Connecting Program Assessment to Building Design...A Planning Guide: Connecting Program Assessment to Building Design / NCDSV / updated May 2006 Page 21 of 37 5. Access to Safety Core

A Planning Guide:

Connecting

Program Assessment

to

Building Design

A Planning Guide: Connecting Program Assessment to Building Design / NCDSV / updated May 2006 Page 2 of 37

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We acknowledge the use of excerpts from the following materials:

Deborah D. Tucker and Eve McArthur, A Stitch in Time Saves Nine… Production made

possible by a contract with the Texas Department of Human Resources; Family Violence

Program, 1982

Texas Council on Family Violence, Access to Safety, Justice and Opportunity: A Blueprint

for Domestic Violence Interventions in Texas, 2002

Jenny Brown, Coordinator, National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence

Co-Coordinated by National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence staff:

Vickie Smith

Debby Tucker

Christina Walsh

Juliet Walters

Crystal Wick


Domestic violence service agencies provide

prevention programs to advance cultural

support for ending violence. Intervention

offered by domestic violence service

agencies enhances the access to safety,

justice, and well-being for battered women

3. How can they help us

understand it?

1. What input do women

we’ve served have for us?

In considering every aspect of services to be

offered, the same 3 questions apply:

2. Who knows more about

this particular aspect?


Defining Your Community

Fill out one sheet per county that your agency serves to determine your current level of service and your desirable level of service.

Service Area: _________________________________ (Complete worksheet for each county served)

Population: County: ______________ Major City: ____________ Major City: ____________ Major City: ____________

Sexual Orientation Female Male

Lesbian/Gay % %

Heterosexual % % Bisexual % %

Age Female Male

Over 65 % %

50-64 % % 35-49 % % 20-34 % % 13-19 % % Under 12 % %

Gender/Sex Female Male

Female % %

Male % % Transgender % %

Annual Income Female Male

Less than $4,999 % %

$5,000 - $9,999 % % $10,000 - $24,999 % % $25,000 - $49,999 % % $50,000 - $99,999 % % $100,000 + % %

Religion Female Male

Buddhism % %

Christian % % Non-Denominational % % Muslim % % Jewish % % Other % %

Education Level Female Male

Some Elementary/Middle School

% %

Finished 8th Grade % % Some High School % %


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT IMPACTS THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES:

County Crime Statistics / Law Enforcement Reports (#) _____ Assault (Domestic violence) _____ Aggravated Assault _____ Sexual Assault / Rape _____ Stalking _____ Incest _____ Child Abuse _____ Homicide (Domestic violence related) _____ Elder Abuse

Assessing Your Program

For County: ___________

(This data should be a compilation of all the services your program provides in this area.)

Population served (#): ______ Women ______ Men ______ Children

High School or GED % % Some College % % College Degree % % Some Advanced College % % Advanced College Degree

% % Ethnicity Female Male

African American % %

Anglo % % Asian/Pacific Islander % % Hispanic/Latin American % % Native American % % Other % %

Disabilities Female Male

Hearing % %

Mobility % % Visual % % Other % %

Other Issues Female Male

Mental Illness % %

Substance Abuse % % Literate % % Functionally Illiterate % % Other % %

Gender Adults Children


Female % % Male % % Transgender % %

Ethnicity Women Men Children

African American % % % Anglo % % % Asian/Pacific Islander % % % Hispanic/Latin American % % % Native American % % % Other % % %

Age of Victims Served Women Men

Over 65 years % %

50-64 years % % 35-49 years % % 20-34 years % % 13-19 years % % Under 12 years % %

Age of Children Served Girls Boys

Newborn % %

6 months–2 years % % 2+ - 5 years % % 6-10 years % % 11-12 years % % 13-18 years % %

Annual Income Women Men

Less than $4,999 % %

$5,000 - $9,999 % % $10,000 - $24,999 % % $25,000 - $49,999 % % $50,000 - $99,999 % % $100,000 + % %

Sexual Orientation Women Men

Lesbian/Gay % %

Heterosexual % % Bisexual % %

Education Level Women Men

Some Elementary/Middle School

% %

Finished 8th Grade % % Some High School % % High School or GED % % Some College % % College Degree % % Some Advanced College % % Advanced College Degree % %

Religion Women Men

Buddhism % %

Christian % % Non-Denominational % % Muslim % % Jewish % % Other % %


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT IMPACTS THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES:

Assumptions must be confirmed by consulting with those with

expertise in predicting the future population of your service area, such

as city planners and county administrators. Furthermore, consulting

with the state domestic violence coalition may assist you in determining

if there are other groups within the counties you currently serve that

intend to open domestic violence shelter services or other programs

relevant to predicting the future need for your agency’s services.

