Project-End Domestic Violence

Community Safety

San Fernando Valley

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women. It is estimated that twenty-two percent of U.S. women have experienced severe physical intimate partner violence during their lifetime, translating to nearly 29 million U.S. women. Females living in households with lower incomes experience the highest average annual rates of violence: National surveys of mothers show that in homes where there is domestic violence, 87% of children have witnessed the abuse. Even when children are not physically harmed, those who witness their mother being abused, are traumatized. Additionally, if you open a web browser and type "increase in domestic violence during COVID-19" you will find a seemingly endless supply of research and articles regarding intimate partner violence and how this issue has dramatically increased during the pandemic. Valley Family Center's mission is to provide services to victims as well as perpetrators of domestic violence, making LA a safer place to live.

In order to achieve the lofty goal of ending domestic violence, Valley Family Center provides the following programs for the community: Our Counseling Program: includes individual, couple, & family therapy sessions for adults and children. Our Survivors of Domestic Violence Program: includes support groups, and counseling for victims and witnesses of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Our Sexual Abuse Awareness Group for non-offending caregivers of children who have been sexually abused meets weekly to help parents & guardians support their children as they move through the healing process and prevent future abuse. Our Batterers' Intervention Program includes therpeutic classes for perpetrators of domestic violence. These classes educate clients regarding cycles of violence and how to build healthy coping mechanisms and communication skills. The class includes anger management techniques for men & women struggling with impulse control. Our Parent Education Program: includes instruction regarding normal child development and teaches positive behavior management skills for parents. The Learning Center, our after-school tutoring program for at-risk children, includes programming focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) as well as mentoring and modeling of appropriate social skills. All of Valley Family Center's programs are focused on helping individuals heal from the wounds of the past and move forward in a peaceful, violence-free manner.

Our vision for the success of this project is when the grant cycle is complete, 1,000 LA community members will have received therapeutic services aimed at helping them deal with emotional wounds caused from experiencing or witnessing domestic violence. Clients will have learned tools and techniques to move toward living a violence-free life. Additionally, not only will the 1,000 targeted clients be affected. Valley Family Center's services have a ripple effect on the wider community. We believe that “helping one helps many.” For each person we serve, life is transformed in some way. This, in turn, positively impacts the lives of the individual's family, friends, co-workers and ultimately the larger community. When an individual takes the often frightening first-step toward seeking help, Valley Family Center meets them where they are, guides them along the path to deal with their issues, and often supports them after treatment is completed. LA becomes safer for everyone.

Valley Family Center assesses client progress in the following ways: 1. Clinical outcomes for the Counseling Program are measured through the administration of an online survey called the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 for adults and Youth Outcome Questionnaire for children. This questionnaire measures progress made during counseling sessions. 2. Attendance rates are measured. The more a person attends, the better the outcome. 4. Clients complete a pretest/posttest to measure their knowledge and learning in each program. 5. Clinical progress notes aid in determining if treatment was successful. 6. Client satisfaction surveys are administered to each client. On average 80-85% of clients who enter Valley Family Center's various programs will achieve successful outcomes, including demonstrating an increase in knowledge regarding domestic violence, it's impact on children, symptom reduction, improved functioning and a better quality of life.