Greetings SASP Administrators!
Happy Summer! I hope everyone is enjoying some well-deserved sunshine and warm weather.
In most states and territories, state administrators work closely with and fund dual programs that serve both sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. I'm grateful to the 40 states and territories that responded to our recent survey of administrators. According to that survey, in six states, all of the programs funded with SASP are dual or multi-service; in 12 states 75% of programs are dual or multi-service; and in 9 states, 50% of programs are dual or multi-service. That means that in about 3/4 of states, half or more programs funded with SASP are dual programs.
Several of you have asked for resources and information on how to best support dual programs in providing sexual assault services with SASP, and in this edition of the SASP Administrators E-Newsletter, we focus on sexual assault services provided in a dual program context including profiles of efforts in Nebraska and Oregon.
Another project at RSP that focuses specifically on sexual assault services at dual programs is the Sexual Assault Demonstration Initiative (SADI). SADI, a collaboration between RSP and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), is the first large-scale project to address the challenges dual and multi-service programs face in reaching sexual assault survivors by dedicating resources, support, and replicable tools tailored specifically to the needs of those programs. I've shared a number of publications from SADI below especially in the resources section.
Nebraska Working with Dual Programs to Ensure Excellent Sexual Assault Services
In Nebraska, SASP funds are passed through to the Nebraska Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Coalition (NDVSAC) and are then sub-granted by formula to 19 small, rural dual programs to provide sexual assault services. Merry Wills, SASP Administrator, and Michelle Miller, Sexual Violence Program Coordinator with NDVSAC, have been supporting them in optimizing their approach to SASP funding. Read the full article attached below.
Oregon Using RSP Tool to Advance Sexual Assault Services
The Oregon Crime Victims' Services Division Advisory Committee has a SASP Subcommittee that guides their approach to SASP funding. The subcommittee, helmed by Jeanette Ewald, the SASP Administrator, includes members from the coalition, the Sexual Assault Task Force, the Department of Human Services, and victim assistance programs. Most of the funded programs in Oregon are dual programs. The subcommittee is using the Resource Sharing Project publication, Opening Our Doors: Building Strong Sexual Assault Services in Dual/Multi-Service Advocacy Agencies, as a tool in their grant solicitation process. Read the full article attached below.
Community Assessments: Powerful Tool to Improve Sexual Assault Services
What do people in a community think about sexual violence? How do people hear about services? How do people in other systems respond when survivors disclose to them? When do community partners refer people to an agency and when don't they?
The Sexual Assault Demonstration Initiative (SADI) developed a community assessment toolkit that allows communities to answer these questions and more, and SASP funds could be used to partially support other community assessment projects.
Community assessments hold a lot of promise for helping dual and multi-service agencies improve and expand their services for survivors of sexual assault. Read more about what six dual and multi-service programs found out through community assessments in the article attached below.
Resources on Dual and Multi-Service Programs
The SADI project has developed a range of innovative resources to help reach more sexual assault survivors with comprehensive quality care including:
- Building Cultures of Care: A Guide for Sexual Assault Services Programs
- Multi-Services Programs and the Essentials of Sexual Assault Services: Annotated Bibliography
- Listening to Our Communities: Assessment Toolkit
- Building Comprehensive Sexual Assault Services Programs
To see all of the SADI publications and resources feel free to visit the RSP website page for SADI.
The Rural Project at RSP also has some excellent resources:
- Opening Our Doors: Building Strong Sexual Assault Services in Dual/Multi-Service Agencies
- Strengthening Our Practice: The 10 Essential Strengths of Sexual Violence Advocates in Dual/Multi-Service Advocacy Agencies
I hope you will stay in touch with me and share your successes and challenges. I'm at (515) 401-8984 or sasp@iowacasa.org. Sincerely,
Terri Poore, MSW
SASP Technical Assistance Specialist
The Resource Sharing Project and this newsletter are supported by Grant No.2009-TA-AX-K037 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