Disabilities Women Men

Hearing % %

Mobility % % Visual % % Other % %

Other Issues Women Men

Mental Illness % %

Substance Abuse % % Literate % % Functionally Illiterate % % Other % %


“Rocket Science” of Shelter Service

Below is one example of how to calculate/plan for services in new facilities that are not currently being met by your current facilities.

(# of beds currently available) (?)

______________ X _______________

♀♀♀♀♀ (# of women and children (Total # of women and children currently being served) needing to be served.)

Determine your current turn-away rate: Do you have a count from hotline logs? Do you maintain a waiting list? If you don’t have a precise way to analyze the past rate – count how many families you turn away for shelter for one quarter and multiply by 4 for an annual estimate.

e.g. If your current “turn away” rate is 3 families (1 adult, 2 children) a week = 468 people actually needing shelter beyond the current level of service annually.

If your facility currently has 13 beds Beds you will need

___________________ X ________24_________ and currently serves 530 women and children to serve 998 {530 + 468} women and children

When services keep improving and real efforts are made to reduce barriers – cultural,

disabilities, same-sex, etc. – demand may be elastic; no one serves more than a small

proportion of battered women in their community. If someone thinks there are needs not

being met, they are probably right to some extent. Directors should be as open as possible

to perceptions from people in the community of unmet needs, barriers, service quality, etc.,


and also when appropriate opportunities arise, to share their own perceptions of unmet

needs and ideas for addressing them. 10 years from now: At a 20% population growth in your service area:

Future population growth ÷ % served now = 998 + 199 (which is 20% of 998) = 1,197 With a population of 30,000♀♀ (20% is 6,000♀) = 36,000♀♀♀ population growth


___________________ X _________35_________

and currently serves 998 women and children to serve 1,197 women and children

20 years from now: At a 30% population growth in your service area:

Future population growth ÷ % served now = 1,197 + 239 (20% of 1,197) = 1,436 With a population of 36,000♀♀ (30% is 10,800♀) = 46,800♀♀♀ population growth


___________________ X _________46________

and currently serves 1,197 to serve 1,557 women and children women and children

Beyond the number of beds needed for women and children, special

consideration must be given to shelter needs of men, older individuals,

and those with physical challenges, significant physical injuries, or other

needs.

All indications are that non-residential service delivery is increasing and

more victims will seek information, support, counseling and advocacy

without seeking shelter services.


We must prepare for the needs, while examining the trends.


Grounds

The goal here is to effectively plan for future expansive

building design.

Security

Location

Size


Design

of

Facility

Grounds

Security

Location

Size of

Facility


Access to Safety

24-hour Shelter

Transportation

Access to Emergency

Medical Care

Support Services

Safety Planning

Information and

Referral

Legal Options

Job Training & Employment

Educational Arrangements and Support for Children


Access to Safety

Core Services

In strategizing around future developments and respective

planning, it is important to remember that there is no

“perfect fit”.

The following material on

the core services to gain Access to Safety

illustrates that there is a “fit” for each service to be

offered to battered women and their children and in turn, those

pieces have subsequent “fits”.

It is not a matter of all the pieces to this puzzle matching perfectly; it

is a matter of exploring options around ways to maneuver pieces

and building from there.

We must work with the resources at our disposal

and make every effort to maximize those resources to the benefit

of those we serve.

= Color code of services significant to your program

= Where your program is right now / basic services usually

offered.

= Where you envision your program being in the near future /


immediate level of program enhancement.

= Where you dream your program will be in the years to come /

advanced service delivery.


