Department introduces new policy to support victims of violence

Joan Burke, Minister of Human Resources and Employment and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, today announced the implementation of a province-wide policy to better meet the needs of victims of violence in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Effective immediately, all Human Resources and Employment offices across the province can provide a start-up fund to assist income support clients who are victims of violence in setting up a new home. The new policy, specifically for persons who are victims of violence, will allow for increased flexibility in the provision of assistance with respect to household supplies under the Income Support Program. Areas of flexibility include an up-front lump sum payment. In addition, clients will not be required to provide receipts of household purchases and necessary household items will be determined at the discretion of the client.

"This new policy responds to a recommendation from the Supports to Victims of Violence Working Group that the department provide a more responsive approach to persons who are victims of violence," said Minister Burke. "In many cases, persons who are victims of violence must leave their home and start over with little or no resources. This start-up fund provides an immediate response by allowing clients flexibility in acquiring household items to set up a new home."

The approach was first introduced as a recommendation in the document Moving Forward: Responding to the Needs of Victims of Violence which was presented to the Department of Human Resources and Employment in 2002 by the Victims of Violence Working Group.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of a start-up fund, a pilot was successfully conducted in the department�s Corner Brook district office. The start-up fund will now be expanded from its pilot status in the Corner Brook district office to the whole province. This policy change has been communicated to all management staff and Client Service Officers throughout the department.

"I would like to thank all those involved with the Working Group for Victims of Violence and our community partners for their support in helping develop appropriate policy to better meet the needs of victims of violence," said Minister Burke. "A family�s immediate safety is always the priority in instances of violence. The start-up fund enables our offices to take quick action in helping a family leave a violent situation."

Media contact: Paul David Power, Communications, (709) 729-6156

BACKGROUNDER
Moving Forward - Responding to the Needs of Victims of Violence

• In July 2001, the Department of Human Resources and Employment established a multi-disciplinary committee with other government departments and stakeholders to review the role of the Income Support Program in responding to the needs of persons who are victims of violence.
  
  
• This committee provided a report to government in February 2002 which outlined 16 recommendations for the Income Support Program to provide a better response in meeting the needs of persons who are victims of violence. Key recommendations included:

• A start-up fund to assist victims of violence in moving to a new residence;
• Delegation of authority for transition houses to approve funds for transportation for victims of violence to leave violent situations to ensure safety; moving furniture; transportation to assist victims of violence to attend support groups; and to employment;
• Delegation of authority for transition houses to approve funds for emergency accommodations when required;
• Assistance for victims of violence in obtaining child and spousal support;
• Rental assistance as an option to board and lodging to victims of violence who are single; and
• Violence awareness and prevention training for HRE staff.

• The recommendations were accepted by the department and all have been implemented.
  
  
• Representatives from transition houses/shelters assisted the department in drafting a new policy to ensure field staff can always respond to the emergency needs of an individual/family in crisis to ensure immediate safety.
  
  
• Managers have received violence awareness training and are responsible to provide similar training to their front-line staff.
  
  
• New policy direction has been provided to all field staff.
  
  
• All the recommendations except the start-up fund were implemented in 2002. The start-up fund provides a lump sum payment based on family size for persons who are victims of violence to assist in starting up a new residence. The start-up fund has now been implemented province-wide following a year-long pilot stage.
  
  
• In recognition that a person may try to leave a violent situation more than once, persons who are victims of violence may access the start-up fund more than once.
  
  
• The consultation process used in the development of recommendations is an example of successful community-government collaboration by the Violence Prevention Initiative.

2003 12 05                                      11:50 a.m.