Two of the most common uncertainties survivors face are regarding finances and animal companions. The Domestic Violence Program (DVP) under CDHS’s Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) is working on two new initiatives, the Flex Funds Project and the Animal Companion Support Project, to help address these challenges. Both programs are funded by State And Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) as a result of the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
“Domestic violence doesn’t always leave visible injury. It can also harm the survivor’s credit and financial security, as well as their mental and emotional state,” said OCYF Director Minna Castillo Cohen. “We know that financial and housing support are essential to harm reduction.”
The Flex Funds Project, launched on Sept. 1, helps assist survivors with immediate financial needs such as rent, mortgage assistance and transportation. In the first month of the project, 41 applications were approved for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The average amount of assistance per application was $728.45, distributed by 38 participating crisis intervention organizations statewide.
The Animal Companion Support Project, which also kicked off in September, uses SLFRF dollars in partnership with RedRover organizations to help equip anti-domestic violence organizations to tend to the safety needs of survivors’ pets. DVP is also partnering with Violence Free Coloradoand the founder of Saf-T to further help support survivors’ animal companions. The program also includes outreach with the Colorado Bureau of Animal Protection.
“The pets of domestic violence survivors are all too often secondary targets for abuse, and we want to keep survivors and their pets safe,” said Castillo Cohen. “If we can remove one more logistical barrier, survivors can better navigate their safety.”
Domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence (IPV), can take on many forms. It is a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior that can include physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual abuse or financial abuse (using money and financial tools to exert control). Domestic violence can affect and impact a survivor’s thoughts, behaviors and mental stability. Ripple effects commonly observed among survivors of domestic violence include increased anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.
Anyone, regardless of gender, race, sexual identity or orientation, or socio-economic status, can experience domestic violence. Talking to friends and loved ones about domestic violence is never easy, but the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) has a helpful webpage to help identify the various types of abuse and offers 10 Tips to Have an Informed Conversation about Domestic Violence.
Free and confidential help is available 24/7 for individuals experiencing domestic violence. Those seeking help may contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at TheHotline.org or 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or access Colorado information from Violence Free Colorado.
If you or someone you know is using abusive behavior, you can call the A Call for Change Helpline at 877.898.3411 to talk to someone about the behavior and local resources.
The Office of Children, Youth and Families is responsible for the coordination of quality and effective services for Colorado’s most vulnerable children, youth and their families. The office supervises the Division of Community Programs, which includes the Domestic Violence Program.
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