About the IFVCC

Family Violence Coordinating Councils, at both the state and local/circuit levels, provide a forum to improve the institutional, professional and community response to family violence including child abuse, domestic abuse, and elder abuse. Councils provide professional education and prevention; coordinate interventions and services for victims and perpetrators; and contribute to both the improvement of the legal system and the administration of justice.

Initiated under the auspices of the Illinois Supreme Court in 1990, Illinois is one of the few states that has a systematically organized, statewide infrastructure that operates at both the state and local levels. Since the 1970’s, a comprehensive, coordinated approach to preventing family violence has been promoted as the most efficient and effective way to penetrate systems and mobilize them for the greatest change.

Annually, up to 15,000 professionals from across Illinois participate in trainings and council projects. These include family violence training and education of criminal justice and community professionals; development of criminal justice procedures, protocols, and services related to family violence; and the facilitation of coordinated community response to family violence in local areas. These Local Councils provide opportunities for communication between criminal justice professionals and community service providers as well as encourage the sharing of information and resources, thereby providing for development of a network of safety and assistance for family violence victims.

Chief and circuit judges convene and chair the 23 local councils in all 102 counties in Illinois which are composed of policy-level decision makers who represent agencies and services to help intervene and prevent family violence.

News & Events

April 5, 2018 | Revised Protocol for Law Enforcement: Responding to Victims with Disabilities and Older Adults who Experience Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation

In 2011, the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council received a U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women Arrest grant. The focus of the grant was development of an Integrated Protocol Initiative. The scope of the initiative included updating the domestic violence and elder abuse protocols for law enforcement and prosecutors and to create protocols to address violence against people with disabilities. Upon completion of the protocols, in 2013, IFVCC and its partners conducted training of trainers across the state to facilitate local implementation. As a part of the statewide roll-out, the protocols for responding to violence against people with disabilities and older adults were jointly trained. Based upon this experience, it was determined that, though there are differences between older adults and people with disabilities, there are enough similarities in victimology and support requirements between the two populations that merging the protocols will allow a more cohesive response and provide ease of use for law enforcement and prosecutors.

In 2016, in preparation for the merger of the protocols, almost 80 interviews were conducted with law enforcement, people with disabilities, and older adults. Information obtained from law enforcement officers includes the need for more training for working with people with disabilities. The greatest challenge noted by officers is the lack of resources or lack of knowledge about resources. Additionally, spending time with people with disabilities, particularly family members, was suggested as the most helpful experience to increase comfort with people with disabilities.

Interviews with older adults and people with disabilities highlighting their experiences in working with police and their advice for a better response for law enforcement is included in this guide. Information from older adults and people with disabilities indicate a more positive interaction with police when officers take time to respectfully engage and understand how a person communicates. Finally, feedback obtained through the interviews, as well as the insights gained from communicating with local council training teams and previous implementation, form the basis for the new protocols. Workgroups comprised of Advisory Committee members, Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council staff, Local Council Coordinators and local Family Violence Coordinating Council members reviewed the protocols, updated statutes, person-first language and developed new resources for these protocols.

The purpose of this protocol is to effectively guide law enforcement in responding to people with disabilities and older adults who experience domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse, neglect or exploitation through model guidelines, investigative procedures, and legal considerations. Implementation of the protocol will allow for successful partnering with prosecutors, advocates, and others in the criminal justice system in the response to victims who are older adults or those with disabilities. Additionally, implementation supports alignment with legal mandates as well as current best practices. Law Enforcement response is critical to ensuring that victims who are older adults, or those with disabilities, have equal access to the criminal justice system in a compassionate, proactive, individualized manner. Use of this protocol will promote a more coordinated community response with law enforcement by bringing together health care, social service and adult protective services in serving older adults and people with disabilities who are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, abuse, neglect, and financial.

View the Revised Protocol >>

April 5, 2018 | Register Now: Facilitating Experiential Trauma Information Training

Training Opportunity

REGISTER TODAY for this free 1-day training!

Friday, May 18, 2018
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bunn Auditorium
HSHS St. John’s Hospital
800 E Carpenter Street
Springfield, Illinois 62769

Sponsored by the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council

LEARN TO: 

  • Explain the difference between cognitive thinking and experiential memory for victims of trauma.
  • Deliver the results of decades of neuroscience research as it relates to traumatization.
  • Define a newly recognized class of evidence called psycho-physiological evidence.
  • Identify the elements of the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview process. 

PRESENTERS:

Russell Strand, Executive Director of Certified FETI and Co-Founder/Managing Partner of Strand Holistic Innovative Forensic Techniques (SHIFT) LLC. Mr. Strand is an internationally recognized expert on child abuse and sexual assault investigations, domestic violence intervention, human trafficking, critical incident peer support, forensic interviews, trauma response, and culture change. He is the creator of the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview.

Myra Ferechil, Co-Founder/Managing Partner of Strand Holistic Innovative Forensic Techniques LLC. SHIFT’s mission is to dramatically shift the paradigm to improve societal responses to individuals who have experienced trauma, victimization, and other complex experiences. Ms. Ferechil provides consultation, training, and assistance to agencies and service providers.

SUGGESTED TRAINING PARTICIPANTS:

  • Law enforcement personnel
  • Prosecutors
  • Victim advocates
  • Judges
  • Probation
  • Social service staff
  • Public defenders
  • Mediators
  • Public health professionals
  • Attorneys

Continuing Education Credits for CDVP, CPAIP, LPC/LCPC, and LSW/LCSW will be awarded through sponsorship from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence pending approval.

Space is limited. Register today!

CLICK TO REGISTER

Questions? Contact Mary Ratliff: Mary.Ratliff@Illinois.gov

March 28, 2018 | Victim to Victor Training

Event Date: April 13, 2018
8am-12:00pm
Sponsor: 21st Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council, Child Network, KC-CASA and Kankakee Community College
Presenter: Vanessa McNeal
Location: Iroquois Room, Kankakee Community College Conference Hall, 100 College Drive, Kankakee, IL 60901

Many people experience horrific circumstances and feel defined by them. How do you transition from a victim to victor mind state? In this talk, Vanessa shares her journey experiencing and navigating through multiple forms of abuse. She’ll discuss how the trauma she endured impacted her on a systems level using examples through her lived experiences. She will also share how she was able to overcome by moving from a victim to victor mindset.

View the training flyer >>

March 13, 2018 | Trauma & Resiliency Summit

Event Date: May 10, 2018 from 8:30 AM-3:30 PM at Olivet Nazarene University in the Weber Leadership Center, Bourbonnais, IL

SUMMIT OBJECTIVES:

  • Raise awareness about the prevalence of trauma and impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
  • Encourage increased trauma sensitivity in agency practices, procedures, and policies.
  • Foster inter-agency collaboration.
  • Expand professional development around trauma-informed services and resiliency building.
  • Launch our local ACES CONNECTION portal, a solution oriented, action-based social network to prevent ACES, heal trauma, and build resilience.

View the Summit Flyer >>

All News & Events »