NEWS BULLETIN
MARCH 2015
Interagency Case Assessment Teams
(ICATs)
As many people in BC know, ICATs are partnership
groups that include criminal justice, child welfare,
health and anti-violence workers with a goal of
keeping high-risk domestic violence victims and
their children safer. This goal is achieved by legally
and ethically sharing risk related information,
building a safety net for victims, their children and
the community, and initiating interventions and
monitoring of suspects. As of early March 2015,
ICATs are in place in approximately 26
communities across BC. Another 15 are in the
process of developing ICATs and are working with
CCWS for information, support and training. For a
wealth of information about ICATs please visit the
EVA
BC
website
at
http://endingviolence.org/preventionprograms/ccws-program/interagency-caseassessment-teams-icats/
Regional ICAT Training in Northwest
BC – March 2015
Participants from Nisga’a territory communities take part
in the regional training held in Terrace.
CCWS worked with local representatives from
seven communities to plan and deliver three ICAT
trainings across Northwest BC in early March with
RCMP ‘E’ (BC) Division and the Provincial Office of
Domestic Violence. March 2nd was the beginning of
the five-day event, with a half-day training session
in Smithers for the service providers interested in
implementing the ICAT model. March 3rd and 4th,
the training team was in the Hazelton area, for
Gitxsan communities covered by the New Hazelton
RCMP
Detachment
(Anspayaxw
(Kispiox),
Sikedakh (Glen Vowell), Gitsegukla (Kitseguecla),
Gitwangak (Kitwanga), Gitanmaax and Gitanyow,
as well as two Wet’suwet’en communities
(Hagwilget and Moricetown), New Hazelton, Old
Hazelton, and multiple long time farming and other
residents in the area. March 5th and 6th the training
team was on Tsimshian Territory in Terrace and
working with responders from the communities of
Terrace and Prince Rupert as well as responders
from Haisla Territory (Kitimat and Kitamaat Village)
and Nisga’a Territory (Gitwinksilkw, Gingolx,
Gitlaxt'aamiks and Laxgalts'ap). In addition to the
ICAT or developing ICAT representatives, other
community members were invited to benefit from
the training information and the opportunities for
connection and discussion.
In total there were
more than 120 participants at these sessions.
Trainers were CCWS Regional Coordinators Debby
Hamilton and Morgen Baldwin, CCWS Legal
Analyst Gisela Ruebsaat, PODV Director of System
& Service Coordination Clark Russell, and ‘E’
Division RCMP trainers Cpl. Dave Johnson
(Castlegar Detachment) and Staff Sgt. Sydney
Lecky (Terrace Detachment).
Participants at the information session in Smithers
expressed appreciation for the information and
opportunity for discussion. They plan to use the
information session to advance their work on
revisiting and formalizing existing cross-sector work
into an ICAT for Smithers. Participants in the twoday trainings expressed appreciation for the
opportunity to connect regionally, and that the
training location was close to home. The teams
worked hard over both two-day trainings on
incorporating the presentation material, case
studies and discussions into some solid next steps
CCWS FUNDER: BC Ministry of Justice
CCWS is a Program of the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC)
2
CCWS News Bulletin – March 2015
locally and regionally to create and improve
VAWIR/VIR Committees and ICATs.
Participants at these trainings received a package
of current CCWS documents on cross-sector
coordination, safety planning and ICATs. They also
received a preview version of some forms and
templates in the upcoming ICAT Manual, a CCWS
provincial cross-sector manual on best practices for
ICATs. The ICAT Manual results from a multi-year
process facilitated by CCWS of direct support and
training to VAWIR Committees and ICATs, a Best
Practices Roundtable among existing ICATs in
2013, and a cross-sector review, edit and sign-off.
As soon as it is released, the ICAT Manual will be
made available to communities where CCWS has
provided
support
and
training,
including
communities who participated in the Northwest
trainings. The sectors represented on this CCWS
cross-sector team have agreed to remain in place
as an advisory to local ICATs.
These sectors
include BC Ministry of Justice (Crime Prevention
and Community Safety Branch Criminal Justice
Branch, Community Corrections,) RCMP, Ministry
of Children and Family Development, Provincial
Office on Domestic Violence, Community
Corrections, North Okanagan ICAT, Saanich Police
and Victoria Police.
CCWS trainer fees and expense as well as training
development, materials and supplies were
contributed by EVA BC’s CCWS program, which
has core funding from the Ministry of Justice.
