La. Admin. Code tit. 67 § III-6941

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section III-6941 - Support Groups

A. Guiding Principles. These standards require that family violence programs establish common quality intervention services. These standards value an individual response, collaboration, thoughtful evaluation, careful stewardship, and unconditional positive regard through a trauma informed approach. Participation in intervention services shall be voluntary.

B. Critical Minimum Standards

1. Standard 14.1. The program must provide group interactions facilitated by program staff members to address the emotional needs of adult and child users of services. These services include crisis, peer, supportive, educational, and domestic violence counseling.

C. Minimum Standards

1. Standard 14.2. Interactive group sessions must be topic oriented, informational, educational, and survivor directed. Sessions must be facilitated by qualified, trained program staff members and volunteers. Staff members and volunteers facilitating the support group must have at least 40 hours of domestic violence training education and experience in group facilitation and group dynamics for peer-to-peer led groups in trauma informed, culturally, and linguistically appropriate approaches.

2. Standard 14.3. The program must provide at least one weekly support group session for adult participants. As resources allow, the program will provide child care or a childrens support group session during the time the adult support group meets.

3. Standard 14.4. The support group facilitator must discuss the requirement of maintaining confidentiality during the support group session. The facilitator must then ensure that all individuals attending the group session sign a written statement agreeing to maintain the confidentiality of others attending the group session.

4. Standard 14.5. A program that provides support group services may provide:

a. open support groups which accept new members at any time; and

b. closed support groups which do not add new members for a specified period of time.

5. Standard 14.6. Support group services, which differ from professional group therapy, must provide support that addresses the needs identified by those attending the group session that includes:

a. safety planning;

b. active and reflective listening;

c. problem solving;

d. building self-esteem;

e. information about available legal remedies; and

f. information about available community resources.

6. Standard 14.7. Support group services must provide education and information about:

a. how batterers maintain control and dominance;

b. the need to hold batterers accountable for their actions;

c. the recognition that individuals victimized by domestic violence are responsible for their own decisions and that batterers are responsible for their violent behavior;

d. the role of society in perpetuating violence against women and the social change necessary to eliminate violence against women, including the elimination of discrimination based on ethnicity, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, disabilities, including substance abuse, economic or educational status, religion, HIV/AIDS or health status, or national origin; and

e. the traumatic effect of abuse.

7. Standard 14.8. The program must provide support groups to both residential and nonresidential survivors including former residents.

La. Admin. Code tit. 67, § III-6941

Promulgated by the Department of Children and Family Services, Economic Stability Section, LR 4435 (1/1/2018).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 46:2121-2128.