Domestic Violence: Myths and Misconceptions

Registration is now open for the Seventh Annual Community and Professional Education Conference on Family Violence, Domestic Violence: Myths and Misconceptions.

October 17, 2008
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
First Lockhart Baptist Church
318 W. Prairie Lea
Lockhart, Texas 78644

Early registration deadline, October 1, 2008, cost $30.00 (includes lunch and snacks; CEUs and TCLEOSE available).

Topics and speakers include:

*Texas Laws Affecting Victims of Domestic Violence (Kelly Knight, Attorney),
*Law Enforcement Strategies for Successful Prosecution of Domestic Violence (Chief Harold Q. Thomas, Hutto Police Department),
*Teens and the Law (Bronwyn Blake, Director of the Teen Justice Initiative),
*Recognizing the Link Between Family Violence and Animal Abuse (Sgt. Robert Rodriguez, Cameron County Sheriff's Office), and
*Advocacy and Social Change (Karen Wilson, Director of Community Education for SafePlace, Austin)


Contact Brenna Troncoso (brennatATpapais.org) for registration information or the Hays-Caldwell Women's Center (512.396.3404; www.hcwc.org). All are encouraged to attend.

Self-Defense Training

After the business portion of our meeting, Officer Brown provided attendees with a preview of one of his self-defense programs. Trainings can be tailored to meet the needs of any particular group, including victims of family violence or sexual assault as a way to re-build confidence. More details on this particular program and how to request a training for your community or agency to follow. Contact Officer Brown at the San Saba Police Department for more information.

September Minutes

SSDVTF
San Saba Civic Center
September 9, 2008

ACTION ITEMS:

ALL: Those who can, please attend the HOPE NOT DOPE program in Llano, Sept. 16, 7 pm, Llano High School. Contact, AB.

BT: Proceed with VAT design, contact media re October speaker, send reminder re lunch on 24th

GH: Schedule time to discuss options for getting more attorney volunteers with TR

TR: Forward San Angelo Crisis Response Team contact info to BT

Those in attendance were Donna Webb, Danna Smith, Allen Brown, Penny Starks, Lynda Valdez, Melissa Switzer, Betty Lovelle, Lindy Schulz, Tonnie Robbins, Charles Carter, Georgia Harris, and Brenna Troncoso. Chief Ray Riggs was in attendance for the latter half of the LE training.

The meeting was called to order at noon.

Old Business:

-Hard copies of LegalFront distributed.
-GH reported on school supplies and the food pantry.

Agency Up-dates:

-AB will be doing a HOPE NOT DOPE program, sponsored by LADI, at the Llano High School, Tuesday night, Sept. 16, 7 pm. The program is open to students and the community at large. We are hoping to have at least 50 people from San Saba attend.

-Legal Aid of Northwest Texas (TR & CC) report that we desperately need more volunteer attorneys in the area. GH & TR will discuss possible options: Meeting with local attorneys, perhaps contacting the local chapter of the Bar, exploring option for pro se clinics, etc. Also, please make a note of a new legal tool, www.TexasLawHelp.org, which provides free online legal resources to low-income Texans.

-DS, with DSHS, reports that she and others may be called to Austin to help with the critical incident stress management team and hurricane evacuees, particularly children with special needs.

New Business:

-The Teen Dating Task Force , and will have its inaugural meeting Sept. 16, 2008, 430 pm, at the Dove Project. Representatives from Cherokee, Richland Springs, and San Saba will be present. Contact, GH.

-A Visioneering up-date was given with regard to the VAT, SSDVTF Conference, and future speakers:

*The green light was given to proceed with the VAT. BT will do ground work in conjunction with LE. Will meet with president of Lockhart VAT, Mary Beth Nickel, and founder, Judge Jim Gillis. The Lockhart VAT was designated one of the most successful VAT teams in the US. BT has also arranged to speak to Williamson County representatives -- from Georgetown and Round Rock PDs, and others. TR will forward contact info for San Angelo Crisis Response Team. DS, has suggested speaker on grief and suicide, once training schedule is established.

*Conference Committee will meet for lunch, 1 pm, Sept. 24, in San Saba -- location TBA.

*Speaker for October will be Barbara Pearce, former Executive Director of The Georgetown Project. We will announce her talk in the San Saba News & Star and, if possible, on the radio.

-GH reports the Legal Advocacy Network liked our SSDVTF t-shirts and has requested that she order some for the TCFV conference. The SSDVTF will get $1 of every t-shirt sold.

-The business portion of our meeting was followed by a presentation by Officer Brown on the programs he and the SSPD can offer the public re self-defense. The hope is to provide these trainings to victims and others in the area. Special thanks to Legal Aid for serving as both physical and visual aids!

Reminder

Our next meeting will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the San Saba Civic Center 11:30 - 1pm, followed by a law enforcement training, 1pm - 230/3pm.

To be confirmed.

San Saba featured in LegalFront

Read about San Saba and the SSDVTF in the latest edition of the State Bar of Texas publication, LegalFront, pages 13 and 14.

The webpage may take some time to load, but it's there. Hard copies will be available at the next task force meeting on September 9th. Hope to see you all there.