Very best wishes for the Holidays

The SSDVTF would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and thank all of those who have given of their time to make San Saba's task force a success!

(Mark the date: Next task force meeting January 9, 2008.)

Task Force members present at Community Meeting

Task Force members made a good showing at the San Saba Community Meeting held at the San Saba County Court House on December 18, 2007.



Task Force members present were:

-Allen Brown, San Saba Police Department
-Georgia Harris, Dove Project
-Cathie Lehman, New Horizons
-Brenna Troncoso, PAPA
-Dee Vickery, Off the Beaten Path Ministries

More evidence of the good work the Task Force is doing in San Saba.

Minutes from Dec. 12 Meeting

Minutes from San Saba Domestic Violence Taskforce

December 12, 2007

Ma & Pa’s Restaurant

11:30am – 1pm

In attendance at the December meeting of the San Saba DV Taskforce were: Georgia Harris, City of San Saba, Dove Project; Dee Vickery, Off the Beaten Path Ministries; Officer Allen Brown, City of San Saba, Police Department; Brenna Troncoso, Political Asylum Project of Austin, and Kathy Dixon, Victim Coordinator for the District Attorney’s Office.

After introductions the minutes from the November 14, 2007 meeting were read and Allen Brown motioned to approve the minutes as read and Brenna Troncoso seconded. All were in favor.

Member agency updates were provided as follows:

K.D. gave an update on the assistant district attorney, Cheryl Nelson is over San Saba and Burnet County. She was pleased to report that Ms. Nelson is not accepting affidavits of non-prosecution in felony cases of domestic violence.

D.V. reported being able to speak in other counties about her desire to put in transitional housing for victims and receiving some support for that.

G.H. gave an update regarding the involvement of Legal Aide of Northwest Texas coming monthly to San Saba Dove Project to provide legal services and match victims of domestic violence with a private attorney. An attorney from Lampasas volunteered her services this past month and more local pro bono attorneys will be sought to assist with pro se divorces, etc. Legal Aid will also be attending our monthly task force meetings as they are coming on the day of our regularly scheduled meetings.

B.T. reported on the services of the PAPA program and gave an update on U-Visa regulations that assist immigrant victims of crime. Also discussed was the issue of human trafficking in central Texas and increasing rural outreach in this area of need.

A.B. reported a large drug bust that had just happened. He pointed out the link between this kind of crime and domestic violence.

Law Enforcement information/ concerns - A.B. wanted to make sure that during the holidays we had a plan for coverage by volunteers or staff for domestic violence related calls. G.H. assured him that there would be adequate coverage through her or her assistant and volunteers of the Dove Project. He also highlighted the need for bilingual volunteers.

A.B. wanted to emphasize his concern about victims of domestic violence, particularily where children are involved, dropping charges. He felt there needed to be some kind of deterrent to protect victims and their children from future harm. He didn’t know if Child Protective Services needed to be involved or perhaps even filing charges against the victim for failing to testify. He would like to see this topic considered at a possible future training as a secondary issue under protocols for dealing with cases involving domestic violence.

Member Recruitment: Student rep from school/survivors/volunteers – G.H. said she had sent an email to the superintendant of schools, Leann Glaze, to encourage a student rep to attend our taskforce meetings. It is the hope of the taskforce that a group of students will become involved in developing their own anti-domestic violence (dating violence/date rape, etc) initiative.

A.B. stated the need to get men involved as volunteers as well.

Community Planning Meeting – G.H. encouraged all those present to try to attend the Community Planning Meeting scheduled for Dec. 18 at the courthouse from 10:30 – 12 noon. This is an opportunity to be sure and get the issues we need put in writing for the sake of future funding through grants.

Items not covered due to lack of time were the developing a blog training at the library and an inaugural event plan. Discussion regarding this will be continued at the next taskforce meeting in 2008.

Items needing action before the next meeting are as follows:

1. B.T. will forward some information to the K.D. at the D.A.’s office regarding the work of PAPA.

2. B.T. will develop a contact information sheet for taskforce members and post to the domestic violence taskforce blog space.

3. G.H. will put the notice of next taskforce meeting in the San Saba News community calendar and contact the radio station for a psa.

4. G.H. and A.B. will spearhead a youth initiative within the school by contacting the superintendant. B.T. said that a trainer through various agencies in Austin that could assist with that.

NEXT SCHEDULED TASKFORCE MEETING – JANUARY 9, 2008 from 11:30 – 1:00pm at Ma & Pa’s Restaurant.

