MPPD's Quest Against Domestic Violence

By Maria Romero, Roosevelt University Student

"It was Christmas Eve and the last thing I wanted to do is split a family apart." Years ago, before becoming Chief of the Mount Prospect Police Department (MPPD), John K. Dahlberg remembers he was one of two officers that reported to a domestic violence disturbance. "We spent several hours at the location, talking to both parties, and finally ended with an arrest," he recalls.

Chief Dahlberg remembers how his superior officer then took the time to get to the bottom of things, and through it all helped maintain the dignity of the victim. Since then, Chief Dahlberg has maintained that same sense of commitment toward domestic violence prevention.

He believes to lead by example, and today he‘s proud to say that MPPD follows in his footsteps. Through training, members of the MPPD have become educated on the latest laws on domestic violence. Department members have the ability to understand the victims and have the knowledge to help them get through the legal process. It is in this manner that MPPD members have helped break through the cycle of domestic violence and have helped keep their community safe.

In past years, domestic violence was often viewed as a personal issue; a matter best worked out, inside the four walls of the household. After taking a step back and assessing the situation, Chief Dahlberg and many others noticed that domestic violence does not only affect the couple, but also it affects the entire community.

Today, Dahlberg says, “Police officers are more empathetic toward the victim and towards their situation and are becoming proactive in the movement against domestic violence. According to Chief Dahlberg, education is essential in ending domestic violence. Each and every officer, has to continuously go through specialized training and to become current on the new laws including domestic violence, and on techniques that are useful in helping out the victim. Officers have to complete training and are administered a competency exam on the department’s critical liability arena of general orders, one of which is the domestic violence general order.

Chief Dahlberg's involvement with the Northwestern Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence helps him be part of a greater project that is raising awareness on domestic violence. With the help of the Alliance and faith groups in the community, Chief Dahlberg and the Mount Prospect Police Department are able to connect to many more people, and spread their message of domestic violence prevention.

Targeting the Mount Prospect youth through education is also another component of the domestic violence prevention. Chief Dahlberg feels the objectification of women in media such as music videos has blurred the line of what is an acceptable way of being treated. It is for that reason that he feels going into the schools and addressing the issue is not only good, but also that it is essential. MPPD members address what is a healthy relationship and what is not, and also advise the students in how to get help if needed.

In August 2009, the Community Connection Center was founded and is located in 1711 W. Algonquin Road in Mount Prospect. Dahlberg said this center was created to provide services to the community of Mount Prospect, a place to seek out help and speak to a social worker. Victoria Bran, the social worker in this location, works with the police force in providing free counseling. And, being bilingual has helped her to be able to reach out to a broader scope of people.

Chief Dahlberg says, "Domestic violence and abuse can come in many forms other than just physical violence." Educating the community is essential in preventing domestic violence. He also emphasizes it is very important for the community to know they should not be scared when seeking help. When responding to a domestic violence call, MPPD officers never question the victim on their legal status in the country. The Mount Prospect police force is here to serve and protect all of its members regardless of ethnicity, age, sex, and legal status. With these views, Chief Dahlberg leads the police force in the fight against domestic violence and in creating a peaceful and safe community.

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course. Photo courtesy of Holly Swanson.

Purple Butterfly

By Marcelina Mulawa and Isabel Moshi,
Roosevelt University Students

Have you seen a purple butterfly lately? The purple butterfly can easily be spotted in the Northwest Suburbs on brochures that inform women how to “get safe” in an abusive relationship. The WINGS and Northwest Community Hospital (NCH) partnership uses this easily-recognizable purple butterfly logo. The purple color of the butterfly signifies “Domestic Violence”. The butterfly’s wings signify WINGS’ motto: “Women In Need Getting Stronger” –a reminder that a woman being abused in a domestic violence situation needs to get away and to be strong enough to let it go. Instead, she needs to move to a better place that can help her.

WINGS and NCH can—and does--help that happen.

Because this partner program is exceptional in what they offer and do for victims of domestic violence, they have become a model for other hospitals and non-profits partnerships which may be trying to incorporate similar programs. One way in which WINGS makes itself known at NCH is to have pamphlets available around the facility—especially the bathrooms. These pamphlets are small enough to fold and be hidden in a shoebox, and are made of material that can’t be ripped or destroyed. Consequently, women who see and take them can learn about WINGS and its programs, and see how to contact the organization for help.

