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Coalition Connection
Your Weekly Source of News, Trainings, and Events
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Through a collective voice,
the WCADVSA is committed to provide leadership, education, and systems advocacy to advance social change and end violence.
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Welcome to your weekly edition of the Coalition Connection!
Not sure of the purpose of this newsletter? Click here to learn more. Are you having difficulty viewing this e-mail or do you feel like you are missing some of the information in the Connection? If so, click here for a few helpful hints.
We will highlight important information in this section each week that requires your action or attention. This week's highlights include:
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Opportunity
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WCADVSA Staff Attorney Position
The WCADVSA Legal Project is funded through a grant received from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program. The Legal Project has been funded by OVW since 1998 in competitive grant cycles. Two Staff Attorney positions and a Legal Assistant position are funded to complete the grant goals which include providing direct civil legal services on behalf of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking statewide.
Located within the WCADVSA's Legal Project office in Ft. Washakie, WY. Qualifications:
- Licensed to practice law in Wyoming.
- Knowledge of Wyoming courts, laws and procedures.
- Thorough understanding of family law, civil procedure, evidence, ethics and familiarity with criminal law.
- Understanding of issues and willingness to continue to learn about issues related to
domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault and a strong commitment to ending
violence against women. - Ability to provide professional, high quality and sensitive legal services to victims of
domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. - Ability to counsel and advise clients and provide referrals for people who are in crisis.
- Willingness and ability to work with people from varied backgrounds, cultures,
ethnicities and abilities. - Proficiency with computer and Internet technologies and software programs,
including Microsoft Word and Excel. - Ability to work with law office management databases, including ABACUS.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage time, keep detailed statistics, evaluate progress and
adjust activities to complete work within established time frames. - Ability to handle multiple projects and work independently as well as collaboratively.
- Demonstrated team building, limit setting, problem solving, creative/analytical
thinking and organizational skills, including report writing and grant writing. - Demonstrated project management skills, including staff supervision.
- Commitment to collaboration, team-building and professional development of staff.
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Apply to LEAP - Join a Community Created By and For Leaders of Color
While women of color leaders have been instrumental to the development of the movement to end gender-based violence, we are frequently met with barriers to professional growth and achievement in executive leadership positions. This underrepresentation of women of color leaders in the communities we serve, impedes our ability to provide culturally specific services and education, and ultimately, the ability to grow thriving, violence free communities.
In collaboration with the Women of Color Network, ValorUS (formerly the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault) established the Leadership Education and Advancement for Professionals (LEAP) Project in 2012 to address the disproportionate lack of women of color leaders in the movement. LEAP's primary purpose is to enhance the professional skills of individuals of color seeking professional advancement in the gender-based violence field.
Click here for more information and to register.
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Our Work
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Wyoming's VAWA Implementation Committee Update - 
September 10th Deadline for Two Surveys
2. There is a second survey for those who have utilized your services. Please forward widely to all those who may be willing to answer it.
The primary purpose of this survey is to understand what special populations need to receive adequate services.
Please help us get the survey out by sending it to current or former clients when you feel it is appropriate. The survey is available in both English and Spanish. We are trying to reach the following people:
● Communities of Color
● Elderly (+65)
● Homeless, housing insecure, at-risk of becoming homeless within 6 months
● LGBTQ+
● Persons with Disabilities
● Immigrants, Refugees, or Asylum Seekers
● Limited English Proficiency
● Male Survivors of Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault
● Human Trafficking victims/survivors
● Military Personnel Survivors of Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault
● Secondary Victims (individuals who experienced an indirect consequence of the crime, which can include relatives of the primary victims or individuals who witnessed the crime)
● Beliefs other than Christianity (e.g. Judaism, Islam, spirituality, atheism, agnostic)
● Resident of remote area (places that face significant challenges accessing services relative to larger communities in Wyoming)
Below is a link to the survey along with a little intro you can use:
Thank you! Connect with Tara Muir if you want more background or have any questions.
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Save the Dates: WCADVSA Fall 2021 Board/Membership Meeting, 
P.E.A.C.E. Awards and Silent Witness
WCADVSA Board Meeting is Tuesday, October 5
in Rock Springs, WY beginning at 9:00 am
Membership Meeting will be held in Rock Springs, WY and begins Wednesday, October 6 at 8:00 am,
continues October 7 from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm and concludes October 8 at 12:00 pm
P.E.A.C.E. Awards presentation and dinner will be Thursday, October 7 at 6:30 pm
Holiday Inn of Rock Springs - 1675 Sunset Dr.
Silent Witness Ceremony, Procession and Reception will be Saturday, October 9 beginning at 9:00 am
at Western Wyoming Community College - 2500 College Dr. Rock Springs, WY
Lodging Information
Holiday Inn of Rock Springs 1675 Sunset Dr.
