Domestic Abuse Intervention Services

DOMESTIC ABUSE INTERVENTION SERVICES OFFERS A WIDE ARRAY OF CRISIS INTERVENTION AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION/PREVENTION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING A 24-HOUR HELP LINE, PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN FROM VIOLENT HOMES, LEGAL ADVOCACY, SUPPORT GROUPS, EMERGENCY SAFETY PLANNING, AND THE ONLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER IN DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN.

SHELTER AND SUPPORT - DAIS OPERATES THE ONLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDE PREVENTION SHELTER IN DANE COUNTY. THE SHELTER IS STAFFED 24 HOURS A DAY AND DURING THEIR STAY RESIDENTS ARE OFFERED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, 24-HOUR SUPPORT FROM SHELTER ADVOCATES, FOOD, TOILETRIES, AND CLOTHING. THE DAIS SHELTER TYPICALLYALLOWS FOR A MAXIMUM STAY OF 45 DAYS WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE VITAL TO A VICTIM'S ABILITY TO DEVELOP LONG-TERM, SUSTAINABLE PLANS AND NETWORKING WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THEIR FUTURE. OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING THAT WHILE IN SHELTER RESIDENTS RECEIVE THE SUPPORT, INFORMATION, COMMUNITY RESOURCE REFERRALS AND ASSISTANCE IN ACCESSING SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES. DURING THE PANDEMIC A REDUCED SHELTER CENSUS HELPED ENSURE RESIDENTS MAINTAINED SOCIAL DISTANCING AND WERE NOT REQUIRED TO SHARE BATHROOM FACILITIES WITH OTHER HOUSEHOLDS STAYING IN THE SHELTER FACILITY. ADDITIONALLY, DAIS PERMITTED LONGER LENGTHS OF STAY FOR THOSE IN SHELTER DUE TO THE CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES. CLEANING AND SANITATION PROCEDURES WERE INCREASED AND THE ORGANIZATION STRICTLY FOLLOWED SAFETY GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE CDC AND THE CITY OF MADISON AND DANE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. IN 2021, DAIS SERVED 275 UNDUPLICATED PEOPLE IN THE SHELTER PROGRAM AND 11,815 SHELTER NIGHTS WERE PROVIDED.

