Member Up-dates

-Georgia Harris and Brenna Troncoso attended the TCFV Legal Advocacy Network retreat and business meeting in Midlothian, August 15 & 16.
-Brenna Troncoso attended 5th Annual Conference on Human Trafficking, held in Austin, August 25 & 26. Particularly helpful were sessions on reactive and proactive investigations, victim outreach, and links to organized crime.
-And, Lindy Schulz, JoAnn San Miguel & BT have submitted scholarship applications to attend the Cutting Edge: Innovative Approaches to Family Violence conference in Dallas in November. We should know something by October 1.

August meeting & photo

As a result of change of venue, our August meeting was held at the Dove Project -- space was limited, but we made do. A lot was accomplished, particularly with regard to signature events. Minutes below.

(And here is our one and only photo from the August meeting! Danna being a good sport in her kinder-chair.)

August 12, 2008 Minutes

Minutes
SSDVTF
August 12, 2008

Brenna Troncoso, Allen Brown, Tonnie Roberts, Lindy Schulz, Donna Webb, Georgia Harris, Danna Smith, Charles Carter, Missy King, Sabrina Maultsby and Dee St. John were present for the August visioneering meeting of the SSDVTF.

Motion made by AB to accept minutes of July meeting.

Motion seconded by BT.

Old Business/Announcements:

-Trafficking Conference in Austin August 25, 26^th – online registration (BT to forward to those interested)

-LAN (Legal Advocacy Network) retreat and business meeting to be held August 15-17, GH & BT to attend

-GH invited to participate in 2 day TCFV summit in Dallas in September on “rural projects”

New Business/Announcements:

-AB has done a security evaluation of the DP, will submit it with request for donated security system.

-Training Oct. 21 on Alzheimers for Region 6 – 2 options, 4 hours in the morning or 4 in the afternoon. Contact: AB.

-GH reported that she had about $600 towards money to give for school supplies, with priority given to children who are victims of domestic violence. She hopes to be able to raise about $2,000.

Agency Announcements:

-Legal Aid: Has seen increased case numbers and calls for assistance.

-SSPD: Lots of calls for service, with rise in heat and gas prices seeing more violent episodes, lots of DV. Also problems with undocumented population and clusters of illegal activity, rise in weapons, violence, drinking, drug use – all ties into DV.

-BT will be taking on VAWA and U Visa cases at PAPA.

Visioneering:

Members read over evaluation results. Followed by general discussion of:

-Work on signature events & projects: Conference, network of regional shelters, VAT team

-Conference

-Need for structure and organization for SSDVTF: Develop committees.

-Conference Committee (AB, BT, GH, MK, LS)

-Fundraising (GH, LS, BT)

-Will canvass members again re committees

-Speakers – need to flesh out ideas, perhaps Barbara Pearce for October, Dr. Calvin Streeter (UT School of Sociology) and Commander Penny Dunn (San Marcos PD).

-Programs & Fundraising, AB wants to do programs to educate and where applicable, fundraise. This is our first in-house demonstration on Law & Self Defense, Sept. 9, by invitation only. It will be held at the Civic Center if AB can get us a room, immediately following the Taskforce meeting.

-Help get Teen Dating Task Force off the ground w/ SSDVTF serving as mentor organization, DS.J, as contact, will attempt to get formal recognition of project through the SS ISD, with assistance of MK, GH, & AB.

-Agreed need for follow-through and for quality over quantity with regard to all SSDVTF activities.

REMINDER

Next meeting tomorrow!
August 12, 2008
City Hall Council Chambers
11:30 - 1 pm

We'll be discussing the future of the task force! Hope to see you there.

How children exposed to domestic violence affect others

Interesting article in the New York Times on a study about children exposed to domestic violence:

"Externalities in the Classroom: How Children Exposed to Domestic Violence Affect Everyone's Kids"

Read the actual study, by professors Scott Carrell and Mark Hoekstra, of U.C. Davis and University of Pittsburgh respectively, here.