Expanding Capacity to Better Serve Deaf Survivors of Domestic Violence: Lessons Learned

By Kristen Parsons, Research Associate

Through its CJII-funded Deaf Services Initiative, over the past three years Barrier Free Living has improved its support for deaf survivors of abuse by expanding service offerings, enhancing its means of communication support and technology, and engaging community partners in deaf-specific trainings and resources.

More than 240,000 individuals in the New York City metropolitan area report having a hearing-related disability. This includes those who are deaf, Deaf (i.e., identify as culturally Deaf), hard of hearing (HOH), or deaf-blind. D/deaf/HOH individuals experience higher rates of intimate partner victimization compared to those without a hearing disability, yet they face significant barriers to reporting their victimization to police and accessing trauma-informed, American Sign Language (ASL)-fluent resources.

Barrier Free Living, Inc. (BFL) is committed to breaking down barriers to care and expanded its Deaf Services Initiative (DSI) as part of the New York Country District Attorney’s Office (DANY) Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII) in late 2017. BFL’s services are situated across three sites: Freedom House, a domestic violence shelter; Secret Garden, a DV program providing counseling, support groups, advocacy, and safety planning, among others; and BFL Apartments, which offers permanent housing to survivors with disabilities. Interim findings from the Urban Institute’s process evaluation indicate that CJII funding allowed BFL to expand services for deaf participants, enhance communication access, and improve knowledge of deaf-specific care among community partners.

Hire ASL-Fluent Staff to More Effectively Communicate with Deaf Survivors

BFL hired a deaf social worker to work with participants to process the impact of their abuse on their mental health and other aspects of their wellbeing. An ASL-fluent staff member further supported participants by providing case management, advocacy and external referrals for assistance with housing and financial resources. BFL also began offering legal assistance in-house in April 2020, addressing matters related to immigration and legal separation/divorce from abusive partners.  

Increase Staff Communication & Collaboration around Services for Deaf Participants

The DSI improved organizational language accessibility and coordination. First, BFL provided in-house trainings on deaf communication, Deaf culture and domestic violence among individuals with disabilities. Interpreters were more intentionally integrated into staff meetings, workshops, and sometimes staff-participant conversations, supporting collaboration across both hearing and non-hearing staff as well as between staff and participants. Notably, increased funding allowed BFL to purchase additional tablets to support video remote interpreting (VRI), a service that assists in facilitating communication between hearing staff and deaf survivors first arriving at BFL for assistance.

Increase Community Providers’ Knowledge of Deaf Survivor Needs & Services

BFL has led over 100 workshops and 74 deaf-focused trainings to partner provides and city agencies through May 2021. Participants in these trainings reported learning a great amount from BFL, ranging from effectively working with an interpreter to addressing outdated or incorrect assumptions about the deaf population.

COVID-19 Magnified the Need for BFL’s Work

 The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by rising domestic violence rates. Citywide service disruptions interfered with survivors’ ability to seek direct assistance, forcing many programs to operate remotely at best. Yet, none of the interviewed participants indicated severe service interruptions at BFL, highlighting that BFL’s existing resources allowed for a more seamless transition to remote operations compared to other service providers. For instance, it was already commonplace for deaf survivors and staff to use video remote interpreting (VRI) devices to communicate.

At the same time, however, this transition evoked concerns regarding confidentiality and safety. One survivor shared that they could no longer leave the space they shared with their abusers to access supportive services.   

“It’s really hard to have a confidential conversation if your abuser is also home...particularly if they’re using a video phone.”

– Staff Interview 

Additionally, the pause on citywide service offerings was further complicated by the absence of disability advocates at city agencies. For example, advocates were no longer permitted to be stationed at police precincts under COVID restrictions. These relationships are critical to allow BFL and other disability advocates to receive information about D/deaf/HOH survivors in need of support.

Conclusion

The evaluation of the DSI, conducted by the Urban Institute, is funded through the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII) of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (DANY). The mid-evaluation findings demonstrate how the DSI supports deaf survivors of abuse through expanded service offerings, enhanced means of communication support and technology, and engaging community partners in deaf-specific trainings and resources. The Urban Institute plans to conduct additional interviews with staff, participants and community partners; analyze client surveys and program data; and review BFL training assessments. The final evaluation findings will be published in early 2022.

About the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII)

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII) focuses on three investment areas—crime prevention, reentry and diversion, and supports for survivors of crime. The DSI is funded through the Increase Access to Survivors of Crime Initiative, whose goal is to break down barriers to care for survivors of traditionally underserved groups, such as people of color, immigrants, and the D/deaf/HOH, thereby improving public safety. The majority (86%) of participants served by the DSI are at or near poverty with an annual household income of less than $30,000, and 100% report ASL as their primary language.

The CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance manages and provides technical assistance to CJII contractors, and conducts oversight and performance measurement throughout the lifetime of the initiative.

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Workforce Development Program Creates Pathways to Financial Independence for Survivors of Abuse

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When the Criminal Legal System Stands in the Way: Understanding Service Access Barriers for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence