Policy and Practice in Social

Policy and Practice in social service organizations/Agency descriptions/Agency Change

This is an analysis of the social service organization -- Alternatives to Domestic Violence, P.O. Box 910, Riverside, CA 92502. This organization suits this investigation and its mission statement and activities can be studied as a model for the management of the social service organization and the changes and functional disparities that are found in such organizations that need be corrected. A sample study of this organization therefore will point out the commonalities for all these types of organization and combined with the other researcher's findings on these types of organizations it is possible to postulate a hypothesis about the efficacy of the current practices adopted and the future as it ought to be.

§ Name and location of the organization:

The organization taken up for this inquiry is the Alternatives to Domestic Violence, located in Corona, Ca P.O. Box 910, Riverside, CA 92502.

§ Size of the organization ( number of employees, clients, services programs, total agency budget)

Eliza Daniely-Woolfolk is the Chief Executive Officer and there are other personnel who are employed under the management of persons in charge of individual activities. For example, Holly Chavez is the Shelter Director, while Kimberly Taylor Corona Coalition Program Director and Karen Ray Is the accountant. Much of the work seems to be done by trainees and volunteers. (Alternativestodv, 2013a) The latest budget shows that salaries are paid as per IRA returns that show the number of employees to be. (Alternativestodv, 2013b)

§ Types of services provided by the organization:

Since it deals exclusively with domestic violence and domestic problems, some of the services provided relate to that and the organization has encompassed a big array of programs that are as stated below:

General types of services provided:

Safety assessment and planning: This is a service aimed at families in danger or potential danger.

Comprehensive case management: deals with the courts and legal affairs

Individual and group paraprofessional counseling: Counsels families and individuals and tends to juvenile issues.

Individual, family and group counseling: is an extension of the above.

Referrals to medical and social services: This is a referral service where action is taken by third parties.

Referrals and advocacy in obtaining housing resources: Again this involves other parties.

Relocation assistance: This may pertain to the broken homes and orphaned children.

Emergency shelter: The organization runs one such shelter.

Assistance in completing a Temporary Restraining Order -- TRO

Life skills training (financial planning, anger management, coping with stress and other topics)

How long the agency has been providing these services

(Approximation in years): 20 years: The problem is that the organization takes on more than necessary activities and is constrained by the resources available to it. For example, some of the legal services and the involvement of other agencies must be outsourced to avoid cost burden. In a care which involves complete legal solutions along with counselling for example there must be a complete delineation of the activities. In order to identify the magnitude of the work of the organization and to identify the problem areas, literature review of the problems in the work area was done. Based on that, the following problem areas were identified.

Problem: Children exposed to domestic violence are 1500 times more likely to become a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence.

Target population: Children ages 5- 18 years of age whom has a parent that is enrolled in the Adult Outreach Domestic Violence Program at the agency in Corona, CA.

Present findings:

Proposed services: To provide individual and support group advocacy for children impacted by domestic violence.

Services provided:

Problem solving skills

Identifying and processing feelings

Develop healthy relationships

Build self-esteem

Encourage positive communication

Conflict resolution

Anger management curriculum.

Though these ideals are being met with the organization, the problem is very deep.. For example the children being trained as above alone will not solve the problems but may increase their dependence if the home as a whole is not attended to. This can be seen in the evidence of the research that was done by Williams and Becker (1994) child abuse may stem from the broken family and they have found that for the issue treatment is less effective with minorities and this leaves a chasm that is not filled. They advocate that there must be the following attitude: there must be created a "cultural competence occur when these programs do the following: (a) network with the minority community, (b) locate outside consultants with expertise in working with minority clients, (c) obtain information concerning service delivery and programming for minority clients, and (d) have at least one bilingual counselor." (Williams; Becker, 1994) Such a system is lacking and it is proposed that while the problems of the children are attended to, a holistic approach that can also take into account the entire spectrum of the issue also be considered.

History

ADV was incorporated in June, 1978, as the Riverside County Coalition for Alternatives to Domestic Violence. Then representations are made to State Sen. Robert Presley to get SB 91, a bill that funds the first six domestic violence shelters in the state, including Horizon House, passed. The coalition receives a grant from the state to fund the 24-hour Crisisline. Based on that the organization purchased a bungalow in downtown and is renamed Horizon House, Riverside County's domestic violence shelter with 15 beds. In 1984 the Corona Outreach Office begins to function at CircleCity Hospital. The board of directors began $2 million fund-raising campaign to create two more shelters: a 15-20 bed "Horizon House East" in the desert and a 45-bed "Horizon House West" to serve Corona-Norco and the mid-county area.

By 1991 expansion occurs to Blythe, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley and Palm Springs. 1993 laws that restrain firearms passed with compulsory personnel to receive domestic violence training and requiring them to report suspected cases to police are passed. In 1995 the visitor Denise Brown, sister of Nicole-Simpson Brown, lectured about the infamous O.J. Simpson trial and the impact it had on domestic violence victims. In 1997 the organization got a $600,000 grant from the Office of Child Abuse Prevention to form the Coalition for Family Preservation Violence Prevention Program in Corona, including a school-based Teen Violence Prevention Program and specialized training for professionals, including one of the first clergy-focused conferences in the state. (Alternativestodv, 2013d)

It is on the childrens programs that this paper is concerned. Between 2000 and 2013 the organization has expanded and included among other things the expansion to Temecula in space donated by Hope Lutheran Church, Riverside County Department of Public Social Services and a new 60-bed residential facility with funds for the same at $1.5 million has been raised for Casa de Paz, including an $849,000 grant from the California Endowment, $500,000 from the California Community and Housing Development Emergency Housing Assistance Program and $200,000 from the Weingart Foundation. There are more activities that are current.

