By: Rebecca O’Connor, Policy Director
DCCADV’s Policy Department hit the ground running in 2010, working to advance an ambitious policy agenda and responding to legislation filed by the D.C. Council and Mayor Fenty’s Administration. In addition to securing funding for core services in the District, we are also working to address discrimination by employers and insurers against victims and survivors.
Recently, Councilmember Muriel Bowser introduced the Healthcare Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence Reform Act of 2010, which amends the D.C. Code to prohibit insurers from discriminating against victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The District is one of only a handful of jurisdictions that remains without this protection. This legislation reflects of recommendations that the Coalition provided to Mayor Fenty’s Administration. The Coalition will offer testimony in support of the legislation March 24th.
In January, Councilmember Kwame Brown introduced one of our 2010 Policy Priorities, The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Extension Act of 2010. This bill repeals the sunset provision that would conclude the Board’s function, thus ensuring board members can continue the review of domestic violence related deaths. This will help meet the underlying objectives of preventing these deaths in the future and preserving victim safety.
We are also actively monitoring measures introduced that have unintended consequences for victims and survivors. For example, in November, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) entered into a Memorandum Of Understanding with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (formerly INS) to implement a federal ICE program known as Secure Communities in the District. Under this program, MPD will send the fingerprints of those arrested for certain offenses to ICE. The fingerprints are run through the agency’s databases for a ‘hit’ –indicating that the person may be undocumented. ICE is then authorized to begin deportation efforts. In an effort to address the significant concerns associated with this type of monitoring DCCADV has convened a working group to focus specifically on the implications of this new program for the DV community. On March 19th, we, together with member organization representatives, presented testimony at MPD’s Performance Oversight Hearing. At the hearing, Chief Lanier made it clear that she has heard the community’s concerns and she made a commitment to work to exempt domestic violence-related arrests from the Secure Communities Program if and when it is implemented. We continue to work with MPD to ensure this promise is fulfilled.
The Policy Department has also turned its focus to the District’s FY11 budget cycle. Within this difficult economy, we are working proactively to ensure that the needs of victims and survivors are recognized and addressed by policy makers. In FY11, on behalf of our member programs, the Coalition is requesting $2 million to sustain core, non-residential domestic violence programs and services in FY11. In addition, the Coalition supports the city’s domestic violence shelters in their pursuit to ensure the District’s long term commitment to domestic violence housing, including, if necessary, accessing the Domestic Violence Shelter Fund. In March, the Coalition, joined by many member programs and survivors who courageously shared their stories, officially launched this campaign by testifying at the Office of Victim Services’ Performance Oversight Hearing.
The Policy Department is also working with the D.C. Superior Court to provide training for their personnel, including interpreters. This initiative has been met with enthusiasm by the Court and we hope to ensure ours is a gold standard training that can be institutionalized.
We’re very excited to announce that we have also convened a new working group– Survivor Engagement and Empowerment (“SEE”) Working Group as an opportunity for survivors of domestic violence to have a hand in shaping key initiatives and messaging. The group met for the first time in December of 2009. Participants, including providers working closely with survivors, are invited to provide insight and recommendations regarding our policy initiatives and to participate in systems advocacy and outreach. We will continue to keep the community aware of developments in our work and welcome questions.
