Wyo. Code R. 015-0012-8
Chapter 8: Evaluation of Community Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Shelter Service Provider
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 to Current
Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 015.0012.8.04052005
(a) Wyo. Stat. § 1-40-118 and § 9-1-638(a)(iii) require the Division of Victims Services to establish eligibility requirements and review and evaluate all programs receiving appropriated funds.
(a) These rules set forth components and elements the Division of Victim Services evaluates in community domestic violence and sexual assault shelter service providers strategic plans prior to contracting for services. Because funding is awarded competitively, applicant's strategic plans are evaluated on both compliance with rule and merit. Applicants will be required by contract to adhere to the provisions of approved strategic plans.
(b) These rules set forth requirements for community domestic violence and sexual assault shelter service providers to be able to contract with the Division of Victim Services for funds from:
(a) "Advocacy" means assistance to victims by volunteers or paid staff who have successfully completed the 40-hour State approved training agenda and who are qualified by the individual programs. Skills of a qualified advocate include crisis intervention, listening, problem solving, and knowledge of alternatives available in the community.
(b) "Crisis and Referral Services" means short-term, immediate assistance and advocacy given by phone or in person to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault by volunteer or paid staff.
(c) 'Division' means the Division of Victim Services.
(d) 'Emergency Shelter' means shelter provided to victims of domestic violence or sexual assault other than in exclusively dedicated safe houses.
(e) 'Governing Body' means a community board, a public agency, a tribal agency, or the board of directors of a private nonprofit corporation.
(f) 'Inservice Training Programs' means the practice of providing basic and advanced domestic violence and sexual assault related instruction to volunteers, boards of directors, and paid staff. The instruction is provided by program staff or by consultants.
(g) 'Practicum' means a supervised activity meant to develop or enhance the trainee's ability to provide direct services.
(h) 'Prevention and Education' means information about domestic violence and sexual assault provided to the community or specific audiences within the community.
(i) 'Program' means a nonprofit organization or public agency consisting of a governing body, staff, and volunteers or which provides: 1) Shelter services and/or crisis and referral services and 2) prevention education to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and to the community, funded in whole or part by the State of Wyoming.
(j) 'Public Office' means a facility known to the public in which communities can obtain domestic violence and sexual assault services.
(k) 'Safe house' means a physical structure dedicated exclusively to providing shelter to domestic violence and sexual assault victims. It is a temporary refuge offered twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) day a week.
(l) 'Staff' means individuals who are hired to provide services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and required to attend 40 hours of training in domestic violence and sexual assault.
(m) 'Support Groups' means individuals who meet on a regular basis to share problem-solving techniques, information, and to express concern in a non-judgmental atmosphere. These groups provide peer education, not therapy, unless the program has qualified staff.
(n) 'Transportation' means providing the means for victims to obtain shelter in a Safe house or other domestic violence and sexual assault services.
\ (o) “Victim” means a person who has been subjected to acts of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or other criminal acts of violence.
(i) “Domestic Violence” means physical abuse, threats of physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual assault, or acts which unreasonably restrain personal liberty perpetrated against a household member, family member or intimate partner.
(ii) “Sexual Assault” means acts as defined in Wyo. Stat. §§ 6-1-301, 6-2-301 through 6-2-304, and 6-2-313.
(a) If the governing body is a nonprofit corporation, it shall adopt and maintain policies and procedures in accordance with the Wyoming Nonprofit Corporation Act, Wyo. Stat. § 17-19-101 et. seq.
(b) To the extent possible, the composition of the governing body shall be representative of a wide range of community interest groups and the geographical area.
(c) The governing body shall establish policies, committees or other procedures to ensure the Program is adequately funded, housed, staffed, and equipped to accomplish its goals and to comply with Wyoming state statute and the applicable Office of the Attorney General, Division of Victim’s Services Rules.
(d) The governing body shall have a funding policy, which includes monitoring and approval of allocations of funds.
(a) The Program shall be a duly incorporated non-profit organization in accordance with Wyoming law, or a public governmental or tribal agency, in order to be eligible to contract for state or federal funds to provide domestic violence and sexual assault services.