Reserve your room by September 24, 2021 by calling 307-382-9200. Mention the room block from October 4-8 under the name "WCADVSA" to receive the rate of $75/night.
Funding for Travel Expenses Through the WCADVSA's Rural Grant, we are able to provide up to $250 per program to attend the meeting.
If your program needs assistance, you must fill out a WCADVSA Travel Pre-Approval Request Form prior to the meeting by September 30th. This process helps to ensure we have travel funds for programs throughout the entire grant period. To see reimbursement after the meeting, please complete the
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NNEDV COVID Call - Delta Variant Questions 
As we are nearing the end of summer, heading into fall we are also facing a new surge of COVID in the form of the highly contagious Delta variant. As we head into another wave of infections, many program staff have pressing questions about what we can and should be doing this time around.
NNEDV hosted an informative discussion with Dr. Josh Barocas, from the University of Colorado Medical Center to answer questions regarding the Delta variant.
The hour-long discussion covers topics such as masks and social distancing in shelters, adequate ventilation systems for shelters and offices, and how we can protect children who are too young to be vaccinated. This conversation is packed with information and well worth your time.
Watch the recorded English conversation at here! The recording has also been translated to Spanish and can be accessed here!
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2021 Wyoming Conference for Violence Prevention & Response Planning Committee 
We are currently seeking individuals to be a part of a creative and dynamic team that will plan the 2021 Wyoming Conference for Violence Prevention and Response!
If you are interested in participating on this planning committee, please complete this short form. You'll be notified no later than Sept 13th if you have been selected to participate on the planning committee.
If you have any questions about the conference or planning committee please reach out to Jody Sanborn at jsanborn@wyomingdvsa.org or 307-684-2454. Thank you!
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Survivor Storytelling Workshops and Advisory Council
Survivor Storytelling Workshops
Workshop A: Evenings 7:00-9:00 pm
Thursday, September 23 & Thursday, September 30
Workshop B: Mornings 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Wednesday, September 22 & Friday, October 1
A Virtual Inaugural Convening of the WCADVSA Survivor Advisory Council
Save the Date - Tuesday, October 19- 7:00-9:00 pm
All survivors are invited, especially those who have gone through the story telling workshops. For more information, please contact Tara Muir or Susie Markus.
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Policy Updates
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If you, survivors, staff, board, members of your community response team or other partners are invited. If they would like to learn more or discuss ideas for fixing state statutes in order to keep survivors safer and hold offenders more accountable - the monthly policy call is where to go!
Next call September 24 12 noon - 1 pm - brown bag it on Zoom!
September 24th agenda will build off the great conversation from August 27 - victims' rights to a sexual assault advocate, and build on enforcement of Wyoming's Victims Bill of Rights.
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Training and Events |
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Wyoming Webinars, Training, and Events
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Rural and Familial Exploitation - Free Community Training 
Uprising and The Center for a Vital Community invite you to a free, community training on September 14th from 1-4 pm at the Sheridan, WY Holiday Inn Convention Center. This training focuses on rural and familial exploitation and trafficking and will be conducted by leading experts, Wade Arvizu- a human trafficking survivor, and Elizabeth Scaife- a leading US trafficking expert. This event is geared towards professionals, direct service providers, and community members who want to learn more.
Learning objectives include:
- Sexual exploitation & trafficking within rural communities
- Vulnerabilities, victim profiles, and trafficker control tactics
- Engagement and intervention strategies
This training is FREE thanks to sponsorship from the Homer A. & Mildred S. Scott Foundation and the B.F. & Rose H. Perkins Foundation.
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"Confidentiality: If not us, then who?" 
Join us for a "Confidentiality: If not us, then who?" training! Our advocacy principles rely heavily on privacy and confidentiality as being a practice, not tasks. For privacy and confidentiality to be a practice, it's most helpful when we reflect on our organizational culture and how that culture influences our individual advocacy in this practice. We'll spend time discussing how a trauma-informed organizational culture is supported by privacy and confidentiality being a practice. We'll then move into more specifics of privacy and confidentiality, including beliefs and governing laws and rules that you can frame your organizational culture and advocacy around.
Who: DVSA Program Advocates
When: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 10:00 am - 4:30 pm (lunch noon to 1:00 pm)
Where: Via Zoom (link will be provided to registrants)
Virtual Wellness: We will be engaging in wellness activities throughout the training and taking breaks nearly every hour, along with an hour break for participants to have lunch. We will also share our Practicing Wellness folder for ideas to bring wellness to yourself during the training.
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Wyoming Coalition for Animal Protection Upcoming Virtual Trainings 
Please join us for these free virtual trainings offered through WYCAP, HSUS, and ALDF, (See attached schedule).
