Services*Training*Officers*Prosecution (STOP) Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) implementation plan 2017-2020

State of Georgia
STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program
FFY 2017- FFY 2020
Implementation Plan
Respectfully Submitted by: Kristy Carter, STOP Administrator
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council 104 Marietta Street, Suite 440 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 (404) 657-1956 phone (404) 657-1957 fax STOP Formula Grant Award: 2013-WF-AX-0013

Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 5 II. DESCRIPTION OF PLANNING PROCESS......................................................................................................... 8 III. NEEDS AND CONTEXT............................................................................................................................ 17 IV. PLAN PRIORITIES AND APPROACHES ........................................................................................................ 24 V. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................... 45

I. Introduction
The final Services*Training*Officers*Prosecution(STOP) Implementation Plan was approved on June 26, 2017 and has since been revised and updated.
The time period that will be covered by the STOP Implementation Plan is Federal Fiscal Years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Overview
Created by the Georgia General Assembly in 1981 as an Executive Branch agency, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) represents the culmination of many efforts to establish a statewide body that would build consensus and unity among the State's diverse and interdependent, criminal justice system components. The mission of the CJCC is innovating criminal justice-empowering victims.
In addition to serving as the epicenter of criminal justice policies, research and information for Georgia, CJCC has been designated as the State Administrative Agency for numerous federal formula and competitive grant programs. CJCC methodically and diligently ensures accountability for these funds. As CJCC administers programs providing direct services to victims of crime, it is a natural fit that it also administers the Services*Training*Officers*Prosecution (STOP) Violence Against Women (VAWA) Formula Grant program.
VAWA subgrantees include state coalitions, courts, prosecutors, victim service providers, law enforcement, and law enforcement training concentrations. Together these partners have developed several priorities that will be addressed with VAWA funding. The vision of this work is for all crime victims in Georgia to have equitable access to the high-quality services and support needed to transition from victim to survivor. The goal of this implementation plan is to identify existing conditions that directly or indirectly impact services for victims of crime in the State of Georgia. These avenues will allow CJCC to provide more options for service coverage to victims as well as ensure training focused on the changing dynamics of Georgia and victim outcomes. The vision is for Georgia to hold offenders of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking accountable for their crimes, and to maintain victim safety, autonomy and confidentiality while simultaneously providing the best, most innovative services. Partners took the opportunity to meet on December 1, 2016, to share their respective desired goals and anticipated strategies. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council found all recommendations to be appropriate and moved to develop the written plan outlining the recommendations of participating VAWA partners.
Factors that were assessed include the availability and accessibility of existing victims' services,
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
the capacity of existing service providers, evidence of effectiveness of services and opportunities for strategic service alignment and investment. While the crime victim service offerings in Georgia overall are robust there are clear opportunities to expand and enhance service offerings and address identified gaps, including meeting the needs of underserved populations.
Objectives of the Implementation Plan
Establish a shared vision, guiding principles and strategic priorities among a broad group of stakeholders for short-, mid- and long-term goals.
Drive alignment among state agencies and organizations providing services to shared victim populations that improve outcomes for participants.
Identify and address gaps in services to special victim populations. Establish a strategic framework to guide the award of future funding to contracted victim
services providers Identify and apply innovative service delivery models. Identify and plan for additional service "entry points" and service collaborations on the
ground. Develop work plans with accountability roles and measures to support the implementation of
the identified strategies and achievement of key outcomes. Establish the foundation for on-going mechanisms that keep a broad group of stakeholders at
the table to continually identify and respond to opportunities to strengthen victim services.
The FFY 2017 FFY 2020 Implementation Plan is organized as follows:
Introduction and Overview Objectives of the Implementation Plan
Description of the Planning Process Members of the CJCC Steering Committee Timeline of Planning Process
Needs and Context Georgia Demographic Information Underserved Populations
Plan Priorities and Approaches Conclusion
Discussions throughout 2016 regarding community partnerships uncovered viable and trusted resources within communities that have the potential to have a holistic impact on victims' experiences. VAWA subgrantees were presented with funding allocation highlights of the project, and purpose area revisions from the Frequently Asked Questions about STOP Formula Grants (2016) during December 1, 2016 meeting. Subgrantees present at the meeting were had an opportunity to share any concerns. CJCC plans to continue to allocate

funds according to VAWA's allocation requirements. Generally, STOP VAWA funds are distributed through the following steps: 1) A competitive request for applications that includes priorities identified and aligned with
the Implementation Plan and Strategic Plan. 2) Funding opportunity is released 3) In-house review of all requests through scoring and priority needs and VAWA set aside
requirements. Reviewers assess statements of need, service areas, target populations, project scope, and supplemental documentation that illustrates a viable and successful program. 4) Recommendations are presented to the Governor's Office, Victims Assistance Grants Committee, and the Full Council for approval of awards. 5) Applicants are notified of awards or denials.
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II. Description of Planning Process
A.
In March 2016 the subcommittees/workgroups began meeting quarterly. There were five workgroups created, 1) Training Initiatives 2) Policy Development & Analysis 3) Underserved Populations 4) Multi-Disciplinary Team and 5) Performance Measurements and Evaluation. Each subcommittee reviewed the past year's goals and objectives to determine which had been met and which could be further developed throughout the remainder of the year. Each subcommittee developed a mission statement which carried them through the year and served as the focal point for innovative ideas and identifying the needs of victims. After establishing chairs and co-chair positions, subcommittees conducted cross-reference work across the subcommittees as the topics of various discussion often centered around the development of new strategies.
Topics at the forefront of the discussions throughout 2016 included the change in priority service for serving male victims of sexual assault, network building and community partnerships, training needs and standards, and strategic planning of a statewide assessment tool. Per the findings of a Georgia Statewide assessment conducted by CJCC, a tool known as the Landscape Opportunity Assessment (LOA) was developed.
Following the last subcommittee meeting held in September of 2016, CJCC staff worked with the subcommittees to collate essential information to present at the statewide planning meeting in December. Each subcommittee had one member to present the accomplishments made throughout the year as well as goals and objectives for the new plan.
In preparation for the December 1st Annual VAWA meeting, CJCC staff worked with subcommittees on a quarterly basis to reach previously set goals and to uncover additional resources to improve service delivery and the experience of victims. Staff worked to provide consistency and support the work of the subcommittees. Staff also began efforts to obtain individual assessments of each subcommittees strengths, weaknesses, obstacles, and opportunities. Through phone calls and surveys, CJCC gathered input that led to a restructuring of its approach to quarterly meetings. Immediate benefits were noticed by partners who were prepared to move to a deeper phase of production. Through co-chairperson selections and role delegation, valuable insight enhanced the planning process by giving an honest assessment of resource availability and needs. These activities led staff to develop tentative long-term goals for 2017-2020 and possible short-term steps to work toward in 2017. Chairpersons were briefed before the annual meeting to assure they were competent and confident leading their respective discussions. A staff member was assigned to each subcommittee to take notes and answer questions as they might arise. Those notes were compiled and are the foundation for this 2017-2020 VAWA Implementation Plan.
As evidenced in appendix section, participants included members from 1) the state sexual

assault coalition, 2) the state domestic violence coalition, 3) various dual agencies who are community based victim service providers, 4) law enforcement agencies including the representation from the state's law enforcement training center, 5) the state's Prosecuting Attorney's Council, 6) the state's Administrative Office of the Courts, 7) a local probation agency, and 8) various other non-profits and government agencies committed to serving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking were present and given ongoing opportunities to share input in the planning process beyond the meeting. Additionally, within the domestic violence group were subgrantees whose core service provisions includes culturally-specific services to immigrant and underserved communities.

CJCC held an Annual VAWA meeting on December 1, 2016. CJCC sent an advance email to all subgrantees notifying and inviting them to the implementation plan discussion. Fifty-one agencies were in attendance for this year's planning meeting. Below is a chart summary of the types of agencies that attended the meeting:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

20

SEXUAL ASSAULT:

5

PROSECUTION:

11

PROBATION:

2

LAW ENFORCEMENT:

12

JUDICIAL:

1

TOTAL

51

As the chart demonstrates, all areas were represented except tribal organizations. Due to shifts in staff at CJCC, tribal relationships that were previously established weakened. However, CJCC staff is in the process of employing strategies to reconnect with the three state recognized tribes to promote their involvement in future planning and efforts within the state. A team of supervisors and planners identified strategies which were previously ineffective. For example, staff will be attending Tribal "Pow Wows", related events, and meetings to establish a relationship. A review of past developments with tribal organizations allowed CJCC staff to recognize that although it is necessary to document outreach attempts, personalized efforts garner more response. Staff at CJCC also noted the need for a team approach to avoid any other future lapse in communication. Staff has sent letters to the Lower Muskogee Creek tribal organization, Cherokee of Georgia Tribal Council, and Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee requesting contact with no response and since has progressed to telephone calls to establish a line of communication. Staff has also researched culturally appropriate expectations to ensure successful interactions once contact is made. Although state recognized tribes have previously expressed no interest in receiving federal funds, staff understands the importance of providing a constant flow of information to encourage relationship building.