Northwest Community Hospital
In addition to having the brochures available at NCH, Anna Vann, a licensed therapist for WINGS works at the hospital, in Arlington Heights, to do assessments and referrals for patients, families, staff, and community partners. Another part of her job is educating physicians and nurses at the hospital, as well as other community partners about domestic violence and what they can do to help those who are victims.

WINGS
The WINGS program is a program for Women In Need Growing Strong, and it is part of the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence. This program, which services the northwest side of Chicago including the northwest suburbs, works closely with Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

Primary goal for the WINGS program is to help women and children who are victims of domestic violence, but it also helps men who are victims of domestic violence. Several ways it does this are with
• Transitional housing programs
• Resale shops
• Community outreach programs
• Hospital-based programs

WINGS also offers a safe house for women and children who can stay at this particular location so that they are separated physically from the person who is abusing them and can find a place where they feel they can be safe.

There are many types of cases in which the WINGS program can help anyone who is a victim. In addition to being victims of domestic violence, victims also may have other issues. Abuse can take many forms: physical, emotional, psychological, and financial. All of these are increasing in today’s fast-paced environment. Though all types of cases may differ, the WINGS program tries to help with any situation victims may be in.

WINGS has found that men too can be victims of domestic violence. Although women victims generally have more resources and opportunities for help, does have the option for an abused male to come into this program. WINGS is unique in that it provides equal services to men and women with the exception of the safe house. That’s only for women and their children under 12 years of age.

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course. Photo courtesy of Holly Swanson.

Hospital Resources Reducing Domestic Violence

By Sarah Schultz, Roosevelt University Student

Every nine seconds a woman is beaten in the U.S., and every two minutes a woman is sexually assaulted according to the Centers for Disease Control. If these statistics do not speak loudly enough, consider your four closest friends; at least two of those friends know someone who has been involved in domestic violence or has been a victim themselves.

Domestic violence is a real issue that Americans face today. More programs, services, and advocacy need to happen in order for these cases of domestic violence to go down.
Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights has partnered with the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence and Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS). Through this partnership, Cindy Hartwig, the director of Women and Children Services and Vice President of the WINGS board, has put together programs that are educating the hospital employees about domestic violence, analyzing and assessing the hospital’s procedures, screening, and intervention policies, and providing internal resources for patients along with counseling, and also creating a greater awareness about domestic violence.

In 2007, Northwest Community Hospital began using the Delphi Instrument, a consensus-driven quality assessment tool for evaluation of hospital-based domestic violence programs, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). NWCH uses this tool (questionnaire) as a basis for their current hospital policies and employee training. The Delphi Instrument is mainly used for screening, documentation, intervention, and evaluations on domestic violence. This strategy showed the quality and quantity of domestic violence care and areas that needed improvement.

In response to the assessments, Northwest Community Hospital is directly addressing the issue of domestic violence by having a counselor, at no cost to the patients, available for victims of domestic violence. This counselor provides comfort, insight, and resources to the victim.
The hospital also began asking pregnant women, in private, questions regarding if they are suffering from domestic violence. Not only is the staff asking women who are pregnant, but also they are asking these questions of patients over the age of 16.

This personal and caring touch actually makes an impact. Cindy Hartwig explains, “It usually takes between 3-4 times of asking a woman if they are a victim of domestic violence before they will get help.” It is also true that women who are pregnant or have children are more likely to seek help, not for themselves as victims, but because the violence they are experiencing can affect their children or an unborn child.

Another big step Northwest Community Hospital is making towards decreasing domestic violence is by having numerous resources available to patients, employees, and anyone who enters the hospital. Through their partnership with WINGS they provide pamphlets on the signs of an abusive relationship, the cycle of domestic violence, and where to go to for help. They also have a “resource card” which can be stored in an individual’s shoe so an abused person doesn’t draw attention to themselves as victims, especially around their abuser.

Along with their internal resources, Northwest Community Hospital is taking a pro-active role educating the hospital staff. Every year each employee goes through an education program on domestic violence. The counselor, whom the domestic violence victims see, also spreads this education and awareness to the community by visiting doctors’ offices and leaving assessment tools and resources. By simply becoming more aware and educated about this topic, individuals can have an impact on reducing the number of domestic violence cases each year. Through the efforts of the WINGS program, the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence, and Cindy Hartwig, the Director of Women and Children’s Services at Northwest Community Hospital, the hospital has created programs, internal resources, educational material, and staff who are aware and actively working to reduce domestic violence in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.


Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course. Photo courtesy of Holly Swanson.