These two organizations are being very generous in offering these sessions for free to WYCAP members, so let's support them! Both topics are vital to our mission and should be extremely informative for us all.
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Healthy Moms, Happy Babies (HMHB) Community-Based Webinar 
Coming to Your Community in Summer 2021!
Many staff of home visitation, early childhood and similar programs struggle with how best to address issues of domestic violence (DV) among their clients. The impact of DV on parents' and children's physical and mental health and risk for substance use and persistent perinatal depression is well documented. To support communities' capacity in DV prevention, response, and healing, we are providing Healthy Moms, Happy Babies (HMHB) webinars. We aspire to reach each county in Wyoming, and invite you to lead in identifying community partners to invite to the webinars.
This summer and early fall, a team of people from Wyoming Departments of Family Services, Health, and Corrections, along with Wyoming Children's Trust Fund and WCADVSA, will provide training. The 3-hour webinar provides healing approaches to DV prevention and response for staff of home visitation, early childhood, and other community programs, with attuned approaches to DV for survivors.
HMHB is an interactive curriculum that addresses the barriers and difficulties staff experience in addressing DV. The training will address how personal and or vicarious trauma or abuse may impact our ability to do this work. Specific strategies and tools, personal and organizational, will be presented to address the needs of front-line staff and managers so that they feel adequately situated to hear a positive disclosure of abuse.
We hope sharing in this interactive learning space with your fellow community members and organizations will be another capacity building opportunity for all. If you're interested, please click here to choose some weeks that look good for a potential webinar for your community, and Susie will reach out to you to talk about this in more detail. For more information email Susie Markus or call her at 307-222-3352 or 307-274-6292.
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National Webinars, Training, and Events
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Free Webinars - How We Can Improve Our Families and Our Communities
NAFFA began with the purpose of strengthening families through responsible fatherhood and motherhood by laying a strong foundation of a purpose-driven life. If you work with parents, grandparents and youth, we encourage you to hear our message by:
1) Attending one of our three free webinars on September 7, 8 or 9 at 12:00 pm Topics include:
- Fatherhood is Sacred®, Motherhood is Sacred®
- Linking Generations By Strengthening Relationships®
- Addressing Family Violence & Abuse®
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Taking on Porn: Developing Resilience and Resistance Through Sex Education 
Pornography has become the primary form of sex education for young people. Studies show that the average age of kid's first viewing of porn is between 8 and 11 and that teenagers turn to online pornography to learn about sex.
This conference is the first to explore best practices for developing sex education with a porn-critical lens while examine the key harms of porn -- sexual violence, misogyny, and the increasing sexual commodification, monetization, and exploitation of young people.
Speakers will include experts from government agencies, NGOS, education, and academia from the US, UK, India, Sweden and Turkey.
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Online Healthy Masculinity Training Institute - October 2021 
During Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2021, increase your skill set to positively engage men and boys in the prevention of gender-based violence. Men Can Stop Rape is excited to offer our highly praised and effective online Healthy Masculinity Training Institute (HMTI) this October. As a three-part online series, the training institute is an opportunity to develop virtual primary prevention skills at an affordable fee, network with professionals across time zones and industries, and be a part of the healthy masculinity movement.
HMTI Dates and Registration:
No matter where you are in the country or world, HMTI will help you move from theory to practice, from awareness to action, when mobilizing men and boys. Participants will learn the scientific theories, strength-based approach, and dynamic exercises that are part of MCSR's 24-year history, including our current socially distancing practices for mobilizing boys and men.
Learn more about the HMTI and see our evaluation data here on our website. Add yourself to our distribution list by filling out our form here!
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Click here to view a variety of upcoming webinars, national training, and conferences.
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Resource Center |
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1) Afghan women and girls are fearful for their lives, their safety, and their futures. In a nutshell: The Administration must immediately appoint a special presidential envoy for Afghan humanitarian and refugee issues, commit that evacuation efforts will continue until all U.S. allies and their families are safely evacuated, and stop all deportations of Afghan nationals. Take action: Sign onto HIAS's action alert today.
2) Voting right are under attack. Already this year, eighteen states have enacted 30 laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote. In a nutshell: Congress has an opportunity to restore parts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and ensure fair and easy access to voting, particularly for voters of color and young voters.
Take action: Email your senators and tell them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
3) Women do not have equal opportunity to financial success in the workplace. In a nutshell: Due to the gender pay gap, it takes Native and Indigenous women an extra 10 months to make what white males earned the previous year.
Take action: Join the #NativeWomensEqualPay Day twitter storm next Wednesday (9/8) from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Miss Rep's Book Club, a community where we read, watch, and listen together.