SPECIAL

NEEDS

COMMON

AREA

1. Access to Safety

Core Services

CLOTHING

CLOSET

FOOD

SERVICE

24-HOUR

SHELTER GROUNDS

SECURITY

ALARM

SYSTEM

PLAYGROUND

HANDICAP

ACCESSIBLE

& ADA

COMPLIANT

MEN,

Transgender, etc.

CONTROL OF

ENTRANCE TO

PROPERTY

MAINTENANCE

PARKIN

G

ENHANCED

SCREENING

DOORS

MENTAL

HEALTH

SUBSTANCE

ABUSE


In thinking about all the pieces, always consider the capacity to add

on to the building over time or adding additional specialized

buildings.


2. Access to Safety

Core Services

PRIVATE

SPACE

CRISIS

HOTLINE

ADVANCED

TECHNOLOGY

COMFORT TRAINING

VOLUNTEERS


3. Access to Safety

Core Services

EMERGENCY

MEDICAL &

HEALTH CARE

STAFFING EXAMINING &

TREATMENT

ROOMS

FORENSIC

CAPABILITY

IN-HOUSE

NURSES &

DOCTORS

VOLUNTEERS

SANE

MEDICAL

SCREENING

EXAMS

SUBSTANCE

ABUSE

MENTAL

HEALTH

INFORMATION &

FIRST AID

VOLUNTEER

NURSES &

DOCTORS


4. Access to Safety

Core Services

TRANSPORTATION

ACCESS TO PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION SECURITY

CONCEALED

AREA FOR

VEHICLES

RESIDENTS,

STAFF, SHELTER

VANS

BICYCLES


5. Access to Safety

Core Services

What trends can you identify in the requests for non-residential

services? A fundamental decision to be made is if you will provide

those services at the same location as the building for shelter

services.

SAFETY

PLANNING

SECURED

LOCKERS SELF-DEFENSE

CLASSES

PRIVATE

DOCUMENTS,

MONEY,

CLOTHING

AREA FOR

WORKING WITH

ADVOCATES


6. Access to Safety

Core Services

*Helping professions may include contacts with the health

department, faith-based organizations, private therapists, Al-

Anon, services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing,

etc.

**Criminal justice may include law enforcement, prosecutors,

probation, process servers, and others.

SUPPORT

SERVICES

COUNSELING

& SUPPORT

COLLABORATIVE

SUPPORT

SERVICES

*HELPING

SHELTER

**CRIMINAL

JUSTICE NON-

RESIDENTAL


7. Access to Safety

Core Services

RESOURCE

ROOM

INFORMATION

AND REFERRAL

COMPUTERS

SCHEDULED

BRIEFINGS BY

OUTSIDE

AGENCIES

VCRs


8. Access to Safety

Core Services

LEGAL

OPTIONS

SPACE FOR

PRIVATE

ATTORNEY TO

MEET W/

CLIENTS

ADVOCATE

PROVIDES LEGAL

INFO AND

PROTECTIVE

ORDER

APPLICATION

ON-SITE

SERVICES

LEGAL AID

ATTORNEY

ATTORNEY

ON STAFF

OF

PROGRAM


9. Access to Safety

Core Services

*Non-traditional includes career training such as truck driving,

plumbing, welding, construction, road crew, etc.

**Technical school includes such training as food service,

beauty school, LVN and vocations that do not require

college credits.

