Community Education and OutreachTESSA develops and delivers training and education to schools, churches, community groups, first responders, and many other interested parties. We present information on domestic violence, sexual assault, bystander intervention, effects on children, TESSA's services and more. For more information, or to request a presentation, please contact us at (719) 785-6809.
Programs and Services
|  | Department of Human Services
In partnership with the El Paso County Department of Human Services, two TESSA advocates are co-located in the Department's TANF division. People applying to the Department for economic self-sufficiency resources are asked if family violence is a barrier to gaining or re-gaining self-sufficiency. If they respond "yes" then they are offered the option of working with one of TESSA's advocates stationed at DHS. This program is innovative because it addresses the fact that economic control and disenfranchisement is a technique that abusive partners commonly used to control or dominate their partners. For more information, contact our main office at (719) 633-1462.
Programs and Services
| | Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT)The mission of the Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT) is to create a community free from domestic violence by providing an effective collaborative, multi-agency response through intervention and education focused on safety and accountability.
We believe that DVERT represents a model of inter-agency collaboration. Through the collaborative process, DVERT has made possible several forms of intervention with domestic violence victims and offenders. DVERT's primary service is providing a multidisciplinary response to families throughout El Paso and Teller Counties in Colorado. Cases enter DVERT through referrals, outreach, and requests for immediate response to a domestic violence crisis. Referred cases are reviewed by law enforcement, victim advocacy, and child welfare/child advocacy professionals. DVERT only serves cases with active elements of domestic violence. Cases that do no seem appropriate for DVERT may receive no follow-up. When no follow-up is to occur, the referring party will be notified and given the opportunity to present addtional information that may be brought back to DVERT for further consideration. Cases that are accepted by DVERT are managed on the Intensive caseload. Cases assigned to this caseload receive a response including full team contact with the victim, child, and offender. During this process assessment for additional charges, enhancement of charges, or other legal interventions are explored. The victim will have the opportunity to receive confidential advocacy and safety planning from a community based victim advocate and referral to services. Department of Human Service caseworkers will assess the safety and welfare of the children and make referrals and recommendations to assist the non-offending parent and child. The non-systems child advocate is involved in safety planning and referrals to services such as supervised exchange and parenting time and advocacy for children in Dependency and Neglect court proceedings.
DVERT is nationally recognized for its innovations in addressing domestic violence. To more comprehensively address the issue of domestic violence in the Pikes Peak Region, DVERT has developed several programs outside of the traditional, multidisciplinary response.
Programs and Services
| | Rural Advocacy
Programs and Services
| | SafePetsMany victims are reluctant to leave an abusive situation because they fear that their pets, if left behind, will be hurt or killed. Indeed, a survey of pet-owning women in safehouses indicated that 74% of them reported that their pets had been threatened, injured, or killed by the batterer. Our Safe Pets Program provides a safe place for pets. A Safehouse client can place her pet temporarily at the Humane Society. If longer-term placement is necessary, the Safe Pets Program, in collaboration with the Humane Society and Hamlett Spay and Neuter Clinic, will find safe housing for these animals.
In 2006, we “safehoused” a total of 40 pets
coming from 25 families.
For more information, call 719-785-6809.
Programs and Services
| | TESSA's Children's ProgramTESSA's Children's Program offers a wide variety of age-appropriate play/recreation, counseling and case management to children and teenagers who have witnessed and/or been victims of domestic violence. The Children's Program offers developmentally appropriate psycho-educational groups (Kids DoVE and Teen DoVE) for children and youth to help them deal with the effects of domestic violence. Services are available to children living in TESSA's safehouse as well as non-residential children.
Programs and Services
| | The Counseling ProgramThis area is under construction...updates soon!
Programs and Services
| | The Greenbook Initative
The Greenbook Initative is a federal initiative to develop innovative strategies to address the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment. El Paso County was chosen to be one of six national demonstration sites. The community will receive over $1 million over three to five years to support our efforts to better meet the needs of families struggling with this co-occurrence. Over 14 community agencies are involved. TESSA acts as the fiscal agent for the grant. For more information, please contact the Greenbook Grant Project Manager at 719.633.1462 or visit the Greenbook Initative on the web at http://www.thegreenbook.info/.
Programs and Services
| | The SafehouseTESSA provides emergency shelter for women and children experiencing domestic violence. Individualized case managment, counseling and services for children are available. If you or someone you know needs safe housing as a result of violence, please call our crisis line at (719) 633-3819 or otherwise contact us.
Programs and Services
| | Victim AdvocacyVictim Advocacy assesses the safety and resource needs of each victim. According to client needs and desires, advocates assist them with filing Temporary Restraining Order paperwork against abusive partners, help them develop safety plans for themselves and their children, provide education and support on the legal process, and offer information and referrals to relevant community resources. This service, like all other victim services at TESSA, is confidential.
Programs and Services
| | Visitors
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