RCMP ‘E’ Division and the Provincial Office of
Domestic Violence contributed trainers and covered
their expenses. Local sponsors of refreshments,
room rental and materials included Gitxsan
Unlocking Aboriginal Justice, RCMP, Northern
Health (Mental Health And Addictions), Sikedakh
(Glen Vowell) Community Safety Planning Team,
Storytellers’ Foundation (Giving Voice Grant), Best
Western Terrace Inn, Ksan Society, Nisga’a Lisims
Government and Tamitik Status of Women.
Thanks to all for your contributions!
Finally, we want to thank all the participants from
across the Northwest for your work to increase
safety from domestic violence! CCWS looks
forward to providing ongoing support and to staying
connected and learning from your communities.
Hazelton ICAT members engrossed in a Case Study.
Third Party Reporting
Since late 2013, the CCWS Third Party Reporting
Work Team, which includes representatives from
RCMP E division, BC Chiefs of Police, Saanich
Police Department, Ministry of Justice and the
Vancouver Police Department, has been reviewing
implementation successes, challenges and needs
in the province with respect to Third Party
Reporting (TPR).
At the BC Association of Chiefs of Police meeting
held in November 2014, the Police Protocol
Guidelines finalized in October 2014 were reviewed
and received renewed approval as a provincial
framework for handling of TPRs. This will help
ensure a more consistent response to unreported
sexual assaults in different parts of the province.
Given recent high profile cases of sexual violence
and public recognition of victims’ legitimate fear of
reporting, this is an important step forward.
For more information about Third Party Reporting,
download the March 2014 CCWS Information
Bulletin, Third Party Reporting of Sexual Assault.
Capacity Building Highlights
VAWIR Committee Strategic Planning Session
(Vernon; September 9, 2014):
Regional
Coordinator Debby Hamilton facilitated this 3-hour
strategic planning session for North Okanagan
Violence Against Women in Relationships
Committee. The VAWIR identified new strategic
goals and recommitted to action on goals from their
previous plan.
CCWS FUNDER: BC Ministry of Justice
CCWS is a Program of the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC)
3
CCWS News Bulletin – March 2015
VAWIR Committee Redevelopment (Terrace;
Sept 10th & 26th, 2014): Terrace is reviving their
VAWIR Committee. CCWS is providing support
over the course of several regular meetings with
the foundational work such as the development of a
mission statement, goals and objectives and
beliefs.
Hazelton Community Coordination (Hazelton;
Sept 29, 2014): Hazelton is working toward an
ICAT and developing the Indigenous Women’s
Safety Committee into a VAWIR/VIR Committee for
eastern Gitxsan communities. Western Gitxsan
communities are engaged in separate processes as
the communities have determined that the
geographic area is too large and the issues too
diverse to be covered by one coordination initiative.
Links between the coordination efforts are being
made by the CBVS program, RCMP and Health
Hub, which covers the entire territory.
Working Collaboratively to Identify and
Respond to Highest Risk Domestic Violence
(Courtenay/Comox; October 6 and 7, 2014): 54
Participants had an opportunity to identify signs of
highest risk domestic violence and build
comprehensive risk management plans based on
the ICAT interagency approach in this two-day
workshop.
“Mapping the Island Response to Violence
Against Women and Girls” (Hornby Island;
October 8, 2014): One day mini-risk assessment
and community mapping with 15 participants.
Kamloops Family Law Section (October 22,
2014): 20 lawyers attended this presentation by
CCWS Regional Coordinator Debby Hamilton and
RCMP Sgt. Robb Daly about ICAT to the Family
Lawyers Section meeting in Kamloops. Focus on
how lawyers can identify risk and contribute to
information sharing.
Risk
Assessment
Across
Communities:
Working Effectively with Clients Dealing with
Violence
(Legal
Services
Society/Law
Foundation Conference; October 29, 2014):
This workshop provided in-depth information and
tools to understand the importance of risk
assessment and safety planning in situations
involving domestic and sexual violence against
women and children.
Get your Gender Savvy On (EVA BC Annual
Training Forum; November 6, 2014): This
workshop allowed people to talk about gender, to
identify the issues surrounding dialogue at the local
level and create strategies for enhancing
community understanding of gender issues.
Presenters were: Morgen Baldwin, CCWS Regional
Coordinator (contracted); Gail Edinger, CCWS
Regional Coordinator; Sarah Wegelin, Special
Projects Coordinator, Golden Women’s Resource
Centre; Melanie MacDonald, Project Coordinator
for OVISTA, Quesnel Women’s Resource Centre;
and Thea Bracewell, Program & Development
Officer, Women’s Program, Status of Women
Canada.
