Assessment. The reason for doing this research is to learn about how to better serve women with disabilities and d/Deaf women in Onondaga County. PROCEDURES If you decide to be part of the research, you will be asked to participate in a Listening Circle (focus group) that asks about your views on the intersection of disability and d/Deafness and domestic and sexual violence. An audio tape of the Listening Circle will be made with your consent. RISKS Some of the research questions in this survey refer to domestic and sexual violence. You might find that some of the questions remind you of events in your own life. If you feel that reading or answering these types of question might be harmful, you may choose not to do it. BENEFITS By being part of the research, you are helping increase knowledge about serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors or victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. This knowledge will be very helpful to Project EMERGE. Your input will help us to better serve the community in addressing the needs of sexual/domestic violence with regard to women with disabilities. KEEPING YOUR IDENTITY SAFE The person who conducts the Listening Circle today will be the only person who could link your responses to you. The notes taken today will remain confidential and will not be recorded with your name, agency, or position. An audio tape of the Listening Circle will be made with your consent. The research is set-up to make sure your answers are not linked to you. When Project EMERGE has completed developing the strategic plan the tapes and scripts will be destroyed. The facilitator and observer of this Listening Circle are mandated reporters. This means if you tell about a child (under the age of 18) being physically or sexually abused, neglected, or witnessing domestic violence OR your intention to hurt yourself or others they are required to report this to someone who could take action to check on the people’s safety. COSTS/PAY There is no cost to you as a participant. You will receive a $10 gift certificate to Wegmans at the end of the Listening Circle. You do have the choice of seeing the results of the Needs & Assets Assessment once it is finished. RIGHT TO REFUSE OR CHANGE YOUR MIND You may change your mind about being part of the study and decide not to be a part of it at any time. Be aware that once you participate in the Listening Circle, there will be no way for your comments to be removed from the results since there is no way to link your comments to you. QUESTIONS All of your questions should be answered before you agree to be part of the research. If you have any other question about this Needs & Assets Assessment, you may call the Project EMERGE Director, Crystal Collette, LMSW at 315-425-0818 x234. CONSENT I voluntarily give my consent to participate in this Listening Circle as part of the Needs & Assets Assessment. I also agree to an audio recording being made of this interview. I understand that I will be given a copy of this consent form. __________________________________________ Participant’s Name (Print) __________________________________________ ____________ Participant’s Signature Date Attachment B Key Stakeholder Interview Questions 1. What are the strengths in Onondaga County in addressing the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence? 2. What are the gaps in services in Onondaga County in addressing the needs of women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence? 3. What works well about the system (ie. Disability, d/Deaf, DV or SA services) you represent in serving women with disabilities and d/Deaf women who are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence? 4. Do you think there are barriers within your organization about addressing the gaps in the intersection of the issues of disability, d/Deafness and trauma? 5. How can disability service agencies and/or Independent Living Centers better address sexual assault and domestic violence? 6. How can sexual assault and domestic violence shelter, staff, advocates, and therapists better serve women with disabilities and d/Deaf women? 7. How can disability service agencies and/or Independent Living Centers and sexual assault and domestic violence organizations work better together?