(b) The Program shall have clearly written criteria for determining if an individual is eligible for services.
(c) The Program shall define its mission and develop a plan which defines measurable objectives for the provision of services and incorporates cooperation with relevant community agencies. The mission statement and plan should minimally address:
(i) program, staff, and funding development;
(ii) identification and intended services for underserved populations;
(iii) timelines and activities to accomplish objectives; (iv) how individual objectives will be funded; and (v) how grant funding match requirements are to be met.
(d) The Program shall solicit input from the governing body, staff, clients, and volunteers as part of its planning and describe this process in the strategic plan.
(e) The Program shall submit an operating budget approved and reviewed by the governing body and submitted as part of the strategic plan. The budget shall categorize revenues and expenses for each grant project by the expense categories of the approved budget.
(f) The Program shall have a systematic internal evaluation procedure to measure program effectiveness and plan performance.
(g) The Program and the governing body shall insure program accessibility by the completion of an accessibility assessment for both the public office and the shelter and implement a time limited plan to overcome any accessibility challenges found.
(h) Appropriate safeguards protecting confidential administrative records, including personnel records, shall be established.
(i) Written personnel and operational policies shall be developed, adopted, and maintained by the program. These policies shall be reviewed and approved by the governing body and dated to indicate each date of review. These policies should minimally:
(i) Include opportunity for input from program staff and volunteers; (ii) Establish job descriptions for all positions including board members, volunteers, and staff; (iii) Address confidentiality of client information obtained during and after the course of the professional relationship; (iv) Address avoidance of personal relationships with persons served which might exploit professional trust or impair the advocate's objectivity and professional judgment; (v) Include substance abuse policies; (vi) Address the use of violence; and (vii) Establish pre-employment background check requirement.
(j) Programs shall provide documentation that procedures have been developed and implemented, including copies of the policies and procedures, to assure confidentiality of records pertaining to any individual provided family violence prevention or services by any program.
(a) The Program shall have a plan for professional growth and development for all personnel. The plan shall minimally include:
Orientation procedure;
Required in-service training and education programs; and
Participation in local, state, or national training.
(b) The program shall develop Volunteer Program Standards for volunteers who have direct victim/client contact. The standards shall minimally address:
(c) A written job description for each volunteer position should be developed utilizing the same format as that of staff.
The Program shall have written financial policies governing internal control procedures in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices to ensure adequate financial checks and balances. The policies shall include controls for separation of financial duties.
(a) The Program shall promote an awareness in the community by encouraging understanding, awareness, cooperation, and assistance from other agencies as well as from civic, religious, fraternal, business, law enforcement, social service, educational, and medical groups in the community on a regular basis.
(b) The availability of services shall be publicized in the community on a regular basis.
(c) Programs shall co-ordinate presentations in the community with a specific emphasis on prevention education efforts in schools. These presentations may utilize films, speakers, panel discussions, and written materials related to causes, current theory, and preventative methods for domestic violence and sexual assault.
(a) Programs shall provide legal advocacy assistance to victims, at their request, in criminal or civil legal matters relevant to their situation.
(b) Programs shall provide medical advocacy assistance to victims, at their request, in medical matters relevant to their situation.
(c) Programs shall provide shelter services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims. Programs shall provide individual support and may offer support groups to victims on a regular basis and assist victims with social services relevant to victim's situations.
(d) Procedures shall be developed to enable staff to meet the needs of non-English speakers.
(e) If the Program applies for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Funds, it shall provide appropriate and necessary services to stalking victims.
Programs shall provide advocacy for child residents as needed.
All Programs shall have policies regarding childcare, if such is provided.
(c) Programs shall collaborate with other agencies to facilitate better communication and problem solving regarding the children receiving services from the program. These collaborative partnerships to provide children's services should be parent and child focused and may include, but are not limited, to the following agencies/services: Department of Family Services; Child Protection Teams; Headstart; parenting classes; non-offending parent family counseling; medical, emotional, developmental evaluations; adolescent substance abuse treatment; and play therapy.
Batterer's Intervention Programs are not the primary resource to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault programs. Programs should refrain from attempting to provide these services where possible.