JOB

TRAINING/

EMPLOYMENT

ADULT

DESIGNED

CLASSROOMS

COMPUTERS

CONSULTING ON

RESUME

DEVELOPMENT,

COMPLETING

APPLICATIONS &

INTERVIEWING COLLEGE

PREPARATION PROFESSIONAL

CLOTHING

CLOSET

*NON -

TRADITIONAL

TRAINING

**GED/

TECHNICAL

SCHOOL


THERAPY

INTERVIEWS

FORENSIC

10. Access to Safety

Core Services

CHILDREN-

EDUCATIONAL

ARRANGEMENTS &

SUPPORT

CHILD CARE/

PLAYROOM

DAY/

EVENING

ON-SITE

ELEMENTARY

PLAY


HOUSING CHILD CARE

EMPLOYMENT/

JOB TRAINING INDIVIDUAL

GROUP

HEALTH CARE

SUPPORTIVE

COUNSELING

PARENT/

CHILD

ADDITIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

SERVICES

TRANSITIONAL

SUPPORT

TOWARDS

WELL-BEING

ADVOCACY/

COUNSELING

SERVICES


CHILD

SUPPORT

VISITATION

ARRANGEMENTS


SERVICES

ACCESS TO

OPPORTUNITY

ACCESS TO

JUSTICE

ONGOING

PROTECTION

OFFENDER

ACCOUNTABILITY

REACHING

MARGINALIZED

COMMUNITIES

ECONOMIC SECURITY

AND ACCESS TO ALL

SERVICES

SUPPORT IN

CRIMINAL

PROCEEDINGS

COORDINATION

W/GOVT.

AGENCIES

BATTERING

INTERVENTION

COLLABORATION

DIVORCE/

CUSTODY

PROCEEDINGS

COORDINATION

W/CRIMINAL

JUSTICE SYSTEM


OUTREACH

OFFICES


SERVICES

OTHER

CONSIDERATIONS

ACCESS TO

PREVENTION/

CULTURAL SUPPORT

CHANGING

SOCIAL

ATTITUDES

CHILDREN AND

YOUTH

SEXUAL

ASSAULT

STALKING

CRIME

VICTIMS

SOCIAL/PRIVATE/

FAITH/JUSTICE

ORGANIZATIONS

PARTNERSHIPS

ADVOCATES

YOUNG

ADULTS

MEN

OTHER


It is important to define all the pieces to the puzzle and incorporate each in such a way that works best for your

community, program, county, and the potential growth of each.

Multi-functional spaces that can be switched out for several

different purposes are represented by the color green and

Constant spaces that must be used for a particular function due to

wiring, plumbing, etc., are represented by the color red.

Bathrooms

Bedrooms

Classrooms

Counseling

Spaces

Children’s

Space

Hotline Nursery


Restrooms

Staff/Visitors (Not full baths)

Resource

Area

Common Areas

Grounds

Offices

Laundry Area

Recreation

Area

Bedrooms

Kitchen

Storage/ Lockers

Medical Needs


Examples of multi-functional rooms:

Classrooms

Wednesdays

9:00-10:30am Legal Aid

Counseling

11:00-12:00pm Job Training Class

5:00-6:30pm School Tutorials

Mondays

8:30-10:30am Private Attorney

Visits

2:00-3:00pm Health Dept. Consult.

Thursdays

6:00-7:30pm Self-

defense classes


BUDGETARY PIECES

ANNUAL

FUNDRAISERS

CAPITAL

CAMPAIGN

MARKETING

DIVERSE

FUNDING

OPTIONS

BOARD

RESPONSIBILITY

STAFF

RESPONSIBILITY MEMBERS OF

INFLUENCE &

AFFLUENCE UNRELATED

BUSINESS

INCOME


REMODEL? BUILD NEW?

Design building Sufficient grounds Shelter Changing neighborhoods Transitional housing units Covered secured parking ADA accessibility Build for future growth/maximum efficiency

Limits to size Limits to space Established neighborhood No relocation involved Theoretically less expensive

?

Other considerations in thinking about

space for future planning

Outreach offices

Transitional housing

Operating costs differential

Other services to be offered at the same location


There are levels of services that should be

considered in planning. This idea gives you space to

plan for the future and make additions at a later

time if the opportunity is not currently presented

due to funding, location, etc.

e.g.

Crisis Intervention

Counseling

Expand services to:

family, alcoholism,

life management, etc.

Offer services to former

shelter residents

Child Care

Secure children’s

program coordinator

Utilizing available community

resources to design and

implement comprehensive

program

24-hour Hotline Professional backup

to hotline: i.e.,

legal, medical, and

counseling

Provide information/referral

throughout geographical

service area of the program

Emergency Shelter Transitional Housing Permanent Housing


Create your own color coded chart to help visualize

where your program is and where you want it to be.


What input do

women we’ve served

have?

Who knows more

about this

particular How

can they help

us

understand?

Connecting Program Assessment to Building Design...A Planning Guide: Connecting Program Assessment to Building Design / NCDSV / updated May 2006 Page 21 of 37 5. Access to Safety Core

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