Domestic Abuse Information for Workers The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) contracts Domestic Abuse Services with local agencies in every county of the state to provide a variety of support services to victims/survivors and their children who are living with domestic abuse. Domestic abuse programs collaborate with partner agencies in their local communities to aid survivors of violence, protect children and assist families. Resources for Partner Agencies In Wisconsin, guardians ad litem (GALs) are attorneys who are charged with representing the best interest of children when child custody and placement is disputed. When domestic abuse has occurred, GALs have a critical role to play in protecting the safety and well-being of domestic violence victims and their children. The Domestic Abuse Guidebook for Wisconsin Guardians ad Litem: Addressing Custody, Placement, and Safety Issues is a comprehensive, step-by-step manual for approaching the consequential issue of domestic abuse in child custody and placement actions. The Guidebook is created by the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse and End Domestic Abuse WI. The Domestic Violence Handbook for Wisconsin Child Welfare Professionals is a guidance document that provides an overview of best practices that Child Welfare Professionals are able to refer to, as needed, when working with a family where DV is present. The handbook is a companion to currently established CPS policies and operates in the same way as other desk guides or guidance documents do. Resources for DCF Grantees Developing a Language Access Plan was created by the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse – Access Committee. It is a resource for domestic violence advocacy programs to develop and/or improve their own Language Access Plan to ensure all survivors of domestic abuse, regardless of language barriers, receive access to all services Operating a Domestic Abuse Program: A Fair Minimum was created by the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse – Budget Committee. It provides guidance for communities, funders and Board of Directors on what a budget through a DCF Basic Services grant should potentially include. The Resource Guide on Developing a Memorandum of Understanding Between a Domestic Abuse Program and a Child Protective Services Agency provides guidance on how to establish and maintain a collaborative working relationship between both agencies. Webinars for Domestic Abuse Workers/Partners (located in the Program & Services section) provides useful information on issues of interest to domestic abuse programs, including completing the annual Domestic Abuse Program Report and Collecting Outcomes. Resources to Help Meet Grant Requirements provides domestic abuse programs with a limited number of resources that can help programs meet selected DCF grant requirements. Domestic Abuse Contract Budget Revision Request Form (DCF-F-5211-E) should be completed and returned to the contract administrator when a transfer of funds between line item budget categories of your contract budget will vary by more than 20%. Matching Funds for Domestic Abuse Programs will assist programs in understanding their match requirements for DCF grants. Annual Reports The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) Domestic Abuse Program administers state and federal funding dedicated to providing emergency shelter and support services for victims of domestic violence and their families. In addition to supporting direct services for victims and their families, DCF also supports primary prevention efforts. The Domestic Violence Grant Program Annual Report is based upon the federal fiscal year (October 1st - September 30th). 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 Notification of Available Funding For information on available funding opportunities, please check out: Anticipated Procurement Opportunities and sign up to receive funding notices.