During the 2016 STOP VAWA Implementation Plan meeting in December subcommittees were able to meet and a national technical assistance provider facilitated a training on holistic legal service provisions for victims. Coupled with high attendance, the diverse range of experience and expertise undoubtedly contributed to in-depth discussions and highlighted prevalent state
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
needs. Initially, CJCC discussed events that shaped the 2017-2020 planning process. Accordingly, CJCC examined the current social context in Georgia that has led CJCC to reexamine its methods to increase offender accountability and ensure women victims of violence attain safety, recovery, and self-sufficiency. Next, CJCC updated partners on progress toward achieving the previous implementation plan's goals. CJCC also noted that from quarterly meeting discussions, the items at the forefront were training, reporting and related guidelines, new OVW guidance and policies, and expansion of service provisions to specific areas of the state where underserved populations are most obvious and lacking. The annual planning meeting focused on how to expand service provisions by promoting a more communityoriented approach to victim services, also connecting with policy for measurable outcomes.
Subgrantees discussed approaches to ensure training programs are more effective throughout the state for law enforcement and victim advocates, primarily. The Georgia Victim Advocate Academy was relaunched in 2016 providing a holistic, dual-tiered approach to training advocates. These trainings cover a wide-range of material to ensure advocates have a powerful foundation and continuing education development with contribution from the Training subcommittee as needed. The law enforcement training will be conducted through videos prepared by trainers for roll call training. There will also be continued seminars offered on stalking, campus sexual assault, and strangulation as the top priorities across the state.
This overview of topics discussed at the annual meeting allowed CJCC and subgrantees to identify the gaps in services. The following issues were identified by CJCC as issues to be examined and focused on for the 2017-2020 plan:
Lack of TPO enforcement Lack of legal services for divorce in DV instances Lack of services for underserved communities Limited services for elder and/or disabled victims Limited portion of the VAWA funds are spent on stalking Lack of domestic violence workplace policies
CJCC staff followed up with chairpersons to ensure understanding of staff notes and the intentions of each subcommittee. Co-chairpersons revised the plan as needed and agreed to proceed with the revised plan. All partners have the understanding that CJCC supports the need for flexibility and will adjust as deemed necessary. The final plan was made available to all members for review by June 15, 2017. A reminder email was sent on June 22, 2017 to certify receipt of previous emails. The final implementation plan was approved on June 26, 2017.
To ensure maximum impact of funding and alignment among service providers the CJCC retained Consilience Group, LLC to assess the current landscape of crime victim services and identify opportunities for investment as part of an overall statewide strategy. As part of the restructuring of the VAWA Implementation plan subcommittees noted above, the subcommittee's goals transitioned into workgroups within the statewide strategic planning initiative. With the support

of the Consilience Group, CJCC Steering Committee, Strategy Workgroups, including VAWA subgrantees, community partners, and key stakeholder the Implementation Plan was developed. The complete timeline for all phases of the work was approximately 12 months. VAWA Implementation subcommittees and the subcommittee's goals later transitioned into workgroups associated with the statewide strategies.

Phase
I. Kick-Off & Planning II. Landscape Opportunity Assessment III. Strategy Development IV. Implementation Plan Development IV. Implementation Support

Aug/Sep 2016


Oct/Nov 2016


Dec/Jan 2017


Feb/Mar Apr/May 2017 2017













Jun/Jul 2017


The CJCC Steering Committee serves as the guiding body for the strategic planning process. Member agencies of this committee include:

Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates, Inc. Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services Raksha, Inc. Georgia Governor's Office Prosecuting Attorney's Council Georgia Office of Victim Services, State Board of Pardons and Parole Georgia Office of Victim Services, Georgia Department of Corrections Georgia Department of Public Health Georgia Commission on Family Violence Division of Family and Children Services Children's Advocacy Centers of Georgia Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault City of Morrow Police Department Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts Catholic Charities of Atlanta, Immigration Legal Services Georgia Association of Community Service Boards Department of Community Affairs Georgia Legal Services Program

The steering committee engaged in two strategic planning work sessions. The steering committee also participated in virtual meetings to provide ongoing feedback. Members of the steering committee also participated in works groups responsible for developing supporting activities and strategies for the implementation plan.

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A community needs assessment called the Landscape Opportunity Assessment (LOA), was conducted to identify existing conditions that directly or indirectly impact services for victims of crime in the State of Georgia. Findings were informed by both quantitative data made available by the CJCC as well as publicly accessible databases. This information was used i n combination with qualitative data gathered through interviews, focus groups, and survey administration. The findings and opportunities generated through the LOA directly informed the development of the implementation plan. Individual work groups comprised of the Steering Committee, CJCC staff and other subject matter experts as appropriate are responsible for overseeing the execution of specific strategies proposed within the plan.
Components of Land Opportunity Assessment
Assessment Framework Key Findings & Opportunities
Awareness of Victimizations Service Availability & Accessibility Coordination & Alignment Systems Infrastructure Organizational Capacity Current Conditions Appendix C Strengths & Assets Challenges and Gaps
Informed by: Literature/Documentation (over 200 plans, reports, articles and other documents) State Plans o Common Themes from Review Promotion of trauma-informed practices among front line staff and first responders Improving/expanding access to mental health and counseling services Improved coordination among services providers and systems serving a shared population The need to expand restitution and restoration for victims of crime State Reports Best Practices o Common Elements Community-level education, outreach, engagement, and partnerships Cross-organizational collaboration Culturally and linguistically competent services Data-sharing to inform continuous quality improvement Innovative solutions based on local needs Mental health services for victims and offenders Periodic review and updates to procedures and practices Training and technical assistance There are a number of resources available for service providers to implement best practices locally.

Trauma-informed services Wraparound services Quantitative Data Analysis (Review of 9 key data sets) 2015 Summary Report Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program CJCC Grants Management System Family Violence and Prevention and Services Acts Reports Georgia Family Connection Partnership, KIDS COUNT Data Center Outcomes Performance Measures (VOCA funded programs) Recertification Analysis collected by the CJCC Jan 2014-Feb 2016 U.S. Census Bureau Data o 2010 o American Community Survey, 2009-2015 Victims Services Statistical Report (VSSR) o Data from VOCA, SASP and VAWA funded programs Qualitative Data Analysis Interviews (26 interviews with 31 individuals, 19 organizations or collaborative) o Subpopulations represented Children Community with a military base Direct service providers Domestic violence Emergency Medical Services Personnel Executive leadership Human trafficking Immigrants and LEP Law enforcement (Chiefs and Dept. of Community Supervision) Legal services Older adults and adults with disabilities Rural residents Sexual assault Survivors Volunteers Focus Groups (6 groups with approx. 106 participants) o Service Providers to Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities who are Victims of Crime o Sexual Assault Centers o Service Providers to Children who are Victims of Crime o Domestic Violence Agencies o Law Enforcement Chiefs of Police o Victim Advocates Surveys (Survey to understand capacity and training) o 157 Certified and/or CJCC-Funded Organizations
Findings from the assessment and collaboration between steering committee members, community partners, key stakeholders, and VAWA subgrantees informed the development of a broader agency strategic plan including the VAWA Implementation Plan. The implementation
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
plan will provide a guiding framework for scaling and diversifying the delivery of highperforming victim services throughout the state of Georgia.
B. Planning Committee Participation
All partners were invited via email, notification during all September quarterly meetings, and a MailChimp blast of the importance of being at the December 1, 2016 Annual meeting. Only two agencies were unable to attend but were in touch with staff to ensure they were given an opportunity to provide further feedback. Please see sign-in sheet from VAWA annual meeting hosted on December 1, 2016. All necessary partners were in attendance, except representatives from tribal organizations. Stakeholders include representatives from the following key program areas:
State Sexual Assault Coalition State Domestic Violence Coalition Law enforcement entities Prosecution organization Courts Culturally/Population specific organizations Victim service provides
C. Major Concerns
Subgrantees discussed concerns based on their field experience. The concerns below were identified through planning process:
Serving immigrant populations and how the changing social climate may impede the provision of services
Lack of legal assistance for divorce proceedings
The development of targeted and standardized training components for victim service providers
Reducing domestic-violence related homicides within the state
Firearm Removal protocol in domestic violence cases (due to safety concerns)
Pre- & Post notification to victims of case outcomes
Increased training for court administrators since these personnel are at the forefront of communication between courts/judges and victims served
Rural areas civil legal services in rural areas

