VSN Quarterly Leadership MeetingJanuary 15, 2014

Welcome

Overview• Brief VSN History, Mission, Structure • Executive committee responsibilities• The Elephant in the Room

VSN participation and VALE funds • Quarterly format • Leadership Topics• Volunteers • Finalize format and plan for April 2014• Future Topics

History: VS 2000 Project

“The Denver Victim Services 2000 Project will develop and implement:A seamless, comprehensive, coordinated, interdisciplinary system of services for the crime victims of Denver Colorado.Special emphasis will be placed on outreach to previously unserved or underserved populations.The project will institutionalize cross training on victims issues throughout the criminal justice, community nonprofit, and allied professional communities. Advancement of applied technology will be a key factor in insuring improved services and information for the victims of crime in Denver.”

Original mission statement

VS2000/VSN Core ValuesVSN’s core value that there is “no wrong door for victims of crime to seek support” ensures that all participating agencies maintain a victim-centered focus and encourages access to support services, no matter the route. Part of that victim focus is making it easy for victims to find services by ensuring that service providers receive up-to-date referrals and detailed information on emerging issues affecting the greater Denver community.

The Flower Model of Integrated Services

Victim Services 2 0 0 0

VSN Mission Revision ED Retreat March 2011

• VSN is a collaborative network that connects and supports agencies and communities to provide innovative, seamless, and integrated services to victims of crime in Denver, CO.

• Goal 1: Victim Advocacy: Increase our efforts to serve individuals and neighborhoods that historically have been unserved and underserved.

• Goal 2: Sustainability and Support: Ensure that VSN continues to be a relevant entity by attracting new members, re-engaging existing members and facilitating technical and training support.

• Goal 3: Marketing/Public Awareness: Promote awareness of the different types of criminal victimization and its impact on our community.

• Goal 4 (new): Strategic Funding: Secure funding that brings comprehensive services to victims of crime based on a collaborative effort of VSN agencies; address funding issues relevant to member agencies in current economic climate.

Ongoing Collaboratives To Date

• VSN -CVAC: Crime Victims Advisory Council consists of survivors who review documents and participate in speaking opportunities.

• VSN-Technology Committee: Tech discussions & trainings, open to all

• VSN-NAC: Networking and Advocacy Committee for advocates and direct service providers

• VSN- Executive Committee• VSN- Self Advisory Guide/Toolkit• SAIC: Sexual Assault Interagency Council• Legal Wraparound Grant• DV, Triage, Rose A. Andom Center• Child Maltreatment Protocols

– DEC– Child Sex Abuse– Child Abuse

• CASE: Communities Against Senior Exploitation and the Denver Forensic Collaboration

• On hiatus: VSN Strategic Funding Task Force: Discussed grant strategies, collaboration, grant proposals and was open to all.

CVACCrime Victims Advisory Council

60 presentations • Colorado Judicial Department

Victim Advocates, Probation Officials, and Management• Denver District Adult Probation

Offenders• Betty K. Marler

Female youth offenders between the ages of 13 to 22• Lookout Mountain Youth Services

Male youth offenders between the ages of 13 to 23• Federal Bureau of Prisons

Adult offenders• Department of Corrections

In 2013• Pre-Release Program• Treatment Centers• Universities and Higher Education

(Regis University, Criminology; Johnson & Wales University, Criminology; Colorado Community College of Denver, Crisis Intervention)

• Colorado Circles of AccountabilityTraining for administrators for offender management

• Legal Institutions• Lakewood Police Department

Case analysis for improvement• •Legislative issues for public safety

TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE• Monthly meetings • TECH NOW TRAININGS

– Cloud technology– Social Media– Marketing planning– Database software– Free software sights– Webinars

• Tech Fair at COVA: 7 vendors plus 2 contributors• VERIZON cell phone drive: Over 130 collected plus batteries

and accessories.

NETWORKING AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEE (NAC)

2013 Field Trips:

COVA, DOVE, DCCV, MHCD,Family Tree, The Blue Bench

Training Topics:

Infant mental health, Elder fraud and exploitation, Grant writing 101, Human trafficking, Drug endangered children, The Neural Science of Trauma in Relation to Service Provision

Executive committee responsibilities

• Review membership applications• Visit potential new members• Address VSN and ED participation • Retreat planning• Brainstorm training and educational topics• Attend 2 monthly meetings between quarterly meetings.• Support VSN staff as a sounding board between meetings.• Keepers of VSN history• Historically review emergency funding applications when

funding is available.• Historically review VSN generated projects (which includes

other members) when funding is available.

Executive Committee Discussion

• Role and function • Transparency• Executive Committee Members• Decision making• Necessity

• Please email your Executive Committee guidelines feedback to Rebecca by January 24th at rxg@denverda.org

The Elephant in the Room

• I come because Steve says so.

• I only come because I want the VALE money.

• Steve holds the purse strings.

• DA’s office connection• Favoritism and Fairness• What are we going to do

when Steve retires?

VSN quarterly participation and VALE funds

• How did the VALE dollars get tied to VSN participation?

• Would you come if the VALE $s were not attached to VSN? What are you willing to invest to better serve victims?

• Is it too much to ask? 2 hours every quarter?• Who are we serving, really?• Benefit of VSN staff infrastructure

Break Time

How about a 10 minute stretch?

Rebuild or Remind?

• Do we really need to rebuild or just remind?• How do we remind each other, reach out to

one another and amongst each other so that victims are served in the best way possible?

• How do we better support each other?• How will the core values move us into VSN 2020?

Quarterly Leadership Meetings and Leadership Topics

VSN Quarterly Leadership Meetings RECAP

• Why:–We meet because it is lonely to be in upper

management without a support system– a place to network– share ideas and learn

• Who:Executive Directors and/or the leadership

management person who has decision making capabilities.

Needs, Visions, WantsNow and Then

RECAPRetreat and Quarterly Wants

• Leadership• Succession Planning • Trust Building • Mentoring• Social Opportunities• Trainings for EDs• Champions for VSN in the

community (membership and orientation)

• Mass Tragedy

Original VS2000 Core Visions• Training and Cross Training• Technology trainings• Outreach Strategies• Leadership

RECAP: Quarterly leadership meetings will remain in place.

How would you like to format the meetings?Possible options:

• agendas set for the year:• agendas set and created each time we meet• additional monthly leadership topic meetings in between with

reports at the quarterly• leadership topic breakout sessions within the quarterly with a

group report and training (an hour for each)• Other Ideas?

RECAPLeadership Topics and Volunteers

• Leadership: Emily Tofte Nestaval, Mike Johnson, Samantha Thomas, Diana Chavez, Jenny Stith

• Social Opportunities: Karmen Carter, Michelle Spradling as support

• VSN Champions: Jon Asher (in a supporting role)• Succession planning• Trust Building• ED trainings• Mentoring/Orientation• Mass Tragedy: Nancy Lewis, Scott Snow, Steve Siegel,

CAVP representative, Metro Crisis Services, Ali Terry, DoraLee and outside agencies.

Recap for 2014Everything is possible!

Future Discussion Topics

VSN Communication

To Forum or Not to Forum? Results from VSN communication survey

(40 responses):– 50% say VSN communication is

very important | 32.50% say important– Email is most preferred 38/40– 70% have Facebook access– 67.50% agencies have a

designated social media person

How do we weather the storms?

• How do we handle conflict?

• How do we move forward in the face of tragedy?

• How do we pull our resources together?

• How do we remind each other to connect?

Thank you for sharing your ideas, thoughts and your time with us.

See you onApril 16, 2014.