Co-ordinated Community Response (CCR) to High Risk/High Danger Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence

Brief Description

The Co-ordinated Community Response to high risk/high danger domestic/intimate partner violence (CCR) is a partnership between government and community-based services to provide collaborative assessment and response to cases that have been assessed as high risk of domestic assault and high danger of serious harm or lethality due to domestic/intimate partner violence. One of the key functions of the CCR team is to share information about the risk factors relating to domestic/intimate partner violence and to work with the victim and the service-providers to develop a risk management plan to increase safety for the victim, family members and others who may be at risk of serious harm or lethality from a current or former abusive partner.CCR’s objectives are to build new and strengthen existing relationships between services, agencies, and participants based upon trust, improve information sharing, collaborate on victim safety planning and on risk/danger management strategies.

Goals

The main goals of the CCR program are to:

• Increase the safety of victimized partners, their children and others who may be at risk;
• Reduce the abusive partner’s risk to re-victimize; and
• Make the best use of available resources.

Clientele

The appropriate clientele for the CCR program are individuals who have been assessed at high risk or high danger of domestic intimate partner violence by a service-provider who has administered the Danger Assessment tool or Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) tool and who have consented to participate in the program.

Core Components

The CCR program consists of:

• Clients are referred to program due to an incident of domestic/intimate partner violence;
• Referrals can be made by responding police agencies or community partner agencies;
• ODARA score (7+; high-risk), or DA score (18+; extreme danger), in or combination with professional judgement of service providers will initiate referral to the program;
• Informed consent required to enter program;
• In-person and/or virtual  safety planning is completed with the victimized partner;
• Victimized partner is offered/connected with community-based or social services;
• Victimized partner is provided information regarding legal options and processes; and
• CCR Coordinator helps engage community partners and services to increase information sharing in creating a coordinated response to increase the safety of victimized partners, their children and others who may be at risk.

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: Commitment from community-based/NGO organizations, multiple government partners, extensive documentation, and privacy agreements.
• Partnerships: Government of New Brunswick – Department of Public Safety, Department of Justice, ECO-Women’s Equality Branch, Department of Aboriginal Affairs, NB Multicultural Council, Education and Early Childhood Development, Department of Social Development, Department of Health, Regional Health Authorities, RCMP ‘J’ Division, University of New Brunswick, Domestic Violence Sector – transition houses and domestic violence outreach programs, and the NB Association of Chiefs of Police.
• Training and technical assistance: All police forces in New Brunswick have been trained to administer ODARA, Domestic violence sector and Victim Services Co-ordinators have been trained to administer the Danger Assessment.
• Risk assessment tools: Danger Assessment and ODARA, supplemented with professional judgement.
• Materials & resources: Victim Services Coordinators use an electronic case management system.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

There were originally two pilot sites in New Brunswick (in the Fredericton and Edmundston/Grand Falls regions). As of 2024, the program is active in all 9 Victim Services sites in New Brunswick—Campbellton, Edmundston/Grandfalls, Central, Miramichi, South, East, Acadian Peninsula, Woodstock and Bathurst.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

No information available.

References

Justice and Public Safety. (2022). Framework: Coordinated Community Response to High Risk/High Danger Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence in New Brunswick. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/ps-sp/pdf/Publications/coordinated-community-response-framework.pdf?random=1720021434697

For more information on this program, contact:

Community and Youth Justice Services Branch

Community Safety Division

Department of Justice and Public Safety

Marysville Place, 20 McGloin Street, Fredericton, N.B. E3A 5T8

E-mail: CCR-RCC@gnb.ca

Website:https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/public-safety/community_safety/content/victim_services.html