Building capacity to serve males
Serve the over 65 populations
While some concerns are ongoing, special emphasis will be placed on finding ways to reduce domestic violence-related homicides within the state. Members from various subcommittees agreed that implementation of relatively new protocols, especially as the Firearm Removal Protocol in the case of domestic violence due to direct safety concerns, remains a top priority across the state. Subgrantees did report, however, that progress is imminent in terms of Firearm Removal Protocol enforcement in various regions of the state and no new legislation affecting victim's rights is currently on the horizon for the upcoming session. While in subcommittees, members discussed what role each could play in ensuring these concerns are addressed during the 2017-2020 timeframe. Members then worked to prioritize steps to take toward meeting those goals and presented recommendations once members reconvened as one body. Chairpersons were also challenged to select liaisons to ensure that there is no breakdown in communication between groups. This will improve efficiency as groups are not duplicating the work of others and tasks can be delegated to the most appropriate subcommittees. The state's domestic violence coalition placed at least one staff member on every committee and will serve as a hub for inter-committee collaboration and communication.
D. Currently, no funding is awarded to any tribes or tribal organizations. CJCC has made contact with The Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe and the Georgia Tribe of the Eastern Cherokee. Please see the attached correspondence. CJCC will continue to make efforts to bring representatives to the Council and other conversations hosted by CJCC. CJCC has also developed a new tribal outreach plan to attempt meaningfully consult with the state recognized tribes.
E. A description of how the state coordinated this plan with the state plan for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and the programs under the Victims of Crime Act and section 393A of the Public Health Service Act (Rape Prevention Education), including the impact of that coordination on the contents of the plan. (REQUIRED)
CJCC is fortunate to be the state administering agency for several funding streams including the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), STOP, and SASP. While staff regularly works together to manage the needs of mutual subgrantees, staff from the state and federal victim assistance units collaborate on an ongoing basis. There are often conversations to discuss the subtle differences in allowable vs unallowable expenses to ensure agencies are aware of the best use of resources which minimizes gaps in funding needs. Staff often attend meetings and assist with the work across units which ensures a unified approach to meeting the needs of victims throughout the state. Such unified efforts include programs under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, Victims of Crime Act, and section 393A of the Public Health Service Act among others. CJCC also restructured
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
internal units and aligned plans to ensure a comprehensive approach that leverage the funding available to maximize efforts in reaching state goals.

III. Needs and Context
A. Demographic information:
Georgia has many geographic divisions.
159 Counties 10 Judicial Districts, 49 Judicial Circuits 8 Mental Health Districts 15 Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) Regions 10 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Regions 7 Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities (DBHDD) Districts 12 Regional Commissions 12 Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Aging Services (DAS) Planning and
Services Areas
Although the majority of the state's population resides in urbanized areas, the majority of counties are primarily rural. Fifty-one counties (32%) have more than 50% of their populations residing in urban areas. One-hundred and eight counties (68%) have more than 50% of their populations residing in primarily rural areas.
Population: Urban vs. Rural Total state population: 9,687,653; 2010 Census

Rural 25%

Urban Cluster 10%

Urbanized Area 65%

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According to the 2010 Census, the total population in Georgia is 9,687,653. Approximately 48.8% of the population is male and 51.2% is female. About 25.7% of the population is under the age of 18, 10% are between the ages of 18 to 24, 28.2% of the population is between 25 to 44 years, 25.4% of the population is between the ages of 45 to 64, and 10.7% of the population is above the age of 65. Roughly 59.7% of the population identifies as White, 30.5% identify as African American, 3.2% identify as Asian, 0.33% identify as American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.07% identify as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 6.2% identify as Other or two or more races. 8.8% identify as Hispanic/Latino.1
The overall prevalence rate for people with disabilities for all ages in the state of Georgia is 12.1%.2 Among all ages, six disabilities types were identified and most prevalent, including visual, hearing, ambulatory, cognitive, self-care, and independent living disabilities 3 . An estimated 522,940 (5.7%) individuals have limited English proficiency (LEP) in the state of Georgia.4
B. An analysis of Census data, questionnaires, Victim Services Statistical Reports (VSSR), interviews, the Landscape Opportunity Assessment, and subgrantee anecdotal evidence were utilized to identify the underserved populations within the state. Data from the 2010 CJCC Victim Service Agency Needs Survey was also used to identify unmet needs. Those populations include elders, individuals with Limited English Proficiency and Immigrants, male victims, and people with disabilities. Collectively, those involved in the development of the implementation process noted the difficulty in providing services to underserved and unserved populations given the limited resources, capacity, and lack of infrastructure in rural areas of Georgia. There is little research surrounding the optimization and how to structure the delivery of victim services, however there is evidence to suggest coordinated systems leads to improved victim satisfaction.5 Stakeholders in the implementation plan have developed strategies to coordinate systems to improve the provision of victim services to underserved population throughout the State of Georgia. Collaborative work groups have yielded activities and measures to ensure best practices are put in place to help meet the needs of these populations.
Service availability varies considerably throughout the state. The maps below provide a visual representation of the number of certified agencies across Georgia that serve different forms of victimization as reported by the Recertification Analysis collected by CJCC (January 2014 February 2016).
1 United States Census 2010 2 Erickson, W., Lee, C., & von Schrader, S. (2016). 2015 Disability Status Report: Georgia. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability(YTI) 3 2015 American Community Survey (ACS) 4 2014 Language Map, LEP.gov 5 Predicting Women's Perceptions of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Agency Helpfulness: What Matters to Program Clients?; Janine M. Zweig, Martha R. Burt
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Number of Certified Agencies
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Elder Abuse

Child Abuse

Sexual Assault Domestic Violence

Recent population estimates indicate the fastest growing age group in the state of Georgia are those age 65 and older. Georgia's eldest population saw a growth of 2.1% between 2010 and 2015. However, the CJCC VSSR suggests throughout the state of Georgia there are proportionally few victim services assisted in this age group. The population over age 65 has proven to be a growing center of concern in regard to service provision and awareness. This population is vulnerable and must have programs that focus on identifying primary needs during service delivery. There is currently a pilot project in progress, with the use of discretionary funds, concentrated in Savannah where specialized training with law enforcement, advocates, and judges is being developed regarding elder abuse. One proposal is for a partnership during this planning cycle with the Savannah project and 1 of the 5 VAWA agencies who includes elder victim assistance in their priority areas to focus more attention on these types of victims and the best way to identify and assist them.

Compared to the state population, there are a disproportionate number of women accessing victim assistance services than men. Of the recorded data, the majority (66%) of victims served are female, while only 34% are male. The CDC estimates, that approximately one in three men experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking in their lifetime.6

Minority populations in Georgia are increasing across the state.7 There is also a

Increase in Racial Minority Populations in Georgia (2010-2015)

growing need for culturally relevant and 1.4% appropriate victim services throughout the state of Georgia, particularly for 1.2%

Hispanic/Latino and Asian residents.

1.0%

0.8%

All 16 agencies which primarily identify as 0.6% "Culturally-Specific Victim Services" are 0.4%

1.2%

0.6%

0.8%

located in Atlanta metro counties. There are 0.2%

a number of others which identify as this 0.0%

type of organization, but it is not their primary function (41 secondary and 1

Hispanic/Latino Asian Black/African American

tertiary). Victims that are part of a minority, immigrant, and/or marginalized group may not

seek services due to their lack of awareness of the availability of services including culturally

relevant and responsive services), misinformation about law enforcement and criminal justice

system, perceived fear of institutions and systems, fear of deportation, language access, and

other barriers. 8 , 9 While the majority of Georgia residents note English as their primary

language, 13% choose one of 29 other alternate languages as their primary language. There is

6 Smith, S.G., Chen, J., Basile, K.C., Gilbert, L.K., Merrick, M.T., Patel, N., Walling, M., & Jain, A. (2017). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010-2012 State Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 7 U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census; 2015 American Community Survey 8 National Institute of Justice: Research in Brief, Immigrant Populations as Victims: Toward a Multicultural Criminal Justice System, May 1998 9 Assisting Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence: Law Enforcement Guide, Battered Women's Justice Project
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a marked need for linguistically relevant victim' services for those with limited English proficiency throughout the state of Georgia, particularly in locations outside Atlanta metro counties. The 2015 Victims Services Statistical Report (VSSR) estimates 246 total language access services were provided by 89 CJCC-funded agencies in FY 2014-2015. Language access services were concentrated in Atlanta metro counties. Most services (61%) were provided to existing victims, so their victimization is not recorded in the data. Of the new victims served with language access needs, 35 (36%) were victims of domestic violence.