Mission, Values, and Philosophy

§ What is the mission statement?

Mission statements for any organization are today a foundation stone for defining its activities, attitudes and culture. Thus the mission statement influences the organization to a very great extent. Thus the mission statement shows the degree of internalization and the general principles of governance adopted by the institution, and its core values and responsibilities and the area of interest. (Gaebel, 2010) According to the organization their mission statement is: "ADV's mission is to improve the quality of life and create hope by ending the cycle of domestic violence through services and education for residents of Riverside County." (Alternativestodv, 2013d) In keeping with the principle it can be said that the mission is well considered because it is specific, targeted- domestic violence and limits its activity to its capacity -- namely the Riverside County. This therefore is an ideal mission.

§ Are there clearly stated organizational goals to support the mission? Does the formal "mission" comport with your understanding of the agency?

Yes the agency has defined goals, and these goals will be in accordance with the mission. In examining the stated goals, it can be seen that the Goals and Objectives as stated by the organization are: to: "Provide victims of domestic violence with alternate ways of dealing with physical and/or emotional abuse through education, counselling, shelter, non-judgmental emotional support, legal advocacy and housing assistance, increase community awareness of the problem of domestic violence, Serve as an advocate for all victims of domestic violence, find ways and means to decrease the frequency, magnitude and recurrence of domestic violence" (Alternativestodv, 2013d) The above goals resonate well with the mission because the goals are aligned to the mission statement and there is no dissonance. The organization in the website also proposes to enlarge the goals to 'working on programs and services that address the broader issues associated with family violence.' That may be ambitions at the moment because of the constraints the organization has now. It would be advised not to expand without consolidating and bettering its current position.

Programs and Services

§ Briefly describe the major programs and services, and the population intended to be served.

Before choosing the programs it is pointed out that about three decades ago, the term 'organizational culture', came in vogue. It resulted in a study of the different styles of organizing. Today the organizational change can be achieved easily and the methods of conducting programs themselves can be a part of a project that involves multiple organizations. Non-profits also came into the scrutiny of these concepts. (Wright, 1994)

The theory now is to see that maximum benefits and opportunities are extended to the subjects by the organization in this case the disadvantaged groups, particularly women and children. The programs seem to be created and managed on the general principles that all organizations follow. There does not seem to be any specific study that was done to incorporate the persons who belong to the local community -- Riverside with their problems, ethnic background and the specific requirement as is shown would be required for different communities.

§ Are the programs evaluated for effectiveness? By whom, what do the data demonstrate? The professor (as well as grant-makers) particularly cares about this facet of the assignment. How does anyone know whether the programs work?

Special needs: Funding for art supplies and age appropriate curriculum- material

Areas to consider:

Cultural competency: There appears to be no special effort taken to see the cultural background of the victims. A straight jacket approach is being followed.

Knowledge of the target population: As far as riverside is concerned yes, the organization is well equipped to deal with issues. The same may not be true for the other expanded centres.

Cultural competence of the group facilitator: Yes the facilitators seem to originate from identical communities and can cause bonding.

Age appropriate activities that reach the target population: With little constraints the facilities are being provided to a general satisfactory level.

Age appropriate language and communication: This is varied because the population is not homogenous and therefore special needs have to be met.

Age appropriate meeting space where children and adolescents feel comfortable and welcomed: Yes this facility has been noticed.

The administration must take into account the concepts of better cost management. Because of this one shortcoming there can be issues in future. The four elements of financial management: The four fundamental principles of financial accounting are: planning, controlling, organizing, and decision making. The very creation of the health care system revolves around plans not only of the system, that is the physical capital, buildings, staff, etc. But also the way the resources -- money and capital must be generated, used and properly managed to create the structures and the system. Organizing relates to the way the optimization occurs and cost benefit ratios are maintained in implementing the system as a whole and control of costs and benefits. It includes vigilance, auditing and costing. Managers who have to make decisions, example purchase of inventory, stocks and systems have to have an idea of the financial implications. They have to know the optimum price, losses and performance of the supplies and so on. These need inputs from the accounting and financial side for the managers to make decisions. (Baker, 2009)

Structure

§ What type of organization is it: non-profit, for profit, government, or some kind of Hybrid?

It is a non-profit private organization governed by a board of directors selected through a voting process A

§ Who are the leaders of the organization?

The leader is the Chief executive officer Ms Eliza Daniely-Woolfolk and is assisted by the elected board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer is also advised by persons like Holly Chavez Shelter Director, and so on.

§ How are policies communicated to staff- through memos, staff meetings, one-on-one etc.

The use of mobiles; e-mails and modern communication devices have been adopted and along with that serious communication is done by printed bulletins and direct circulars to individuals.

§ Is there a specific management philosophy? How are problems solved: and, any examples thereof?

Yes the management is done from the CEO down, and since the decisions and the methods are centralized there is no ambiguity on the communication. Roles and work models have been issued and finalized to the staff. It has to be commented that Chain of command, county wide group of professionals, county as a whole, generally have another advisory board members, serve for each section of counties. There is the chief executive officer who is supervisor for all staff and small group of managers who are responsible for managing programs. (Graham, 2013)

§ How bureaucratic is the organization? Please describe

As it was stated, expansion of services which impact manger and policy changes, constantly change; services impacted fiscal year to fiscal year, by funding. If the state is in trouble, the trickledown effect takes place. Funding has direct impact on staffing and programs. (Graham, 2013) But in this case the organization has a rigid set of policies for serious changes and decisions that involve investment and funds, and autonomy with guiding principles for the individual units that makes it less bureaucratic. Decision can be taken by the executive in most cases and reference occurs in policy matters.