December Meeting of the SSDVTF

Though attendance was slightly lower due to the rain and cold weather, the December meeting of the SSDVTF was a success.

Minutes to be posted soon.

In attendance were from left to right, Georgia Harris (Dove Project, San Saba), Dee Vickery (Off the Beaten Path Ministries), Kathy Dixon (Victim Coordinator, District Attorney's Office, Thirty-Third Judicial District), Allen Brown (San Saba Police Department), and Brenna Troncoso (not shown, Political Asylum Project of Austin).

Next Meeting, 12.12.2007

The next meeting of the San Saba Domestic Violence Task Force (SSDVTF) is Wednesday, December 12, 11:30 - 1:00 p.m., at Ma & Pa's Diner. We hope to see you all there. Agenda to be posted soon.

Happy Thanksgiving

A Happy Thanksgiving to all!

First organizational meeting a success

The SSDVTF held its first organizational meeting yesterday, November 14, 2007, in San Saba, Texas at Ma & Pa's Dinner, 11:45-1 p.m.

The meeting was a success, and Georgia Harris will be emailing attendees a copy of the minutes (a copy can also be found below).

Representatives from the following agencies and community organizations were on hand:

-Dove Project, San Saba, Texas
-New Horizons, Brownwood, Texas
-Off the Beaten Path Ministries, San Saba, Texas
-Political Asylum Project of Austin, Austin, Texas
-San Saba Police Department, San Saba, Texas
-The Taylor Clinic, San Saba, Texas

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, time and place TBA.

Thanks to all who attended!

BT
___________

Minutes from San Saba Domestic Violence Taskforce

November 14, 2007

Ma & Pa’s Restaurant

11:30am – 1pm

In attendance at the first meeting of the San Saba DV Taskforce were: Georgia Harris, City of San Saba, Dove Project; Dee Vickery, Off the Beaten Path Ministries; Teresa Moring and Cathie Lehman with New Horizons Families First STAR Program; Dr. Pennissi Taylor, Taylor Clinic; Officer Allen Brown, City of San Saba, Police Department; Brenna Troncoso, Political Asylum Project of Austin.

The agenda was presented as follows:

1. What is a domestic violence task force?

After discussion it was determined that the San Saba DV Task Force would best be described as “A multi-disciplinary initiative of agencies and individuals that work to end domestic violence in rural San Saba County.”

2. What will the DV taskforce do?

Promote activities in the areas of education, public awareness, and coordination of services.

3. Do we need one? We voted and all in attendance said, “Yes.”

4. Who need to be on this task force?

1. Police, Sheriff’s Dept., county attorney, victim services coordinator, district attorney’s office, family strengthening programs such as Families First STAR program, adult probation, juvenile probation, CPS, domestic violence programs, Adult Protective Services, school administrators, religious leaders, attorneys and legal service providers such as Legal Aid and Political Asylum Project of Austin, and other support service providers such as Family Services Center of Brownwood, TX Civil Rights Project, Texas Advocacy Project; Texas Council on Family Violence, and Texas Association Against Sexual Assault and any other person (student reps or survivors) or agency that might have an interest in supporting San Saba’s effort to end domestic violence.

5. How do get it going?
1. Establish an institutional framework through the following:

i. Meet the second Wednesday of every month

ii. Maintain contact via email

iii. Use the Task Force blog (www.sansabadomesticviolencetaskforce.blogspot.com)

iv. Phone calls and personal networking

6. What do we want to accomplish with a domestic violence task force?

Some of the subjects to be explored in future meetings will be:

1. Education and awareness in the schools to include:

i. dating violence/date rape

ii. bullying

iii. victimization of males and females

2. Law Enforcement Training dealing with:

i. Protocols for DV calls

ii. Literature for the officers to hand out at the scene regarding resources.

iii. Officer fatigue/frustration

3. Increase a support base for:

i. Survivors/victims (male & female)

ii. Batterers (male and female)

iii. Families needing a “cooling off” place for

1. their children – such as a couple hours of daycare

2. themselves

4. Guidelines of operation for the Task Force

5. Housing Issues for Victims and their families

NEXT MEETING – 2^ND WEDNESDAY – DEC. 12, 2007

LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED

New Task Force

The Dove Project of San Saba, Texas, has partnered with the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA) to establish a new domestic violence task force in San Saba county. In addition to increasing awareness and prevention of domestic violence, one of the primary goals of the task force will be to place San Saba at the forefront of educating the public and stemming domestic violence in rural Texas.