Domestic Violence Intervention and Prevention Program

With the introduction of COVID-19 and since the implementation of the Safer at Home mandate, Jenesse has responded swiftly to continue to provide clients with the same level of exceptional services they have become accustomed to. Within 3 days of the implementation of the mandate, the Behavioral Health Program and Legal Services Program were able to switch to Skype, Zoom, and Telehealth formats so that clients could connect with our advocates, mental health interns, attorneys, and paralegals. It took a tremendous effort for our staff to establish the virtual platforms so quickly and to notifying our clients, but the change was seamless to the survivors we serve.

During the pandemic, we are experiencing an unprecedented number of calls to our crisis hotline. In response, Jenesse has added additional phone lines to assist callers and has contracted with two local hotels to house survivors. Right now, in addition to the current 140+ clients already receiving residential services, we are sending 90 families to an off-site location. We are also service over 40 clients in our drop-in program. To deal with the increase in clients we are serving, Jenesse hired 5 Case Managers and one Client Service Specialist to support our current staff.

In addition, we increased our supportive services for those who reside in our emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities by providing survivors and their families with all of their essentials to maintain self-quarantine status in comfort.

Jenesse proposes to address the multi-faceted barriers to safety and self-sufficiency that are experienced by low-income victims of domestic violence in South Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Police Department statistics show that Jenesse’s South Los Angeles service area which is home to just over 10% of the County’s population has one of the highest incidences of reported domestic violence in the city. Jenesse reaches these clients through our 24-hour hotline, email, or social media such as Facebook to seek out our services and we anticipate this number will continue to increase with the launch of the Jenesse App.

Removing a victim from a violent home is just the first step in Jenesse’s care continuum. Jenesse’s experience shows that mental health issues and persistent poverty are the two primary issues that undermine victims’ efforts to escape and establish healthy environments for themselves and their children.

In addition to the direct physical impact of violence, more than half of Jenesse’s clients experience mental health problems. These issues impact the victim’s ability to mobilize resources and protect themselves and their children and require the kind of trauma-informed behavioral health interventions provided at Jenesse.

Also, the lack of employment and employable skills exacerbates the cycle of domestic violence (DV). The economic self-sufficiency curriculum that is taught in our entrepreneurial programs is a powerful tool to break the cycle of DV.

Jenesse is uniquely suited to take this on because of its reputation for innovation and cultural competence, its experience in mobilizing multi-sector partnerships for the greater good, and its success in intervening to stop family violence across the generations. Jenesse has an unparalleled ability to work with historically marginalized clients with myriad issues stemming from inter-generational cycles of poverty and neglect.

Direct Impact: 1,900

Indirect Impact: 2,500

Jenesse’s life-saving services help 1900 domestic violence (DV) victims to overcome barriers, access services, and establish lives that are free from physical, mental, emotional, economic subjugation, and violence. In addition to the victims who will receive direct services, Jenesse will train and make presentations to over 400 individuals, including law enforcement, teachers, faith-based organizations, and other experts in the field to help address the unique needs of DV survivors.

Jenesse also works to break the generational cycle of violence through its Children and Youth Program that increases individual knowledge and skills among youth to prevent gender-based violence and educates them to learn what healthy relationships look like.

The goals of the proposed activities are to: 1) empower victims; 2) address the mental, physical and emotional ramifications of trauma; 3) help victims access the education, training, and skills needed to achieve self-sufficiency for the long term; 4) provide legal assistance to ensure safety and stability; and 5) provide permanent housing assistance to be able to find affordable housing and maintain it for themselves and their families.

Jenesse tracks outcomes by surveying clients on changes in their self-confidence, coping skills, ability to manage anger, and parenting competency. Jenesse’s program-specific outcomes are: 1) reduced victimization; 2) improved planning for survivors’ personal futures, including education, employment, housing, and family life; 3) increased awareness of options; 4) increased knowledge of domestic violence, and 5) decreased isolation—all necessary for achieving self-sufficiency and eliminating the patterns of abuse.

Jenesse anticipates that:

75% of clients report that they feel better able to make reasoned, realistic and positive life-choices due to living in a stable home environment;

95% of program participants report increased knowledge of domestic and sexual violence and its effects and have safety plans in place to reduce the risk of further abuse;

75% of those served show an increased awareness of options and resources available;

70% of participants achieve specific goals with regard to improving financial security through education and/or gainful employment;

95% of the families remain housed within one year of leaving Jenesse’s shelter; and,

100% of program participants develop safety plans for reducing further risk of abuse.

Jenesse’s Chief Operations Officer is responsible for ensuring that the agency’s programmatic and operational activities are monitored on a regular basis. Management and administrative staff are assigned monitoring responsibilities in areas such as Client Services; Client Satisfaction; Contract Compliance; Background and Security Investigations; Confidentiality; Insurance; Eligibility Requirements; Outreach Activities; and Financial and Progress Reporting.

To ensure that high-quality services are consistently provided, Jenesse conducts monthly, quarterly, annual and random sampling of program, accounting, and administrative records. Corrective actions are initiated immediately when discrepancies are found.

Additionally, interviews are conducted with each client upon exit from our program to gain input on their experiences while receiving services from us.

Housing affordability

Access to mental health services

Homelessness

Access to the LA2050 community

Office space for meetings, events, or for staff

Capacity, including staff