Between Friends: Court Advocacy in Rolling Meadows

By Alanna Mojica, Roosevelt University Student

April Fehrenbacher speaks with pride about her work in the Rolling Meadows courthouse. She works as a court advocate for the agency Between Friends in the suburban satellite office. “The office here is an important place for many reasons,” said Fehrenbacher. “Currently, Between Friends is the only agency that has the offering of civil advocacy in Rolling Meadows.” It is easy to hear the passion in Ms. Fehrenbacher’s voice as she describes her work there and her role since 1998 as a court advocate.

Ms. Fehrenbacher explains what her job as a court advocate entails. The service Between Friends offers can be described in three main steps: inform, file, and petition. When a victim is referred to their office, Between Friends assists in the process of obtaining an emergency order of protection. Once in the office, the victim is informed that the advocates in the office are Illinois mandated reporters; any allegations of abuse made to the advocate will be reported, because that is the state requirement.

The general first steps are in informing the victims about the process of the law and preparing them for appearing in court before a judge, because many have never been in court before. Once the paperwork and the petition have been filled out, they appear before a judge. If granted, this order of protection will last twenty-one days. The victim does not have to pay for these services or for filing with the clerk’s office.

It is important to note that the agency Between Friends only handles civil orders of protection, which are for a case where an arrest has not been made. Often the civil orders of protection are sought as protection for an impending threat. These orders are just as important as criminal ones; yet it is sometimes more difficult to get these granted. The allegations being brought into court need to be current, such as within the week that the order is sought, and of course the judge’s verdict. However, if the civil order of protection is granted and then broken, it becomes a criminal offense and will be updated to a criminal order of protection.

Between Friends’ Rolling Meadows office certainly makes a difference in the Northwest suburbs. The agency will work in partnership the other agencies; in many instances they are members of the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence. Fehrenbacher said membership in the Alliance is an essential part of maintaining community involvement, especially on issues pertaining to domestic violence awareness. "With such a passionate force, working to lessen the impact of domestic violence in the Northwest suburbs, the cycle of violence will be easier to break," she said.

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their writing for social justice course.

Hoffman Estates Health and Human Services

By Megan Fern, Roosevelt University Student

Can you imagine trying to leave a violent relationship without knowing where you will go, how you will meet your basic needs, and how to cope with the psychological trauma? Hoffman Estates Health and Human Services (HEHHS) offers a range of health care services including an opportunity for victims of Domestic Violence to improve their quality of life by learning about coping skills to deal with such questions. Partnered with the Northwest Suburban Alliance On Domestic Violence, these agencies work together to create awareness and provide intervention.

HEHHS is a unique facility in that it is a separately run department, yet attached to the Hoffman Estates Village Hall. These close quarters warrant a symbiotic relationship with the local Police Department among others in the surrounding area.

Dr. Algean Garner, Director of HEHHS, is the immediate contact for victims dealing with local Police Departments. Upon receiving a call, the HEHHS staff will work together to determine the specific needs of the victim. HEHHS is staffed by 14 qualified individuals including two registered nurses, seven interns/externs, a part-time clinical psychologist, and a Master’s level clinician.

Services available to the public include counseling, financial assistance, and temporary shelter. Counseling is offered to individuals, families, and couples. The advantage to working with these counselors is that those using these services are not limited on session time or number of visits in comparison to managed care facilities, based on private insurance coverage. Consequently, fees are strictly out-of-pocket, on a sliding scale based on income. There is no residency requirement, nor does HEHHS turn anyone away for inability to pay.

HEHHS also works closely with WINGS, a fellow alliance- agency, to acquire temporary housing for women and children. Together they facilitate smooth transitions for the victims to ensure security as they work through these difficult times.

As a community partner with the Alliance, HEHHS strives to deliver domestic violence awareness to the public. In Hoffman Estates, the Health and Human Services department is directly involved in the Citizen Newsletter, village Web site, and HETV Cable Channel 6. The Citizen and village Web site emphasize different health topics each month and advertise the services available for children, adults, and senior citizens. During October, Hoffman Estates Health and Human Services will publicize their services on HETV as they focus on National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

There is no question that domestic violence awareness and intervention are deeply important to the Village of Hoffman Estates. As a member of the Northwest Suburban Alliance On Domestic Violence, HEHHS works diligently within the community to provide an array of services to the public for these victims. In the words of Dr. Garner, “All they need to do is show up. We are always here to help.” For more information on HEHHS visit http://www.hoffmanestates.org.

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course. Photo courtesy of Holly Swanson.