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