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
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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.