Distribution of Race & Ethnicity for the Population and Victims Served

Georgia Distribution of Race (2015 ACS)

61.6%

13.3% 5.6% 17.6%

Race of Victims Served (2015 VSSR)

49.0%

43.4%

4.4%

Caucasian

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% African American Asian Multi-Racial Hispanic/Latino Other

C. State/Territory criminal justice and court data
There are 46 CJCC-certified domestic violence programs that provide core services to victims of crime within the state of Georgia. From October 2016 through September 2017 these agencies have answered more than 44,372 crisis calls, provided shelter services including 438,557 beds nights of shelter to approximately 6,022 victims and their children However, due to lack of bed space an estimated 2,372 victims and their families were not able to receive adequate shelter services.
The most recent data suggest Georgia ranks 14th in the nation for the rate at which women are killed by men.10 According to the 2017 Fatality Review Project, a joint effort of the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence, there were 149 domestic violence-related deaths in Georgia in 2017. Of these homicides, 70% were committed using a firearm.11
There were approximately 18,286 Ex Parte Temporary Protective Orders (TPO) filed in Georgia
10 When Men Murder Women, Violence Policy Center, 2017 11 Georgia Fatality Review Project, 2018

in 2016.12 Of these orders, 30% were Stalking Ex Parte Temporary Protection Orders, and the remaining 70% were Family Violence Temporary Protection Orders. Roughly 42% (7,704) of the Ex Parte orders granted were extended for a longer term, ranging from six months, a year to three years/permanent.
2016 Temporary Protection Orders Issued
5,521 Stalking Ex Parte TPOs

18,286
Ex Parte TPOs Issued

12,765 Family Violence Ex Parte TPOs

343 6-Month
5,359
Family Violence TPOs Issued

198 3Year/Permanent
4,818 12-Month

121 3-Year/Permanent

148 6-Month

2,345
Stalking TPOs Issued

2,076 12-Month

12 Georgia Crime Information Center
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IV. Plan Priorities and Approaches
(1) Subcommittees continue to strive toward creating innovative training, information, and execution of the plan to better meet the needs of victims across the state.
Priorities and approaches for this plan include:
Policies and enforcement for the removal of firearms from defendants who have been convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or who are subject to temporary orders of protection (TPOs).
A VAWA Annual report showing statistical information and outcomes from data submitted by subgrantees to provide a better overview of the work completed each year.
Reduce the threat of sexual assault centers closing and expansion of sexual assault services in rural areas.
Provide services to victims of human trafficking. Share law enforcement training feedback to better build training programs around the
state provided by VAWA subgrantees. Continued advocacy training working with the Georgia Victim Advocate Academy
administered under CJCC. Funding program components for underserved communities and victims. Developing implantation processes for the Rape Survivor Child Custody Act (RSCCA). Development of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) protocols and best practices in
regards SANE service provisions and coordination
Under the previous plan, law enforcement training increased significantly and subgrantees report feedback received at trainings allows them to tailor programs to fit specific needs of victimizations within various circuits across the state. The continued success of various partnerships between law enforcement and service providers continues to be imperative to the success of not only the S.T.O.P. VAWA program, but to serving victims in the most efficient and effective ways. Nevertheless, subcommittees have worked to establish distinct priorities based upon their purposes for the 2017-2020 plan.
Training Initiatives Subcommittee: The purpose of the VAWA Training Subcommittee is to: identify training needs, expert trainers, and potential partnerships, develop relationships amongst stakeholders, develop integrated victims' service-centered training strategies and opportunities based on current VAWA Purpose Areas, and 4) identify and implement strategies to ensure training delivery is equitably available and accessible to every victim services provider within the State of Georgia. In an effort to fulfill this purpose, the subcommittee will address three major goals over the next four years. The first is to identify strategies for increasing access to training ensuring availability to all parts of the state. The second is to develop a plan to provide statewide awareness and accessibility to the master

trainers' directory. The final goal is to identify three topics for Train the Trainer workshops. Each year, the subcommittee will select several underlying objectives that will serve as steps to achieving these goals. Members will also continuously work to update established training best practices.
Policy Development & Analysis Subcommittee: The purpose of the VAWA Policy Development and Analysis Subcommittee is to serve as a hub for sharing information regarding legislation or regulations that may impact victims and as a leader for the State of Georgia in creating legislation, policies, and protocols and model responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. While no STOP VAWA funds are used to lobby, subcommittee members continuously seek opportunities to educate lawmakers about the effects of current and proposed legislation. The overarching goals for this subcommittee aims to review, improve, and recommend effective updates to protocols and model responses as well as legislation and policies to better promote economic independence, enhance safety, expand service awareness, and better align policies with standards. This subcommittee also seeks to improve collaboration with other subcommittees ensuring the appropriateness and needs of advocates and victims are met as well as analyze the effectiveness of relevant statewide trainings. In an effort to fulfill these purposes, the subcommittee will address several major goals over the next four years which will all incorporate strategies to increase offender accountability. The first goal is to work with the Crime Victims Compensation Division at CJCC to ensure information is more accessible, use of their new online portal makes claims checking more convenient for victims and advocates, barriers are increasingly eliminated, and that victims have an easier experience with the application process. Another goal is to work with other subcommittees to cultivate more expert witnesses in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault as well as amongst medical professionals. Members will also work with other subcommittees as well as legislators to expand the state statute's definition of rape and ensure protocols are in place to implement the rape kit bill. An ongoing goal is to ensure enforcement of federal firearm prohibitions especially for domestic violence offenders and promote victim safety via continued implementation of firearm removal where appropriate. A culminating goal will be to establish webinars with Q & A to share best practices across subcommittees with the intent to transition victims to survivors who are safe, aware of their rights and services available, and economically independent.
Underserved Populations Subcommittee: The purpose of the VAWA Underserved Populations Subcommittee is to identify gaps in service to unserved and underserved populations and develop a plan for implementing networking and innovative courses of action to provide services, as needed. The planning strategy includes requiring subgrantees to submit a plan for assisting unserved and underserved populations along with their application and provide training with VAWA funds. Trainings will be a collaborative effort with the Training Subcommittee to ensure coordination of content specifically focusing on identified populations within the state. This subcommittee also focuses on the inclusion of resources that address technical assistance for challenges in serving unique populations. To fulfill these purposes, the subcommittee will make continued improvements within ongoing projects and goals such as its Underserved Resource Directory as well as establish steps to meet new goals
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
including: 1) work with other subcommittees to ensure interpretation services includes the hearing and visually impaired and is available at all initial protection order hearings, 2) address gaps in service that involve children and victims with mental illness, 3) address increased tension within the immigrant community which has experienced a sharp decrease in services sought, and 4) work with other subcommittees to safeguard victims from getting lost between agencies and/or missing opportunities by expanding partnerships beyond current CJCC partners and ensuring those relationships are nurtured for longevity.
Multi-Disciplinary Team Subcommittee: The purpose of the VAWA Multidisciplinary Team Subcommittee is to build the capacity of existing services and resources by providing templates and model protocols that support new and existing multidisciplinary partnerships. To continue its efforts, the subcommittee will continue promoting use of its model protocol for firearm removal in regards to offenders and its TPO protocol which is being used to enhance victim's access to justice and safety when obtaining TPOs. Going forward, a major goal for this subcommittee will be to expand its work by building a model MDT protocol comprising several victimization types identified by members as lacking resources which include human trafficking, child abuse, sexual assault, and bullying. This subcommittee aims to work with all other subcommittees to ensure successful training, implementation, and evaluation of effectiveness throughout the state for these protocols.
Performance Measurements and Evaluation Subcommittee: The purpose of the Performance Measurements and Evaluation Subcommittee is to create a logic model to aid in evaluating goals useful for VAWA-funded training programs statewide. As a pilot project, this subcommittee is also tasked with focusing on the top three purpose areas in formulating measurement tools for VAWA. The subcommittee works with the Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) at CJCC to review and revise reporting tools. This effort increasingly streamlines the process while ensuring accurate data collection for reporting needs. To fulfill these purposes, one of this subcommittee's multi-phased goals entails the formation of an Outcome Performance Measures (OPM) workgroup to review surveys and collection methods, make recommendations to update the reporting guide, and develop online surveys available to subgrantees, as needed. In addition, members intend to develop a formal plan to report training survey results and measure the progress of programs as well as initiate ideas via the development of an Annual Report specifically for Georgia VAWA programs in conjunction with CJCC's Statistical Analysis Center.
The Georgia Commission on Family Violence and the Georgia Domestic Violence Fatality Review Annual Report has proven to be one of the most valuable tools in assisting the Georgia S.T.O.P. VAWA and SASP programs in targeting plan approaches and priorities. As data shows, firearms still play a major role in the deaths from domestic violence so the development of firearm removal protocol from offenders continues to be a priority are for Georgia. The State of Georgia does not plan to address the Crystal Judson purpose area. This purpose area was identified as a low priority for the state; of the twenty purpose areas, it was ranked 17th in order of importance and critical need. CJCC will remain flexible by adjusting and/or including additional priority areas through ongoing evaluation of statewide efforts, needs, and requests.