Risk Assessment Across Communities (EVA
BC Annual Training Forum; November 7, 2014):
Provided in-depth information and tools to
understand the importance of risk assessment and
safety planning in situations involving domestic and
sexual violence against women and children.
Included general risk dynamics, risk indicators, the
importance
of
interagency
collaboration,
understanding high-risk teams, the importance of
including the victim and monitoring offender factors.
Presenters were CCWS Legal Analyst Gisela
Ruebsaat, CCWS Regional Coordinator Debby
Hamilton, RCMP Sgt. Robb Daly, EVA BC Policy &
Program Analyst Amy FitzGerald.
Family Law Act Plenary Panel (EVA BC Annual
Training Forum; November 7, 2014): This
session provided a high level brief overview of the
new Family Law Act. Panelists shared an update
on protection orders under the new family law
legislation and a discussion about practice issues
that have arisen over the past year. Facilitated by
CCWS Legal Analyst Gisela Ruebsaat, panellists
were Nancy Carter, Executive Director, Civil Policy
and Legislation, Justice Services Branch, Ministry
of Attorney General; Clark Russell, Director of
System and Service Coordination, PODV; and
Frida Tromans, a family law lawyer from the
Peninsula Law Group in Surrey.
ICAT Conference Call Consultation (Salt Spring
Island/Outer Gulf Islands; November 27, 2014):
Responded to practice issues questions and
provided support and information to the Salt Spring
Island/Outer Gulf Islands ICAT.
CCWS FUNDER: BC Ministry of Justice
CCWS is a Program of the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC)
4
CCWS News Bulletin – March 2015
Working Collaboratively to Identify and
Respond to Highest Risk Domestic Violence
(Clearwater/Barriere; December 2, 2014): This
one-day training was presented to participants
interested in developing ICATs for Clearwater,
Barriere and Little Fort.
ICAT
and
VAWIR
Follow-up
Consultation/Training (Revelstoke; December
11, 2014): One day follow-up training was provided
in 2 parts: one to Revelstoke VAWIR and the
second to Revelstoke ICAT. A general overview
was given, and an emphasis on information
sharing, ethics, privacy and victim support was
made.
Working Collaboratively to Identify and
Respond to Highest Risk Domestic Violence
(Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet; October 2, 2014):
This one-day ICAT training was delivered to 44
participants from justice, social service and health.
Two Crown Counsel were present, as well as
strong
representation
from
First
Nations
communities and organizations.
Working Together to Increase Safety on Haida
Gwaii (October 15 and 16, 2014): This two-day
training was presented to participants interested in
rebuilding the VAWIR committee on the south area
of Haida Gwaii, and developing ICATs for the north
and south areas of Haida Gwaii. As well as
delivering the ICAT content, CCWS facilitated a
process where the two areas brainstormed a
geographical and membership mix that made
sense for their island.
Resources
View these and other CCWS resources and
publications online at
http://endingviolence.org/research-publications/
Income Assistance Policies to Support People
Fleeing Abuse, January 2015:
This CCWS
Information Bulletin is an updated version of the
document that was created by CCWS in
collaboration with the Ministry of Social
Development and Social Innovation (MSDSI) in
March 2014.
Critical Privacy Sharing Provisions Which
Impact Information Sharing in Woman Abuse
Cases:
This CCWS backgrounder provides
information about provincial and federal legislation
that is relevant to information sharing practices in
woman abuse cases.
What are Domestic Violence Interagency Case
Assessment Teams and What Do They Do?:
This CCWS Information Bulletin originally issued in
May 2014 was revised in September 2014.
VAWIR Committee Conference Call
CCWS staff facilitated a conference call for
coordination initiatives throughout the province on
February 5, 2015. Discussion focussed on
experiences of women and workers related to the
adjudication of spousal assault cases in Criminal
Court or family law matters in Family Court, as well
as ideas around how to increase judicial
engagement.
Provincial Working Group
The most recent Working Group meeting was held
in Vancouver on January 20, 2015. The next
meeting is scheduled to take place on October 6,
2015.
Contact Us
Gail Edinger, Regional Coordinator
250-397-2389, [email protected]
Debby Hamilton, Regional Coordinator
778-475-6164, [email protected]
Gisela Ruebsaat, Legal Analyst (contracted)
250-592-6073, [email protected]
Morgen Baldwin, Regional Coordinator
(contracted)
250-631-7897, [email protected]
Jessica Lee, Administrative Assistant
604-633-2506 ext 15, [email protected]
Visit us online
endingviolence.org/preventionprograms/ccws-program/
CCWS FUNDER: BC Ministry of Justice
CCWS is a Program of the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC)