July 28, 2022

Substance Use Coercion

What is substance use coercion? According to the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health, substance use coercion is the pressured or forced use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or other substances as a mechanism of abuse & control.

Substance use coercion is detrimental to a survivors’ health, wellbeing, and economic stability, and it interferes with their ability to engage in substance treatment & harm reduction efforts, domestic violence shelters, and other programs they may need.

To learn more about substance use coercion, you can review this overview report about implications for policy & practice, “palm cards” of things you can say to survivors, and a great webinar that introduces advocates & program staff to substance use coercion. The report also has infographics for you to utilize for quick facts or social media.

Beyond sharing the immeasurably helpful report, we also want to share:

- a local program, available here through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which offers free naloxone to organizations in Idaho that either want to administer in a case of an overdose or distribute to clients.
- a local resource, the Idaho Harm Reduction Project, which works to serve the drug using community of Idaho & the general public by creating safe(r) communities through evidence-based programming, education, needle exchange, and appropriate needle disposal.
- a national resource, the National Harm Reduction Coalition, which provides important information like 8 Principles for Harm Reduction (for those working with people who use drugs) or workshops & Capacity Building Trainings (for organizations that want to implement harm reduction practices).

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This article was shared by Kailey, an incredible changemaker & caretaker who works with us as a Social Change Finance Associate. If you’d like to connect with Kailey about this article (or her expertise in Programming and/or Finance), her email is kailey@engagingvoices.org & her availability calendar is shared here.

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ISP SASP Funding for Survivors

In previous newsletters, we’ve amplified direct support that we can offer to advocates & programs⁠—including support from ISP SASP. We understand this funding may not be accessible to all, so we hope to inform advocates & programs about this support system & help them connect to its abundant resources.

ISP SASP funding can provide access to emergency assistance for individuals impacted by sexual assault. While the Idaho Coalition no longer administers SASP funds, we do continue to administer the SASP Emergency Assistance Funds in partnership with ISP. This limited funding stream is allocated specifically to help provide survivors with counseling, medical assistance, rental or employment assistance, civil legal assistance or other approved expenses related to the victimization (i.e. items, services, etc. which may support survivors of sexual violence while recovering from an assault), and financial support directly related to healing.

ISP SASP emergency funds may be accessed by Idaho Coalition member programs, those who receive/have been awarded 2022 SASP funds, as well-as program members who do not currently receive SASP funds.

We also recognize that many victims/survivors of sexual assault may not have access to community-based crisis centers but may be interacting and seeking support from community organizations & agencies who work with individuals with disabilities, culturally specific agencies, or with LGBTQ organizations. These organizations may reach out to your program looking for support, sexual assault services, and other resources; please know that these agencies and organizations may also access these funds when looking to provide emergency support on behalf of individuals impacted by sexual assault.

If a survivor requests this funding, the request will be evaluated to determine that it fits within the SASP priority areas and eligibility requirements and to ensure there is adequate emergency funding to support the request. Upon approval, reimbursement will be made directly to the program or community organization/agency for the request.

Please click here to review current SASP emergency funds guidelines for submitting a request. If you have any questions regarding SASP Emergency Assistance Funds, how to submit a request, etc., please contact Lacey.

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This article was shared by Lacey, a vibrant changemaker & caretaker who works with us as a Program Specialist. If you’d like to connect with Lacey about this article (or her expertise in Transitional Housing and/or Online Orders), her availability calendar is provided here.

Meaningful Language Access

Among the many barriers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or teen dating violence face, linguistic & cultural barriers play a large role in a deciding factor for a survivor to seek help.

Why is providing meaningful language access important for your organization?

• It’s the right thing to do. Centering safety, healing and justice should be our organizational focus and mission. If we invest in proactive measures, we can ensure all survivors with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)* or Deaf survivors have meaningful access to critical victim services.

• Language & demographic shifts in the U.S. Between 1990 and 2013, the LEP population grew 80 percent from nearly 14 million to 25.1 million. The growth of the LEP population during this period came largely from increases in the immigrant LEP population.

• Improves services and enhances safety. Survivors with LEP or Deaf survivors are more likely to seek out services if those services were provided in their language, therefore enhancing safety and support.

What is meaningful language access?

Defined by the U.S. Department of Justice, meaningful access is: “Language assistance that results in accurate, timely and effective communication at no cost to the LEP individual. For LEP individuals, meaningful access denotes access that is not significantly restricted, delayed or inferior, as compared to programs or activities provided to English proficient individuals”. Recipients of Federal funding must ensure “meaningful access” to those with LEP under Title VI the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and this access must prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

Meaningful language access requires federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them.

Agencies are supposed to develop an LEP plan, so how do I build organizational language access?

• Develop a Language Access Plan. A language access plan in a strategy to assess, identify, and manage a system to ensure that individuals with limited English proficient (LEP) or Deaf/hard of hearing individuals are able to fully access services, and experience them as any other individual would.

