Throughout the United States, October is set aside to recognize those who are surviving or have survived violence in their intimate relationships and to remember those who were murdered by their batterers. Governor Jennifer Granholm has included the State of Michigan in this important initiative by declaring October Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDVPTB) joins with the 44 MDVPTB-funded domestic violence agencies to encourage citizens to learn more about domestic violence by attending events and activities during October. To locate the agency in your area, click here.

If you are interested in seeking more information about domestic violence, visit the Michigan Resource Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (MRCDSV) Web site. The MRCDSV is a collaboration of the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board and the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, with MDVPTB as its primary funder and owner of the collection.

Its anthology includes over 3,500 books and 300 videos on domestic violence, sexual assault, violence prevention, nonprofit management, medical and legal response to violence against women, public policy and much more.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and working to create a violence-free Michigan, MDVPTB is hosting a reception for legislators, elected officials, policy makers, judges and staff from domestic and sexual violence agencies on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the State Capitol Rotunda, First Floor. A light lunch will be served. The reception offers the opportunity to visit resource tables and network with staff from MDVPTB and partner organizations. Additionally, there will be a display representing and commemorating the victims of domestic violence-related homicides occurring in Michigan in 2004. To RSVP for the reception, email Josie Jubb at jubbj2@michigan.gov.

MDVPTB recently received two federal grant awards that will continue to support prosecution of domestic violence cases and services to domestic violence survivors and their children in rural areas of Michigan. A third grant from Verizon Wireless will support a dating violence prevention project for Michigan high school students.

The federal Grants to Encourage Arrest Program is a $1,472,609 continuation and expansion grant through the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women to begin October 1, 2005.

The funding allows MDVPTB and its collaborators to continue work in the following areas:

• Contracting with the state Attorney General's office to support legal staff prosecuting domestic violence cases. These prosecutors are placed in three pilot multi-jurisdictional areas covering a minimum of nine northern rural counties.
• Contracting with the Michigan State Police (MSP) to add a component to upgrade Michigan's Personal Protection Order (PPO) Registry which will enable the PPO registry to contain specific conditions of individual PPO's and to connect to other data sources.
• Providing technical assistance and training to criminal justice professionals in collaboration with the MSP and the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan.
• Improving collaboration between the U.S. Attorneys, federal agencies, tribal prosecutors, local and state law enforcement and prosecutors, and the State S*T*O*P partners.

MDVPTB applied for this funding in partnership with the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Michigan State Police, the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan and the Michigan Attorney General's Office.

The Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization grant totals $899,976 for two years and begins October 1, 2005. This funding from the US Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women will allow the continuation of services for victims of domestic violence and their children through contracts with 10 local domestic violence agencies in some of the most rural areas of Michigan. The three components to this funding include:

• Funding the 10 rural agencies providing services to 13 Michigan counties designated 100% rural by the 2000 Census. The counties are: Alger, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Benzie, Keweenaw, Lake, Missaukee, Montmorency, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, and Oscoda. Coordinating a project at four pilot sites that are addressing the intersection of domestic violence and child welfare. It focuses on dedicated services to battered women and their children involved with Children's Protective Services (CPS). The grant also supports collaboration between local CPS and domestic violence agencies. The pilot projects are in Antrim, Arenac, Benzie and Montmorency counties.
• Collaborating with the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence to provide training and technical assistance to all rural programs and their community partners on issues related to domestic violence and child welfare.

MDVPTB also has received a $15,000 grant from Verizon Wireless to update and print the Dating Violence Youth Education Package. Originally developed in 2002, this package will be distributed for teaching in high schools throughout the state. The curriculum has important information that can help prevent dating violence and help students respond to sexual violence against themselves or their peers.

MDVPTB is grateful to both the Office on Violence Against Women and Verizon Wireless and will use these sources of funding toward our mission of eliminating domestic and sexual violence in Michigan.

The Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDVPTB) was created by the legislature in 1978 and is administratively housed within the Michigan Department of Human Services. The board consists of seven Governor-appointed members with an executive director overseeing daily operations. The MDVPTB has defined its mission as: To lead statewide efforts to eliminate domestic and sexual violence in Michigan.

MDVPTB administers state and federal funding for sexual assault programs and services and domestic violence shelters and services. MDVPTB also develops and recommends policy in collaboration with other agencies and develops and provides technical assistance and training.

Many resource materials are available through the Michigan Resource Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence. The Resource Center is a unique collection of over 3,500 books and 300 videos on domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, violence prevention, nonprofit management, medical and legal response to violence against women, public policy and much more. The MRCDSV is a collaboration of the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board and the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The MDVPTB is the primary funder and owner of the collection.

The MDVPTB e-Report is developed and written by the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDVPTB) in association with Mort Crim Communications, Inc.

This e-Report is being sent to a limited number of leaders throughout the state. Please feel free to forward it to your staff, domestic and sexual violence coordinating council members, law enforcement, and anyone else you think would benefit from seeing this information. Thank you.

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© 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board
Michigan Department of Human Services
P.O. Box 30037
Lansing, Michigan 48909