COMMUNITY SERVICES - THE GOAL OF DAIS COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS ARE TO DECREASE ISOLATION AND PROVIDE SAFETY PLANNING, SUPPORT, INFORMATION, REFERRALS, AND ASSISTANCE TO ACCESS COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS TO VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. CRISIS INTERVENTION INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 24-HOUR HELP LINE, LEAP (LAW ENFORCEMENT ADVOCATE PARTNERSHIP), AND WALK-IN COMMUNITY RESPONSE SERVICES. THE HELP LINE IS A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL GATEWAY THROUGH WHICH CLIENTS CAN ACCESS ALL DAIS SERVICES. THE HELP LINE, ACCESSED VIA PHONE, IS STAFFED BY VOLUNTEERS AND PAID ADVOCATES WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT, INFORMATION, REFERRALS TO OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES, AND SAFETY PLANNING. DURING THE PANDEMIC DAIS EXCUSED VOLUNTEERS FROM THE BUILDING AND INTERNAL STAFF TOOK ON ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES TO SUPPORT THE FUNCTIONING OF THE HELP LINE. IN 2021 THE HELP LINE FIELDED 6,967 CALLS. LEAP (LAW ENFORCEMENT ADVOCATE PARTNERSHIP) - THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP QUICKLY CONNECTS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF MADISON WITH THE ADVOCACY SERVICES PROVIDED BY DAIS. BECAUSE OF VARIOUS BARRIERS, MANY VICTIMS DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VICTIM ADVOCACY SERVICES AFTER A DOMESTIC ABUSE ARREST. THE LEAP PROGRAM IS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DAIS FOCUSED ON REACHING OUT TO VICTIMS TO OVERCOME THESE BARRIERS AND OFFER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. IN 2021, OFFICERS COMPLETED 825 REFERRALS TO DAIS.WALK-IN COMMUNITY RESPONSE - DURING THE PANDEMIC DAIS REFERRED CLIENTS SEEKING WALK-IN SERVICE TO THE HELP LINE NUMBER FOR ASSISTANCE.COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES - COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES ENCOMPASS FACE-TO-FACE SHORT-TERM COMMUNITY RESPONSE SERVICES, AND CASE MANAGEMENT FOR COMMUNITY CLIENTS. DURING THE PANDEMIC DAIS PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO COMMUNITY CLIENTS THROUGH PHONE AND SCHEDULED IN-PERSON MEETINGS AT THE DAIS FACILITY FOLLOWING ALL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS INCLUDING SCREENINGS AND HEALTH SURVEYS.CASE MANAGEMENT FOR COMMUNITY CLIENTS PROVIDES CLIENTS WITH FACE-TO-FACE EMERGENCY SAFETY PLANNING WITH TRAINED ADVOCATES, BASIC RESTRAINING ORDER ASSISTANCE, HOUSING INFORMATION, SUPPORT, REFERRALS TO OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND ASSISTANCE ACCESSING COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES. MEETINGS CAN BE HELD AT DAIS AS WELL AS AT SAFE, CONFIDENTIAL PARTNERSHIP SITES ACROSS DANE COUNTY INCLUDING HOSPITALS, CLINICS, LIBRARIES, OR OTHER HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS. THERE ARE SITES LOCATED BOTH WITHIN MADISON AND IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN DANE COUNTY TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY OF SERVICES TO VICTIMS LIVING IN RURAL AREAS. IN 2021, THE PROGRAM SERVED 324 CLIENTS.SUPPORT GROUP - DAIS SUPPORT GROUPS HELP MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DECREASE THEIR ISOLATION, INCREASE THEIR SAFETY, AND CONNECT WITH OTHER DAIS SURVIVORS. DAIS TYPICALLY OFFERS TWO WEEKLY SUPPORT GROUPS FOR ANYONE WHO IDENTIFIES AS A FEMALE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, OTHER GROUPS MAY BE OFFERED BASED ON CLIENT INTEREST INCLUDING ONE FOR WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 50, ONE FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS, AND ONE FOR SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVORS. DAIS ALSO TYPICALLY OFFERS ONE MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF SURVIVORS. DURING THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC DAIS SUSPENDED SUPPORT GROUPS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO ILLNESS. DAIS BEGAN OFFERING LIMITED SUPPORT GROUPS AGAIN IN THE FALL OF 2021. THREE CLIENTS WERE SERVED THROUGH SUPPORT GROUPS IN 2021. VOLUNTEERS - VOLUNTEERS ARE CRITICAL TO THE OPERATION OF DAIS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. WITH THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC DAIS EXCUSED ALL OF ITS VOLUNTEERS WHICH TYPICALLY SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN AN EFFORT TO LIMIT TRAFFIC THROUGH ITS BUILDING AND POTENTIAL COVID EXPOSURE TO ITS CLIENTS. WHILE THE LACK OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES WAS DIFFICULT, STAFF WERE DEPLOYED TO ENSURE CRITICAL SERVICES WERE PROVIDED AND THE HELP LINE WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL. IN 2021, DAIS STARTED BRINGING VOLUNTEERS BACK AND THERE WERE 48 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVED THE ORGANIZATION BY VOLUNTEERING DIRECTLY WITH CLIENTS IN EACH OF ITS PROGRAMS AND BY SUPPORTING DAIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS. IN TOTAL, VOLUNTEERS ESTIMATED 1,478 HOURS IN SERVICE TO DAIS.

LEGAL ADVOCACY SERVICES - THE DAIS LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM OFFERS SAFETY PLANNING, SUPPORT, INFORMATION, AND RESOURCES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE AREAS OF FAMILY LAW, CIVIL RESTRAINING ORDERS, CRIMINAL LAW, IMMIGRATION LAW, AND CHILD ABUSE. LEGAL ADVOCATES ARE NOT LAWYERS AND DO NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE. THE WORK OF THE LEGAL ADVOCATES MAY INCLUDE ASSISTING CLIENTS IN FILING FOR RESTRAINING ORDERS, DEVELOPING SAFETY PLANS WITH CLIENTS, PREPARING CLIENTS FOR INJUNCTION HEARINGS, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO CLIENTS DURING HEARINGS, AND ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL, CIVIL AND FAMILY COURT SYSTEMS OR WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS. DURING THE PANDEMIC FOR MUCH OF 2021, THE DANE COUNTY COURTHOUSE WAS CLOSED SO ALL COURT ACCOMPANIMENT WAS DONE VIA ZOOM FROM THE DAIS OFFICE. LEGAL CLIENTS WERE SERVED ON THE PHONE OR IN FACE-TO-FACE IN-PERSON MEETINGS, UTILIZING ALL THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE AT DAIS. IN 2021, DAIS LEGAL ADVOCATES SERVED 828 UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS.