DRCQ-26-3367 Solicitation.pdf

DRCQ-26-3367

Request for Services

Domestic Violence Survivor Training

The Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) 1479 Collins Avenue in Marysville, Ohio 43040 is seeking a strategic partner to provide prevention-based, client-focused training for domestic violence survivors. The

Agency desires to equip those in our care with knowledge, opportunities, and a solid support system in preparation for reentry into the community. The institution houses approximately 2,400 females.

The response must provide historical experience, and credentials supporting the successful delivery of proposed programs. The proposed supplier must schedule service times with the appropriate ORW institution program administrative staff within hours that inmates are available as dictated by count, meal, movement schedules, and support staff availability.

The domestic violence educational classes requested must include a balance of lecture, exercises, and facilitated discussion to help participants increase insight, knowledge, and skills to promote understanding past trauma and how it affects their lives and relationships; how to begin healing from the past trauma, self-healing, and non-violence. The curriculum must include skills to build resilience, skills for non-violent conflict resolution and self-healing from trauma.

By providing programming, group, and individual support services, the Agency would like to raise awareness among each participant, to choose better ways to express anger and to think about situations before being impulsive and acting on them. The project will focus on the problems of domestic violence through the provision of both victims and perpetrators intervention education programming in a residential prison setting.

To match existing services,

• The anticipated training coordinator will spend at least 4 days per week actively engaged directly in the institution with incarcerated adults.

• One day per week will be allocated to organization, planning, and additional training or seminars for the coordinator.

This will include activities outlined directly below

• Domestic Violence classes for the general incarcerated adult population (up to 4 classes per 12 weeks for 1.5 hour weekly).

• After Care Classes (1 class per 12 weeks for 1.5 hour weekly).

• Class for women who use force (1 class per 12 weeks for 1.5 hour weekly).

• Provide open hours for the incarcerated adult population (2 hours weekly).

• Provide one-on-one sessions as needed.

• Domestic Violence awareness events (October yearly).

• Assistance to ORW staff working with incarcerated adults providing resources.

• Safety planning for release.

• Advocacy to community partners on incarcerated adults’ behalf.

• Advocate placement in safe shelters across the State.

• Respond to incarcerated adults Via Path correspondence.

• Provide guidance to institutional staff on handling domestic violence within the institution.

• Network with other social service agencies to assist in providing releasees with external support and guidance.

• Maintaining accurate statistics on activities conducted, planning calendars, significant collaborative communication with institutional staff and contributing to statistical reporting for the institution.

• Coordinator will provide a detailed monthly report of work activities for the purpose of documenting progress of classes and explanation of work activities. These will be included with a monthly invoice for services rendered.

This work is of vital importance to our population at ORW. Many of our incarcerated women have either a specific history of Domestic Violence abuse or are acting in response to this direct history.

Statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimate that between 90-93% of female offenders (state and federal) have been victims of domestic violence. Incarcerated women who had been abused victims were more likely to be imprisoned for a violent offense. Many of the victims of domestic violence at some point move on to become perpetrators.

The work of Sheryl Kubiak and her colleagues in Michigan work found that trauma significantly impacts the ability of incarcerated trauma survivors to function within institutional structures and can result in acts of non-compliance and even aggression, when not managed.1 The findings from the domestic violence programming, that women are more able to identify and heal from their trauma indicates this program is also benefitting women in their ability to function and address their trauma related dysregulation within a correctional setting.

The Program will ensure clients have access to safety and adequate support services; continue to create and deploy programs that support the long-term success of sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.

Work together collectively with the community to ensure that programs are centered around the needs of both the community and the clients being served.

DELIVERABLES:

Salaries/Benefits/taxes (1 FTE), materials and supervision

Program provides:

• 3 Domestic Violence classes per 12-week session (10-15 students per class = 45 students per 12 weeks

• 1 After Care class per 12-week session (10 students per 12-week session)

• 2 Choosing Peace (WWUF) class every 2 weeks (15 students per class = 30 students every two weeks)

• Totaling approximately 85 participants per 12-week session (340 per year)

• Individual appointment times available for participants

The allocated budget for this project is $89,000.

COST SUMMARY:

Program expenses per year for services: $___________

To be invoiced per month: $___________

1 Kubiak, S., Covington, S. & Hiller, C. (2017). Trauma-informed corrections. In Springer, D. & Roberts, A.

(editors). Social Work in Juvenile and Criminal Justice System, 4th edition. Springfield, IL; Charles C. Thomas.