• Build capacity and implementation. Establish an annual review of your language access plan and examine how staff is building their capacity that also includes long-term proactive measures such as providing meaningful access at events, fundraisers, staff onboarding, and continuous training. Create space for feedback from staff, LEP survivors, and partners engaged in the implementation of meaningful language access at your organization. This can be done through listening sessions, surveys, interviews, or other feedback tools.

*Individuals with LEP are individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and have limited ability to read, write, speak or understand English.

References:
• https://esperanzaunited.org/en/knowledge-base/language-access/language-access-home/

• https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/limited-english-proficient-population-united-states-2013

• https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI#1

• https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/fr_2002-06-18.pdf

Language Access Plans/Toolkits/Resources:
Esperanza United Language Access Plan Template, Esperanza United Language Access Additional Resources, Providing Meaningful Language Access, Language Access, Interpretation, and Translation, Language Identification and I Speak Cards, Translation Guides, and More, Organizational Language Assessment and Planning Tool

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This article was shared by Micaela, a rooted changemaker & caretaker who works with us as a Co-Director. If you’d like to connect with Micaela about this article (or for Technical Assistance on providing meaningful language access), her email is micaela@engagingvoices.org & her availability calendar is linked here.

Advocacy 101 Training

On Wednesday, September 7th, and Thursday, September 8th, the Idaho Coalition is hosting an in-person training at the Linen Building (in Boise, Idaho). This space is created for, and by, advocates & program staff.

With the goal of co-creating effective advocacy in a rural state, this training will be a great opportunity for new & seasoned advocates and program staff to build connection with advocates from across the state while learning about basic advocacy in Idaho.

The two-day Advocacy 101 Training will cover topics such as a shared understanding about how racism and oppression affect advocacy, dynamics of gender based violence, advocate privilege, & mandatory reporting in Idaho, and will close with a panel of current Idaho advocates sharing their wisdom with new advocates.

Registration is now open, and we will cover lodging, mileage, and per diem for up to 2-3 advocates per program. Please sign up as soon as you can to reserve a place at this educational gathering!

Training & Events

How the Overturning of Roe v. Wade Could Embolden Domestic Abusers | Special Edition Podcast

With the recent overturning of Roe v Wade, NMCADV felt it necessary to start a very important discussion. This podcast episode addresses how power & control presents in abusive relationships and how those who cause harm could use the recent ruling to control, and ultimately abuse, their partners.

Click here to stream this podcast episode.

Idaho Coalition – Office Closure | August 8-12

Our team will not be working this week.

We invite you to help us honor our time away so we’re best able to show up for ourselves, our shared work, and our beloved communities.

2022 Idaho Indian Education Summit | August 15-16

This conference is taking place on the Boise State University campus. Strands of this summit include: policy, educator preparation programs, land acknowledgements, memorandums of understanding, tribal sovereignty, government to government relationships, educational engagement, and more.

Save the date to advance the future! For more information about this summit, email Johanna J. Jones or email Patty Sanchez.

17th Annual #DVCounts Training Webinar | August 16

NNEDV’s Domestic Violence Counts Report is an annual noninvasive, unduplicated count of adults and children who seek services from U.S. domestic violence shelter programs during a single 24-hour survey period.

The actual Survey Day for #DVCounts is in September, but it’s important for advocates & programs to know more about this year’s survey details & logistics in advance. Attendees (who sign up here) will receive a preview and prep for data collecting. Folks can also email Kailey for more details.

“Water Cooler” Hangout | August 17

This is a reoccurring space for Idaho’s advocates & program staff to connect with each other, strategize & problem-solve, get access to free webinars, amplify each other’s work, and more. This space was created to allow advocates to connect with each other from across Idaho & allow for the sharing of ideas.

These check-ins are 1 hour, and they are typically on the 3rd Wednesday of the month around noon. If you’d like to check this space out, or learn more about future spaces, email Kailey.

Advocacy 101 Training | September 7-8

The Idaho Coalition will cover lodging, mileage, and per diem for up to 2-3 advocates per program. If you’d like to learn more about this space, email Kailey.

17th Annual #DVCounts Survey Day | September 7

We’re excited to gear up for the next DV Counts season because this survey reports the number of people who sought services in a single 24-hour period, as well as the types of services requested, the number of service requests that went unmet due to a lack of resources, and the issues & barriers that domestic violence programs face as they strive to provide services to victims of domestic violence.

Please save the date for the 17th Annual DV Counts Survey Day & don’t hesitate to reach out to our beloved Kailey with any questions in the meantime.

Idaho Coalition Store Materials

Reminder: Shipping for all materials on our website store is FREE for Programs. Please use the coupon below for all orders.

Visit the online store for the Idaho Coalition to check out what materials are available for order.

For store questions, please contact us.

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