End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, Office to

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Agency Web Site: http://www.opdv.ny.gov/

Mission

The FY 2022 Executive Budget proposes to transform the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. The new Office will expand on the State’s comprehensive approach to stopping gender-based violence. The new Office will encourage collaboration among agencies and service providers, eliminate redundant processes, and simplify survivor interactions with the State. The new Office will continue to provide support for local programs; offering policy advice and proposals at the state and local level; providing training and public education; and administering awareness activities.

Organization and Staffing

The new office, led by an Executive Director, has four bureaus, including: Bureau of Law and Public Safety; Bureau of Finance and Operations; Bureau of External Affairs and Bureau of Family and Victim Resources. The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team includes 20 members representing primarily state and local public safety agencies. The Advisory Council has 27 members including representatives from 11 state agencies, the Governor's Office, the Legislature and local nonprofit providers.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2022 Executive Budget recommends All Funds appropriations of $10.5 million for the Office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence. Compared to last year, this is an increase of $4.7 million associated with the transfer of “Enough is Enough” funding from the Department of Health (DOH). The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 29 FTEs, an increase of three positions associated with the transfer of the program.

Program Highlights

Governor’s Domestic Violence COVID-19 Task Force

In the Spring of 2020, the Governor convened a Domestic Violence COVID-19 Task Force. The Task Force produced a report with nine recommendations, that recognized that the needs of domestic violence survivors vary greatly and there are different tools needed to allow each survivor maximum control over their situation including: mobile advocacy, flexible funding and housing choice. The recommendations are currently being implemented.

NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Text, Chat, and Hotline

The NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline provides trained counselors who respond to a variety of service needs including crisis intervention, supportive counseling, and information and referral services. Callers to the Hotline include victims of domestic and sexual violence, concerned others (e.g., family members, friends and co-workers), and professionals (e.g., professionals from human services, health care and criminal justice). Starting in March 2020 through December 2020, the Hotline experienced a 45% increase in call volume on average compared to 2019.

External Affairs

In 2020, a Bureau of External Affairs was created to enhance the agency’s outreach to survivors and to open new channels of communication to enhance the general public’s broader knowledge of domestic violence. In the coming year, the Bureau of External Affairs will continue to work to reach new audiences and engage more partners in the quest to end gender-based violence.

Domestic Violence Regional Councils

In 2020, at the direction of the Governor, 10 regional councils were convened in each of the Empire State Development (ESD) regions across the State to engage stakeholders that work with victims of domestic violence. The Councils, which began meeting in the Fall of 2020 and will meet twice annually thereafter, will build upon the work of the 2019 Domestic Violence Task Force and the COVID-19 Domestic Violence Task Force.

Domestic Violence Housing Navigators

As part of the recommendations of the Domestic Violence Covid-19 Task Force, the Office was charged with connecting providers to diverse housing-related funding streams to support a housing navigator system. Navigators will work with survivors to help them access available resources and support for housing beyond shelter and work with domestic violence advocates to help them better understand and assist with their clients’ needs around housing.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/19/2021