Domestic Violence Advocacy Fundamentals

Course overview

This training will provide foundational education to participants about trauma-informed care, ethical advocacy, and best practices when working with families experiencing domestic violence. This program will directly relate to the licensed practice of social work, counseling, and marriage and family therapy by incorporating theories such as family systems theory in the context of domestic violence and trauma-informed principles. This training will also address social work, counselor, and marriage and family therapist ethics such as confidentiality obligations, mandated reporting for licensees, professional boundaries, and working with underserved communities such as BIPOC survivors, LGBTQ+ survivors, and survivors with disabilities. Participants will explore the social and cultural foundations of implicit bias and discrimination through the diversity, equity, and inclusion panel and implicit bias presentations. This program will directly relate to the licensed practice of social work, counseling, and marriage and family therapy by incorporating knowledge of human growth and development, specifically as it relates to child development amid family violence. This program will relate directly to the practice of licensees by exploring human and child development in the content of trauma, addressing professional ethics of MFTs as it relates to confidentiality, promoting diversity, and addressing unconscious bias, and appraisal of individuals experiencing domestic violence. Licensees will learn about multi-disciplinary team collaboration with professionals in the legal, medical, and court systems. Participants will gain information and tools to advocate for domestic violence survivors navigating social service, legal, and medical systems to meet their physical, mental health, housing, and legal needs. Upon completing all of the requirements, participants are eligible to receive 18 CEUs, which includes 4 for Ethics. ODVN trainers include Rachel Ramirez, MSW, LISW-S, Leah Stone, LISW-S, Sonia Ferencik, LISW-S, Jacqueline Hughley, BSW, CA, QMHS, Robin Rozian, J.D., and Kelly VanDriest, Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and 10 years of experience in the domestic violence and victim advocacy fields.