The Landscape Opportunity Assessment (LOA) was implemented as an activity of the strategic planning and implementation planning process to identify existing conditions that directly or indirectly impact services for victims of crime within the State of Georgia. The assessment recognized the following 15 findings.
1. The perception among many victim service providers is that awareness of victimizations and the services and resources available to address victims' needs vary significantly based on geography, victimization, culture, and prosecution status.
2. First responders are typically in their positions for a short period of time before transitioning to another role. This creates an inherent challenge when trying to ensure consistent awareness of crime victim response protocols.
3. Law enforcement and EMS representatives expressed interest in incorporating victims services training into basic and ongoing training; however, effectively disseminating training will require that the training is packaged in an easily accessible format that is culturally appropriate for the target audience, and securing trusted individuals within these sectors who agree to promote the training through their own statewide networks.
4. Service availability and accessibility vary significantly based on a number of victim characteristics: geography, financial status, immigrant/refugee status, victimization type, and prosecution status.
5. The current resources available for victims of crime do not address the broad range of expenses a victim may incur as a result of the crime.
6. Access to needed mental health services is limited for many victims. This is due to geographic service limitations, language barriers, associated stigma, as well as a victim's limited ability to pay for services.
7. Access to safe affordable housing for victims is limited. This is particularly an issue for vulnerable populations such as older adults, adults with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, children, as well as immigrant and refugee populations.
8. There is a general willingness and interest among service providers to work collaboratively; however, perceptions regarding the effectiveness of current collaborative efforts varies.
9. Aligning funding streams from various public and private resources is complex due to an array of service area boundaries, eligibility criteria, and reporting requirements. This leads to instances of service fragmentation, gaps, and redundancy.
10. There is confusion among service providers regarding allowable parameters of data sharing and the needed consents and protocols that support this sharing of client information.
11. While there is a strong data infrastructure in place, CJCC funded agencies must report large number of data elements over the course of a year. This is time intensive both for service providers to input and for CJCC staff to process.
12. There is currently no systemic approach to using data for quality improvement purposes; however, many organizations are interested in expanding this capacity.
13. In general, most service providers have limited resources dedicated to organizational infrastructure (i.e. non-direct service delivery).
14. Organizational capacity for collecting, tracking, reporting and analyzing data varies considerably. 15. Many agencies and organizations report difficulty attracting and retaining skilled professionals,
thus limiting their service delivery capacity.
These findings played a significant role in identifying potential opportunities to build capacity, enhance, and expand victim services throughout the state. Informed by the LOA and with the
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
contributions from CJCC leadership, Victims Assistance Steering Committee, community partners, and other key stakeholders a strategic implementation plan was created. The objectives of the plan are as follows:
Establish a shared vision, guiding principles and strategic priorities among a broad group of stakeholders for short-, mid- and long-term goals.
Drive alignment among state agencies and organizations providing services to shared victim populations that improve outcomes for participants.
Identify and address gaps in services to special victim populations. Establish a strategic framework to guide the award of future funding to contracted victim
services providers Identify and apply innovative service delivery models. Identify and plan for additional service "entry points" and service collaborations on the ground. Develop work plans with accountability roles and measures to support the implementation of
the identified strategies and achievement of key outcomes. Establish the foundation for on-going mechanisms that keep a broad group stakeholder at the
table to continually identify and respond to opportunities to strengthen victim services.
The guiding principles informing these objectives: Victim services are available and accessible to crime victims regardless of type of victimization, whether the crime is reported or prosecuted, and regardless of whether the perpetrator is identified, convicted, sentenced or released. Victim services respond to the unique nature of every crime and are timely, trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, do not further contribute to victimization, and reinforce that the victimization is not the victim's fault. As a network of victim service organizations, we appreciate and understand the prevalence of traumatic experience, and the profound neurological, biological, psychological, spiritual and social effects it has on individuals, families and communities. Victim services are comprehensive, and achieve standards developed by victims, survivors and service providers, community organizations, government agencies and lawmakers. Services on behalf of victims must include offender accountability in policy and practice as part of healing and achieving a state of justice for victims, offenders, and the community as appropriate. Victims and survivors are the driving force of victim services and are integral to the planning and implementation of direct and indirect services. We promote data driven decision making that takes into consideration both qualitative as well as quantitative information, which is used to inform a quality improvement process.
The following results are representative of the conditions to be achieved through the execution of the key strategies outlined within this implementation plan. It is the intention of the CJCC to provide the data aggregation and analysis needed to report on these desired results. However, achieving the projected impact will require the collective and aligned efforts of key stakeholders previously identified. The community level results below are a synthesis of conversations with the Steering Committee, CJCC staff, and information gathered through qualitative interviews. Corresponding indicators, data source, and available 2016 baseline data is presented in the table below. Primary data sources include the Victims Service Statistical Report (VSSR), Outcomes Performance Measurers (OPM), and Victim Information

Claims System (VICS). These sources are statistical databases maintained by the CJCC and contain information on all victims of crime who receive a CJCC related service. The indicators chosen based on 1.) how well they reflect progress towards the desired results and 2. Availability and accessibility of existing data.

Data

2016

Result/Indicator

Source Baseline

1. All victims of crime are aware of their rights and are empowered to assert their rights, avail themselves of services, and

elevate their voices.

% of Forensic Medical Exams and Forensic Investigation claims that also have a non-

medical compensation claim

VICS

19%

2. All victims of crime are physically and economically safe and secure.

% of restitution cases results in court ordered restitution All instances of economic assistance services (TANF assistance, emergency financial assistance, personal advocacy, relocation) delivered by CJCC partners. % of victims that file for economic support through crime victim compensation

VSSR
VSSR VICS

32% 110,654 service units
21%

3. All victims of crime have their physical, psychological, and emotional needs met.

Average number of medical related services provided per victim (as captured through

victim compensation claims)

VICS

1.93

% of victims that are submitting a claim for medical benefit

VICS

73%

% of victims that access mental health/counseling services

VICS

11%

4. All victims of crime re-stabilize their lives after victimization.

% of crime victims that reported they are stable six months following the reported

victimization

OPM

TBD

To achieve these community level results, five key strategies were adopted. The following strategies will guide the crime victims assistance work throughout the implementation plan. The rational for each of these strategies along with key supporting activities can be found in below. The VAWA Implementation Plan subcommittee transitioned their goals and vision into the following five strategies.
A. Expand outreach and engagement to underserved populations and victims of underserved crimes.
B. Promote a coordinated approach to service delivery through improved cross-sector/agency alignment.
C. Improve access to existing services and strengthen the capacity, quality and consistency of victim services.
D. Foster a culture of innovation and shared learning that acknowledges and prioritizes a victim's voice and choice.
E. Invest in shared infrastructure that improves service efficiency and effectiveness.

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Strategy A:

Expand and enhance outreach efforts with a focus on engaging underserved victims of crime.

Rationale:
Primary Activities:

As documented in the Landscape Opportunity Assessment there are a number of underserved victims of crime across the state of Georgia. Expanding/improving service access will require intentional outreach to these underserved populations.
i.) Develop culturally appropriate outreach and engagement methods that inform underserved crime victims of their rights and available services.
ii.) Expand translation and interpretation services available for LEP individuals.
iii.) Provide law enforcement and first responders with the tools needed to effectively educate victims of crime of their rights and connect them to appropriate resources with a specific focus on reaching identified underserved populations.

