RESPOND has founded and co-founded 4 multidisciplinary “High Risk Teams.” The multidisciplinary High Risk Teams (HRT) include our partners in law enforcement, probation, parole, mental health, abuser education, and a variety of other local support service providers who have contact with the abuser and/or the victim. The team focuses on early identification of high risk domestic violence cases; victims are referred due to a much greater risk of being killed by their partner. The HRT serves to monitor and hold offenders accountable while providing comprehensive life saving services to increase victim safety.
Additionally, RESPOND has Domestic Violence Counselors embedded on-site in the Malden, Melrose, Wakefield, Wilmington, Woburn, and Reading Police Departments. The Counselor is able to connect with victims of domestic incidents within 24-48 hours of the initial call. Counselors are able to identify cases that have the potential to escalate and provide access to RESPOND’s crisis services. This is a proactive measure to reach survivors and initiate services as opposed to waiting for survivors to find the time in this time of crisis where survival is the primary focus.
Program Testimonials
This project was partially supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.