Sharing Our Success: Building Capacity for Communication,

Conflict Resolution and True Collaboration

Harvesting Hope: Creating Communities that

Counter Violence Against Women with Disabilities

A Montana Project Focused on Women with Cognitive and Psychiatric Disabilities

COLLABORATION TEAMBill Heinecke – State of Montana DPHHS Developmental Disabilities Program

Cindy Flom – Montana Center on DisabilitiesHeather Torrence Mattson - Montana Center on Disabilities

Nicole Gray – Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual ViolenceTina Hoagland – Montana Center on Disabilities

Tracy Velazquez – Montana Mental Health Association

Planting Seeds…Raising Awareness…Harvesting Hope

Spring Retreat – Cross Training and Capacity

Building• Participants – Montana Collaboration members, VERA staff Nancy

Smith and Alissa Yarkony and Facilitator Roberta Sick• Highlights

– Discussion of 7 Habits of Defective and Effective Teams and Members– Gradient decision making concept was introduced to team– Key shared concepts: all collaboration members and organizations are

committed to this project as a social justice issue; all saw “denial” from community members, families and professionals as an important challenge

– Intensive cross-training sessions on domestic violence and sexual assault, developmental disabilities, mental health, and the general disability service system

– Final session – Intense, emotional session focused on shared concepts, definitions and goals…work toward answering the question “What Next?”

Harvesting Hope: Creating Communities that

Counter Violence Against Women with Disabilities

Spring Retreat

The issue feels immense, endless sometimes…

Harvesting Hope: Creating Communities that

Counter Violence Against Women with Disabilities

Spring Retreat

We are a team of individuals, each with a separate set of ideals and motivations……

United by our passion for our work and our unceasing commitment to justice and safety for all.

Harvesting Hope: Creating Communities that

Counter Violence Against Women with Disabilities

Spring RetreatWe build trust and open, honest lines of communication.

Harvesting Hope: Creating Communities that

Counter Violence Against Women with Disabilities

Spring Retreat

We are committed to progress and change

The vision of the Project is that women with cognitive and/or psychiatric disabilities in Montana who have experienced sexual or domestic violence will receive full access to services and treatment, both at the time of crisis and in the months and years that follow –

services and treatment that are needed, appropriate, and desired by the woman herself and provided with compassion and an open mind.

The mission of the Project is to bring together individuals with a personal understanding of violence against women with cognitive and/or psychiatric disabilities with professionals and volunteers working in the fields of domestic and sexual violence, disability services, mental health, and other areas of medicine, health and

human services in specific communities to raise awareness, improve services, develop more inclusive policies and create community-wide

systems change. These partnerships will be built in specific communities and will increase knowledge and understanding of both

clinical and individual issues, and result in the formation of a community of people deeply committed to making this issue a priority

and providing the best possible services to those in need.

Retreat Accomplishments

• Project name• Cross Training • Identification of organizational and system

challenges• Creating an atmosphere of trust and openness• Achieving honest communication in times of

conflict and high emotions• Renewal of energy and enthusiasm for the

exciting work ahead