Our goal is to create a space where we can move past our own experience as the default (and the white cisgender male experience as default) by engaging with diverse works by diverse creatives. We are building a community that expands our understanding of intersectional feminism, making us better prepared to build a feminist future affirming of all.
Every two months, the book club will release a 3-by-3 bingo card. The center square will be the main topic of discussion. The remaining eight squares will be other pieces of media such as podcasts, short articles, music, and more. The September/October book pic is Invisible Women: Data Dias In A World Designed By Men by Caroline Criado Perez.
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Working with Male Survivors of Sexual Violence Toolkit 
One in six men have been sexually victimized at some point. Yet many male survivors face obstacles to finding support.
In order to help advocates meet the needs of male survivors, we've compiled a new list of tools for better serving these survivors. The tools are designed to help you understand how male socialization impacts the stigma and reaction to sexual violence. Our Working with Male Survivors online toolkit will help advocates consider how to reach and engage men who need healing from sexual violence, instruct you on mapping out potential partnerships in your service area, and give you guidance on creating sexual assault services that meet the needs of male survivors.
We know that sexual violence impacts people of all genders and backgrounds. There are men who commit acts of sexual violence. Men also play an important role in interrupting sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviors. And in addition to these important truths, it is also vital that we recognize that men experience sexual violence and need healing. With the help of our Working with Male Survivors online toolkit, advocates will be able to best serve these survivors with the care they need and deserve.
Looking for more resources on supporting male survivors?
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ERAP Updates: Eviction Moratorium Ends
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the CDC's eviction moratorium on Thursday, August 26. Despite the decision, Wyomingites facing eviction still can seek assistance through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). We strongly encourage Wyoming landlords and renters to work together and apply for ERAP funding, which can pay unpaid rent and up to three months in advance rent at a time. Eligible renters can receive up to 15 months total of unpaid past due and advance rent. If all the documentation is complete, the typical ERAP application takes less than 30 days to be reviewed for eligibility, processed and payments to be issued.
If facing eviction, please contact Legal Aid of Wyoming. Visit lawyoming.org. Or call the toll free hotline at 1-877-432-9955. Legal Aid may be able to provide other legal assistance to eligible ERAP renters such as:
- Lease agreement advice/negotiation;
- Eviction defense;
- Disputes that could lead to eviction;
- Financial issues directly related to the home you rent (disputes about security deposits, damages claims, late fees, etc.);
- Issues related to the safety of the home you rent; and
- Financial matters affecting your ability to maintain or obtain housing such as: debt collection defense; federal benefits (SSI/SSDI); employment matters (FMLA, disability accommodations); and consumer protection actions to obtain tenant funds lost to scams.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS
The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault provides legal aid services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Call 307-755-0992 or visit wyomingdvsa.org/legal-program.
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
If you need additional help, please Dial 2-1-1 or visit wy211.communityos.org to be connected to available resources.
Housing stability services include:
- Home Modifications
- Trailer/Mobile Home Repairs
- Homemaking Services
- Personal Care - Skilled Nursing Services
- Non-Medical Transportation
- Information technology hardware to facilitate telehealth
- Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)
- Independent living skills
- Hoarding Services
ERAP Income Eligibility Requirements
You meet the income eligibility requirements if your total household income is equal to or less than 80% the area median income (AMI). Your AMI depends on how many people live in your household and the county you live in. Please reference the tables below to see the 80% AMI applicable to your household using either annual or monthly income. Click here to view chart.
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RedRover is a national animal welfare nonprofit that helps domestic violence survivors escape with their pets through several grant opportunities and the SafePlaceForPets.org website.
Our grant opportunities include covering the cost of boarding while a survivor stays at a domestic violence (DV) shelter (Safe Escape grants) to helping create pet housing programs at DV shelters (Safe Housing grants). Also, we are now able to offer up to $60,000 (previously $20,000) for our Safe Housing grants which may be used to create housing for pets at DV shelters or at a partner animal welfare organization.
The next round of applications are due October 15th and then again on May 15th, 2022.
We'd also like to share our new collaborative project, Don't Forget the Pets, with you. In partnership with Greater Good Charities' Rescue Rebuild program, we offer free support to DV organizations in creating pet housing programs through the website (includes our training handbook), training workshops, a discussion forum, and our Coaching program.
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Spotlight |
DV Census Count Day is Next Thursday -September 9
Be Prepared with Social Toolkit, Submission Instructions, Spanish Webinar 
We've got some new DV Counts resources for you as we gear up for our survey day on Thursday, September 9:
Help us spread the word about #DVCounts on Thursday, 9/9! This toolkit includes graphics and suggested language to announce your program's participation in our survey.
This document clarifies the "Save & Exit" process in the new DV Counts form, as detailed during the 8/11 webinar.
Please let us know if you have any questions or if you have any trouble accessing any of these materials!
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Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
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Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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