What is a Family Violence Task Force?

Family Violence Task Forces are multidisciplinary community groups (government agencies, community-based agencies, survivors of family violence, concerned community members and professionals) whose focus is on increasing victim safety and offender accountability through coordinating local services and effecting change through creating a coordinated community response to domestic violence.

A coordinated community response is an intervention strategy that employs an interagency approach to address domestic violence and protect victims. In order to foster a coordinated community response to domestic violence, task forces establish committees to address barriers that victims face while attempting to become safe and gaps where offenders may slip through.

Family violence survivors and offenders of this crime come in contact with several different agencies or systems. Family Violence Task Forces provide an opportunity for these multiple systems to gather and develop best practices for addressing this issue for their local community. Listed below is a list of systems that should be participating in a task force. This is not a comprehensive list but gives a general idea of how varied Family Violence Task Force members can be. Domestic Violence Agencies Domestic Violence Survivors Georgia Council on Child Abuse Rape Crisis Centers Boys’ and Girls’ Club leaders Council on Aging Police Chiefs and or Representatives Sheriffs and/or Representatives District Attorney Solicitor Judges Probation Officers Court Administrators/Clerks Mental Health Providers Health Department DHR FVIP Providers DFACS Day Care Programs Veterinarians Board of Education Members Housing Authority Georgia Legal Services City Recreation Departments Emergency Medical Centers Hospitals Local Attorneys Public Defenders Offices Faith-based Leaders Local Detention/Diversion Centers Day Care Centers Dentists Chiropractors EMS/ Paramedics Junior League Teachers Criminal Justice Departs Neighborhood Watch Programs

The recommended committees below are a result of the diligent work conducted by the fatality review teams throughout Georgia. Many of these individuals are also part their local Family Violence Task Force. Fatality reviews help to identify gaps in services for providing victim safety and batterer accountability. To honor the work of the fatality review teams, domestic violence victims and survivors, local Task Forces are encouraged to identify a committee or multiple committees to adopt. Task Forces usually have 3-4 subcommittees working on projects throughout the year. As task forces throughout the state select committees that fit them best, task forces will be able to network with one another to discover best practices for working on each of these suggested committees. Please keep GCFV updated on the subcommittees of your family violence task force. Media Education & Outreach Firearms Information Sharing Military Legislative Protocols Faith