Strategy B: Rationale:
Primary Activities:

Promote a coordinated approach to service delivery through improved crosssector/agency alignment and information sharing.
As indicated in the Landscape Opportunity Assessment Report services for victims of a crime are fragmented and often siloed by provider. As a result, victims are not always effectively and efficiently receiving the range of comprehensive services they need to support their recovery. Focusing on greater alignment among victim serving organizations funded directly by the CJCC as well as other state agencies and local nonprofits delivering services to this shared population has the potential to improve access to comprehensive services and lead to improved outcomes for victims.
i.) Align efforts of crime victim service providers through the development and promotion of a shared vision and strategic framework.
ii.) Leverage/merge/align existing VAWA, SART and Human Trafficking committees to serve as the foundation for the establishment of a guiding body that will oversee the implementation of the five-year victim assistance strategic plan.
iii.) Restructure CJCC departments to better promote coordination and alignment of internal resources. iv.) Partner with Georgia Association of Community Service Boards (GACSBs) to develop a streamlined referral process for mental health/counseling services for identified victims of crime. v.) Promote the establishment of local continuums of care that offer a "No Wrong Door" approach to service access.

Strategy C: Rationale:
Primary Activities:

Improve access to existing services and strengthen the capacity, quality and consistency of victim services.
Service availability and access varies across the state as well as across victims of crime populations. This is due in part to varying capacities of victim serving organizations as well as inconsistency in service offerings particularly between urban and rural communities. Strategic investments designed to expand service availability and quality of services across the state will lead to improved outcomes for victims.
i.) Pilot initiatives that address specific service gaps including lack of reliable transportation and affordable housing.
ii.) Improve access to mental health services and economic support.
iii.) Build capacity of established victim serving organizations to serve an increased number of victims and enhance service quality and support the growth of new victim serving organizations that address key service gaps.
iv.) Invest in professional development, training and recruitment of existing and future industry related workforce.

Strategy D: Rationale:
Primary Activities:

Foster a culture of innovation and continuous quality improvement that prioritizes the victim/survivor's voice and choice.
Promoting a problem-solving culture that supports innovation and continuous quality improvement will lead to improved service offerings and ultimately improved outcomes for victims. i.) Develop and promote shared quality standards that are adopted by all victim serving organizations. ii.) Develop and adopt a continuous quality improvement process. iii.) Develop a process for regularly gathering feedback from victims of crime and using information to inform service delivery.
iv.) Harness learnings and insights gained through local service implementations and promote best practice and learning across established provider networks.
v.) Pilot and test service delivery innovations and scale as appropriate.

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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council

Strategy E:

Invest in shared infrastructure that promotes greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Rationale:

Strategic investments in shared service delivery infrastructure will over time reduce system redundancy and inefficiencies and promote greater coordination and alignment among/across services, which will ultimately lead to improved victim outcomes.

Primary Activities:

i.) Develop and promote standardized data sharing consents and protocols.
ii.) Develop and pilot a shared case management platform for a select set of victim service providers.
iii.) Leverage CJCC's existing victim compensation portal to create a single comprehensive service inventory/directory of services available for crime victims.
iv.) Develop a web-based application that can be used by first responders to inform victims of crime of their rights and connect them to needed services.
v.) Promote use of a single technology that will reliable notify a victim of crime about their perpetrator's release from jail or prison.

(2) Goals and objectives for reducing domestic violence-related homicides within the state
The CJCC supports and funds efforts to reduce domestic violence-related homicides in Georgia. One such effort, the Fatality Review Project, yields an annual report that is comprised of findings and recommendations that are critical to the promotion of positive and meaningful change within the state. This initiative is a collaborative project between the Georgia Commission on Family Violence (GCFV) and the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCDAV) that began in 2004. Data garnered from detailed reviews of fatalities and near-death fatalities, as well as trends faced by domestic violence victims and survivors, are used as a tool for identifying gaps in system responses, improving statewide data collection, and implementing recommendations to create a coordinated community approach to ending domestic violence through enhancing efforts to training systems on better responses, identifying critical points for intervention and prevention, and providing a forum for increasing communication and collaboration among community agencies across the state of Georgia.13 These reports disseminate information to frontline responders, justice system professionals, advocates, community, and the family and friends of those affected by domestic violence.
From 2003 through 2016, at least 1,671 Georgia citizens lost their lives due to domestic
13 GeorgiaFatalityReview.com

violence. The Georgia Commission on Family Violence and the Georgia Domestic Violence Fatality Review Annual Report has proven to be one of the most valuable tools in assisting the Georgia S.T.O.P. VAWA and SASP programs in targeting plan approaches and priorities. As data shows, firearms still play a significant role in the deaths from domestic violence so the development of firearm removal protocol from offenders continues to be a priority are for Georgia. CJCC will remain flexible by adjusting and/or including additional priority areas through ongoing evaluation of statewide efforts, needs, and requests.
B. Priority Areas
(1)
At the 2017-2020 S.T.O.P. VAWA Implementation Plan committee meeting, CJCC asked stakeholders to evaluate the state's performance for each of the twenty S.T.O.P. VAWA 2014 Purpose Areas. The participants were asked to assess each purpose area from an agency perspective, then convene in small groups to discuss a statewide assessment and rank each purpose area in order of priority (high, medium, low, not applicable or declined to indicate). The rankings were assigned scores of 3, 2, 1, and 0 respectively. The scores assigned by each group were then averaged for each purpose area (mean score 2.19). The standard deviation was calculated to be 0.63. The scores were then classified as "high priority" if they fell within two standard deviations higher than the mean (3.45), medium priority if they were within one standard deviation of the mean (2.82), or low priority if they were less than the mean. Three purpose areas were identified as "high priority" and an additional nine purpose areas were identified as "medium priority." The remaining eight purpose areas were classified as "low priority." The ranked purpose areas are indicated below, in order of priority.
High Priorities
Developing and implementing more effective police, court, and prosecution policies, protocols, orders, and services specifically devoted to preventing, identifying, and responding to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and domestic violence, as well as the appropriate treatment of victims.
Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and others to address the needs and circumstances of older and disabled women who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault, including recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of such violence or assault and targeting outreach and support, counseling, and other victim services to such older and disabled individuals.
Maintaining core victim services and criminal justice initiatives, while supporting complementary new initiatives and emergency services for victims and their families.
Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs and projects to provide services and
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
responses to male and female victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking, whose ability to access traditional services and responses is affected by their sexual orientation or gender identity, as defined in section 249(c) of title 18, United States Code.
Developing, enhancing, or strengthening prevention and educational programming to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking, with not more than 5 percent of the amount allocated to a state to be used for this purpose.
Medium Priorities
Training law enforcement officers, judges, other court personnel, and prosecutors to more effectively identify and respond to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence, including the use of nonimmigrant status under subparagraphs (U) and (T) of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).
Developing, installing, or expanding data collection and communication systems, including computerized systems, linking police, prosecutors, and courts or for the purpose of identifying, classifying, and tracking arrests, protection orders, violations of protection orders, prosecutions, and convictions for violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and domestic violence.
Supporting formal and informal statewide, multidisciplinary efforts, to the extent not supported by State funds, to coordinate the response of state law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, victim services agencies, and other state agencies and departments, to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence.
Developing, enlarging, or strengthening victim services and legal assistance programs, including sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence programs, developing or improving delivery of victim services to underserved populations, providing specialized domestic violence court advocates in courts where a significant number of protection orders are granted, and increasing reporting and reducing attrition rates for cases involving violent crimes against women, including crimes of sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and domestic violence.
Training of sexual assault forensic medical personnel examiners in the collection and preservation of evidence, analysis, prevention, and providing expert testimony and treatment of trauma related to sexual assault.
Providing assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in immigration matters.

Developing and promoting state, local, or tribal legislation and policies that enhance best practices for responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Low Priorities
Developing, training, or expanding units of law enforcement officers, judges, other court personnel, and prosecutors specifically targeting violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and domestic violence.
Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing the needs and circumstances of Indian tribes in dealing with violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and domestic violence.
Supporting the placement of special victim assistants (to be known as "Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants") in local law enforcement agencies to serve as liaisons between victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and personnel in local law enforcement agencies in order to improve the enforcement of protection orders. Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants shall have expertise in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking and may undertake the following activities-- o developing, in collaboration with prosecutors, courts, and victim service providers, standardized response policies for local law enforcement agencies, including the use of evidence-based indicators to assess the risk of domestic and dating violence homicide and prioritize dangerous or potentially lethal cases; o notifying persons seeking enforcement of protection orders as to what responses will be provided by the relevant law enforcement agency; o referring persons seeking enforcement of protection orders to supplementary services (such as emergency shelter programs, hotlines, or legal assistance services); and o taking other appropriate action to assist or secure the safety of the person seeking enforcement of a protection order.
Providing funding to law enforcement agencies, victim services providers, and state, tribal, territorial, and local governments (which funding stream shall be known as the Crystal Judson Domestic Violence Protocol Program) to promoteo the development and implementation of training for local victim domestic violence service providers, and to fund victim services personnel, to be known as "Crystal Judson Victim Advocates," to provide supportive services and advocacy for victims of domestic violence committed by law enforcement personnel; o the implementation of protocols within law enforcement agencies to ensure consistent and effective responses to the commission of domestic violence by personnel within such agencies such as the model policy promulgated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police ("Domestic Violence by Police Officers: A Policy of the IACP, Police Response to Violence Against Women Project" July
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
2003); and o the development of such protocols in collaboration with state, tribal, territorial
and local victim services providers and domestic violence coalitions.
Developing, implementing, or enhancing Sexual Assault Response Teams, or other similar coordinated community responses to sexual assault.
Developing and strengthening policies, protocols, best practices, and training for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors relating to the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases and the appropriate treatment of victims.
Developing, enlarging or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault against men, women, and youth in correctional or detention settings.
Identifying and conducting inventories of backlogs of sexual assault evidence collection kits and developing protocols and policies for responding to and addressing such backlogs, including protocols and policies for notifying and involving victims.

a. "Crystal Judson" purpose area
The State of Georgia does not plan to address the Crystal Judson purpose area. This purpose area was identified as a low priority for the state; of the twenty purpose areas, it was ranked 17th in order of importance and critical need.

(2) Programs and Projects Supported by STOP dollars

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) strives to be a responsible and exemplary steward of federal funds. To ensure that limited federal resources pay for basic services for all crime victims in Georgia, CJCC created the core service definitions for diverse types of programs that the agency typically funds with victim services grant funds.

The CJCC endeavors to allocate funds in the following ways:

Discretionary 15%

Fund Allocations

Victims Services
30%

Law Enforcement
25%

Prosecution 25%

Court 5%

(5) Information on how the state plans to meet the sexual assault set-aside, including how the state will ensure the funds are allocated for programs or projects in 2 or more allocations (law enforcement, prosecution, victim services, and courts). (REQUIRED)
The competitive request for proposals released June 10, 2015, detailed the priorities identified by the state for the sexual assault set-side. The application required subgrantees to indicate the portion of grant funds spent on projects that meaningfully address sexual assault. These programs must 1) meaningfully address sexual assault, including stranger rape, acquaintance rape, alcohol or drug-facilitated rape, and/or rape within the context of an intimate partner relationship; and 2) adhere to the core service requirements for sexual assault programs outlined in the request for proposals.
The following purpose areas and corresponding goals were identified as state priorities in the 2015-2016 S.T.O.P. VAWA Implementation Plan committee meeting, in order of prioritization:
Training of sexual assault forensic medical personnel examiners in the collection and preservation of evidence, analysis, prevention, and providing expert testimony and treatment of trauma related to sexual assault. Goals: o Increase training availability and coordination with domestic violence service providers o Continue to improve training content to be both based on national models and area needs o Increase availability in rural and south Georgia o Work with hospitals and other medical providers to encourage attendance and paid staff time to complete trainings
Developing, implementing, or enhancing Sexual Assault Response Teams, or other similar coordinated community responses to sexual assault. Goals: o Provide support and training to SART teams o Develop innovative means of encouraging judicial presence and top-down support o Develop protocols for SART establishment and development
Developing and strengthening policies, protocols, best practices, and training for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors relating to the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases and the appropriate treatment of victims. Goals: o Increase training availability o Develop protocols and implement to ensure consistency
Developing, enlarging or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault against men, women, and youth in correctional or detention settings. Goals:
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
o Begin to build a foundation to address this purpose area in future implementation plans, including forging relationships with correctional and detention facilities
Identifying and conducting inventories of backlogs of sexual assault evidence collection kits and developing protocols and policies for responding to and addressing such backlogs, including protocols and policies for notifying and involving victims. Goals: o Identify areas with backlogs and rank based on size and need o Develop protocols and policies for addressing backlogs, starting with highest-need areas o Include protocols for speeding up results from initial testing

(6) Subgrant Listing:
Agency
AOC-Judicial Council of Georgia Athens-Clarke County Department of Community Supervision Athens-Clarke County Dawson County BOC Habersham County Henry County BOC Henry County BOC Oconee County Department of Community Supervision GA Network to End Sexual Assault, Inc. Georgia Mountain Women's Center, Inc. Georgia Public Safety Training Center Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center, Inc. Raksha SAFE Homes of Augusta, Inc. Support in Abusive Family Emerg.,Inc. Tapestri, Inc. Georgia Coalition Against DV, Inc. Athens-Clarke County Berrien County BOC Cherokee County BOC Clayton County BOC Crisp County Board of Commissioners DeKalb County Government DeKalb County Government Dougherty County BOC

Program
Court Services Court Services Court Services Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution

Award
$67,118 $69,999 $60,032 $70,000 $39,589 $58,272 $40,180 $29,820 $70,000 $25,000 $120,137 $23,100 $138,990 $61,461 $25,000 $23,586 $35,000 $55,994 $37,500 $70,000 $70,000 $70,000 $70,000 $70,000 $50,786 $50,000 $50,000

Douglas County BOC Houston County Commissioners Oconee County Paulding County BOC Upson County Wayne County Board of Commissioners Whitfield County BOC Project Safe, Inc. Georgia Coalition Against DV, Inc. Project Safe, Inc. Atlanta Victim Assistance, Inc. Caminar Latino, Inc. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese Cherokee Family Violence Center, Inc. DeKalb Rape Crisis Center, Inc. Douglas Co. Task Force on FV, Inc. F.A.I.T.H. in Rabun County, Inc. Family Crisis Ctr of (WDCC) Counties, Inc. Four Points, Inc. Georgia Legal Services Program, Inc. Grady Health System Rape Crisis Ctr International Women's House, Inc. New American Pathways, Inc. NOA's Ark, Inc. Partnership Against DV, Inc. Piedmont Rape Crisis Center, Inc. Raksha Rape Crisis & Sexual Assault Services Sexual Assault Center of NW GA, Inc. Southern Crescent SAC & CAC, Inc. Support in Abusive Family Emergencies, Inc. The Lily Pad SANE Center, Inc. Tifton Judicial Circuit Shelter, Inc.

Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Prosecution Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services
Victim Services Victim Services Victim Services

$53,849 $50,000 $70,000 $50,000 $50,000 $70,000 $57,231 $33,643 $177,561 $16,498 $91,495 $39,531 $76,222 $44,843 $25,000 $83,499 $28,323 $36,861 $25,000 $28,249 $69,122 $60,065 $102,302 $86,990 $97,750 $25,000 $66,921 $77,168 $32,893 $71,427
$25,000 $50,425 $55,389

C. Grant-making Strategy
As part of its current grant-making strategy, CJCC considers the service area of each applicant in conjunction with its proposal narrative and budget.
The next competitive application process is expected to be launched in the summer of 2017 pending an approved application from OVW and will cover a grant cycle of four years.
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
Subgrantees must demonstrate compliance with programmatic and financial reporting requirements during the previous funding year, and they must submit their continuation application on time to receive the same level of funds as the previous year. Those who are either delinquent in completing a continuation application or have been delinquent with multiple financial and/or programmatic reports may receive a 10% reduction in their award. The continuation application process allows subgrantees to further develop projects they may have started, modify their project scope to serve a new victim demographic or provide different services, and alert CJCC to any technical assistance issues or obstacles they encountered during the previous funding year.
CJCC currently funds 59 S.T.O.P. VAWA projects totaling $3,479,821. Of these 59 projects, twenty-four (24) are victim services programs that include domestic violence shelter and nonshelter programs as well as sexual assault centers. Services include legal advocacy, legal assistance, shelter services, therapy and counseling, criminal justice system advocacy and information and referrals. Nine of these programs are specific to underserved populations three of which are located in rural areas and primarily serve rural victims, and six programs provide culturally sensitive services to refugee, immigrant, Latino, and/or Southeast Asian victims.
CJCC also funds 32 Criminal Justice Systems Improvement (CJSI) projects. Of these projects, fifteen (15) are for prosecution and three are for law enforcement projects that fund Special Victims Units for domestic violence and sexual assault cases. An additional 10 projects classified under law enforcement are for training. Finally, four of the projects are for court programs. An additional two subgrants are discretionary awards for the aforementioned Fatality Review Project partners, GCADV and GCFV. Another discretionary award is made to Project Safe, which provides victim services in addition to a CJSI project involving a locallybased fatality review and convening a Coordinated Community Response team.
There are five locally-based law enforcement training subgrants awarded to victim service providers, two of which also incorporate activities to support their local CCRs. These awards supplement statewide training projects, alleviate the burden on statewide trainers, and help forge close partnerships between victim service providers and law enforcement. Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) has a subgrant for law enforcement training on domestic violence and sexual assault that is offered at all five of its Regional Academies across the state, including an online stalking course. Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault (GNESA) is awarded a grant to train law enforcement on sexual assault, which supplements GPSTC's trainings and facilitates a victim services collaboration with law enforcement. Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center provides SANE/SAFE training. Tapestri, Inc. and Raksha offer population specific training for law enforcement, courts and prosecutors that addresses barriers faced by refugees, immigrants, and those with limited English proficiency as well as cultural competency. Additional culturally specific programs receiving STOP VAWA funds include Atlanta Victim Assistance, Caminar Latino, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese, and International Women's House. These agencies also partner with other agencies receiving

other federal funds through CJCC including Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network, Tabitha's House, and Wellspring Living to meet the needs of cultural specific populations.
In addition, CJCC funds three law enforcement SVUs in Henry, Athens-Clarke, and Oconee counties. CJCC also funds 15 prosecution projects across the state. These projects fund Special Victims Units dedicated to S.T.O.P. VAWA-eligible cases. The agency also currently funds four court programs. The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) provides training and coordinated community response support to judges and court personnel across the state. AOC's project also provides training to other audiences including advocates and law enforcement, among others. Another award was made to GCFV through AOC, which conducts a project to connect law enforcement officers with local domestic violence task forces. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners was awarded a subgrant for an SVU and a lethality assessment project. Finally, GCADV has an award to conduct training for domestic violence advocates and court personnel from a victim services perspective.
CJCC will work with the AOC and its partners to solicit applications from courts to meet the new statutory requirement. Additionally, CJCC will solicit applications that expand current victim services, prosecution and law enforcement programs to meet the 20% sexual assault set-aside.
(2) One area of need is enhanced rural programs. Rural programs tend to serve large geographic areas. Although these rurally-based service providers often serve fewer victims and have a lower cost of operating, the victims they serve often face substantial barriers to service, such as transportation.
(3) During the application review process, CJCC staff creates maps of service areas by program type to ensure equitable geographic distribution of VOCA, VAWA, and SASP funds. This method helps to ensure accessibility of services across the state. Fortunately, VOCA funding allows for additional subgrants to augment existing services and cover a more expansive service area than is represented in the maps. However, VOCA funds do not allow for criminal justice awards to prosecution, law enforcement or courts, except for Victim Witness Assistance Programs. This contributes to the existing challenge of dispersing funds across the state for those program types funds.
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
CJCC facilitates meetings for subgrantees through application and award workshops as well as S.T.O.P. VAWA Implementation Plan committee and subcommittee meetings. During these meetings, subgrantees have the opportunity to network and share best practices for victim safety, confidentiality and economic independence. In the 2017-2020 RFAs, CJCC will include language requiring all prosecution, law enforcement, and courts applicants to document that they consulted with local victim service providers and/or the state coalitions to ensure their programs incorporate the highest standards for victim safety and confidentiality and promote victims' economic independence. CJCC will disseminate information regarding funding opportunities to all eligible entities through our marketing automation platform (MailChimp), key stakeholders, Committee Members, website, as well as the Communication Director's efforts via social media and other outlets.

D. Addressing the Needs of Underserved Victims
As the Underserved Populations Subcommittee continues to work on addressing the various victim needs across the state, top priorities under the new implementation plan will include: language and interpretation service access especially during court proceedings, training programs developed around cultural competence for court administrators and judges, and access to services in rural areas. Furthermore, CJCC has been working with subgrantees over the past year to ensure shelters are not turning away male and/or disabled victims of domestic violence as updated state standards require they receive comprehensive services identical to how traditional clients are served. The Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence has also implemented a disabilities task force initiative to educate service providers regarding best practices, equipment, and service provision for people with disabilities, including the hard of hearing.
CJCC will continue to outline federal requirements in its upcoming RFA and request documentation proving compliance. The population of minorities in Georgia estimated in 2017 and 2016 has dropped when compared to 2013 with African-Americans at 30% down from 31%, Hispanics at 8% down from 9%, and Asians at nearly 0% down from just over 3%. Nevertheless, the state currently exceeds the 10% set aside for culturally specific populations through population-specific services and fully expects to continue doing so during the new competitive cycle. As CJCC hoped, it provided additional funding to several of these agencies via VOCA funds to expand and enhance service delivery and provision and expects these agencies needs will continue to grow especially as gaps are continuously uncovered.
In addition, CJCC added over 20 new subgrantees to its list of VOCA partners in 2016 after adding over 100 new organizations to its distribution list. Several agencies were excited to find out about the opportunities to fund victims service programs and projects. Many pledged to seek opportunities in the 2017 competitive cycle. This along with efforts by the Underserved Populations Subcommittee to strengthen its directory of service providers throughout the state by adding non-CJCC funded programs has expanded the number of agencies aware of funding opportunities. CJCC expects this will translate into increased applications.
As underserved populations may continue to grow in Georgia due to poverty rates, lack of job opportunities, and underreported victimizations, it will be the work of the five subcommittees to continue to develop plans that address the needs of both seen and unseen victim populations. The planner for VAWA programs at CJCC is currently working with the Consilience Group on a statewide assessment that addresses the needs of various populations. Through the creation of a Landscape Opportunity Assessment Report, service providers, agency partners, and other state entities are collaborating to shape priorities in terms of the most urgent needs such as: accessible language access planning, strategic referral processes, and identification of service gaps to meet victims where they are in the recovery process. The state will also continue to introduce training opportunities for
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
subgrantees to enhance identifying and communicating with underserved victims. The training component has become an integral part of the year-end VAWA meeting that occurs during December of each year, and feedback surveys have shown a collective interest in materials presented and usefulness for assisting underserved victims within the state.
Each victim service provider receiving STOP dollars is required to have a Limited English Proficient plan. This plan serves as a guide to provide culturally appropriate and responsive services for LEP individuals. The chart below indicates the funding allocated to culturally specific organizations.

$5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000
$0

Culturally Specific Set-Aside

Victim Service $1,161,004
27%

Culturally Specific $397,001
9%

Culturally Specific Georgia Service Providers:
o RAKSHA o Tapestri o Cherokee Family Violence (Spanish Hotline) o Caminar Latino o NE GA Council on Domestic Violence o Ser Familia
E. Subgrantee Management, Monitoring, and Assessment
Pass-through entities, like CJCC, are responsible for managing the day-to day operations of subaward-supported activities, as well as monitoring those activities. Scrutiny from internal and external forces is another reason for monitoring subawards. Congress, Federal awarding agencies, and the public want to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent properly and efficiently. CJCC has adopted the preferred method of conducting on-site reviews or site visits

as a common monitoring style. Additional monitoring activities include desk reviews and technical assistance.
DESK REVIEW
Conducted regularly by grant staff Includes a very detailed analysis of financial and programmatic reports, correspondence,
expense tracking, audit reports, and other documentation. Findings from a desk review can prompt a Site Visit or Technical Assistance.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE There are several things that could prompt a need for technical assistance:
Issues identified by the Grant Specialist or Auditor during a desk review (e.g., weak internal controls, inaccurate reports, late reports, etc).
New Leadership: CJCC staff provides technical assistance to ensure that new Executive Directors and/or Project Directors receive full knowledge of the grant requirements.
Key Personnel Key personnel may include individuals who are responsible for submitting the various required reports. CJCC staff provides technical assistance to ensure that key personnel are adequately trained on how to request reimbursements and prepare progress reports.
Special Requests Technical Assistance is provided at a subgrantee's request. To request technical assistance click here.
SITE VISITS Objectives:
To meet and acknowledge the efforts of grant staff performing the work To ensure compliance with the terms of the grant award To ensure accuracy and consistency of financial and programmatic reporting To provide immediate technical assistance (if necessary)
V. Conclusion
CJCC is committed to funding organizations and programs that that enhance, develop, and extend core victim services and criminal justice initiatives while supporting complementary new initiatives and emergency services for both victims and their families. Priority areas will be evaluated and determined for the new RFA coming in the summer of 2017 and align with the requirements of set aside in the categories of sexual assault and law enforcement. It is the
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Georgia FFY 2017 FFY 2020 STOP Implementation Plan Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
continued aim of the agency to serve as a centralized point for funding management of VAWA programs ensuring all federal guidelines are followed by subgrantees with subcommittee meeting occurring quarterly and workgroups formulated as needed to produce project outcomes. CJCC will also work internally between the VAWA and SASP projects by collecting and analyzing data through various reporting instruments to align purpose areas as they develop throughout the state based on population and victimization shifts that may occur.