The goal of systems advocacy is to improve systemic responses to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Through participation in commissions, projects, task forces, committees, and collaborative efforts, OCADSV is able to positively impact systemic responses to victims. Systems advocacy also offers network with community partners and agencies, and support domestic violence and sexual assault services providers across the state.

Batterer's Intervention Advisory Committee

Department of Human Services Domestic Violence Council

The DHS Domestic Violence Council convened in June 2002 and advises the Director of DHS on issues of domestic violence. The Council is comprised of fifteen members; ten cross-disciplinary members from within DHS and five community partners who work to end domestic violence in their communities. The Council is committed to enhancing safety for victims/survivors of domestic violence in the way DHS services are delivered and to developing systems that ensure coordinated community response to prevent violence.

Domestic & Sexual Violence Funds Advisory Board

The Oregon Department of Human Services, Children, Adults and Families (DHS, CAF) administers state and federal funding through the Family Violence Prevention Program to fund programs to identify, prevent and treat family violence (Oregon Revised Statutes 108.610 through 108.660). The original legislation passed in 1981 allowed funding to make grants or contracts for shelters, safe home networks, and crisis lines and for training and technical assistance.

Family Law Task Force

Governor's Council on Domestic Violence

The Governor's Council on Domestic Violence (GCDV) is a statewide advisory board to the governor made up of 21 appointed members representing various victim service, health, and criminal justice agencies. Members include survivors, domestic violence service providers, judges, legislators, legal aid attorneys, district attorneys, health care professionals, law enforcement, children's services providers, and public members. The Council sponsors quarterly public hearings throughout the state regarding community response to domestic violence with the purpose to gain an understanding of the issue of domestic violence within a particular community. Based on these proceedings, it provides advice and information to the Governor, to the Legislature, to other public entities, and to local communities. The Council seeks board input in developing policy, improving coordination, and supporting statewide and community efforts to end domestic violence.

Healing Roots Center Advisory Board

The Healing Roots Center is a domestic violence and sexual assault program formed by Bradley Angle House, Nappy Roots Press, and other community members in order to address the specific needs of African and African American survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Healing Roots Village

The Healing Roots Village project goal is to provide comprehensive wellness services to the African and African-American community. OCADSV was asked to partner with the project by S. Renee Mitchell, Oregonian columnist and founder of the HRV.

Multnomah County Family Violence Coordinating Council

The Family Violence Coordinating Council is committed to a coordinated response to domestic violence in the tri-county area. It was formed to improve services and guide discussion around policy and services to domestic violence survivors throughout the state of Oregon.

National Resource Sharing Project

The RSP was created to help state sexual assault coalitions across the country access the resources they need in order to develop and thrive. The project is designed to provide technical assistance, support, and to facilitate peer-driven resources for all statewide sexual assault coalitions. The Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault (IowaCASA), assisted by the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA) and the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP), leads the RSP.

Oregon Health Sciences University Interconnection Project

This community-based research project conducts focus groups to explore the correlation between domestic violence, sexual assault, and depression in African American and Hispanic women.

The Oregon Alliance To End Violence Against Women

The Oregon Alliance to End Violence Against Women was founded in 1999 with the primary purpose of promoting legislation in Oregon designed to protect and to empower survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Its secondary purpose is to monitor and to develop public policy that ensures an effective statewide system to address and to respond to violence against women. Membership is open to anyone or to any organization that seeks to advance these goals. The Alliance begins organizing for legislative sessions early in the year prior to the session, holding meetings around the state, soliciting ideas for legislation, establishing priorities, making legislative contacts, and drafting priority bills. During the legislative session, the Alliance provides information throughout the session to people in local communities about the status of bills of interest, and urges members to maintain active contact with their legislators about domestic violence and sexual assault issues in general and about specific bills in particular. Each session, the Alliance holds a very successful "Awareness Day" at the Capitol, in which Alliance members and supporters came from across the state to Salem to speak with their legislators about domestic violence and sexual assault issues in their communities.

Oregon Domestic & Sexual Violence Services Fund Advisory Council- (ODSVS)

State General Funds are administered by DOJ. The Advisory Council is created by statute and reflects a broad and diverse representation of stakeholders that bring expertise in domestic and sexual violence services. The Council advises the OR Attorney General and the OR Department of Justice of how this fund should be allocated.

PREA Steering Committee & PREA Workgroup:

The PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) Steering Committee was formed in February of 2006. The purpose of the PREA Work Group is to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding the implementation, enforcement, requirements and scope of PREA on behalf of individuals who are in the custody or under the supervision of the criminal or juvenile justice systems.

RAINN Program Advisory Board

The Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN), operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline, developed the Program Advisory Board (PAB) to bring together rape crisis professionals in order to tap into their collective expertise, creativity, and advice. The PAB provides leadership, guidance and feedback on program development, initiatives, and outreach.

Tri-County Sexual Assault Task Force

The Tri-County Sexual Assault Task Force (TCSATF) was formed in 1999 as part of a burgeoning statewide movement to rethink and reshape the way Oregon communities respond to sexual assault. The TCSATF was formed in order to improve services to rape and sexual assault survivors in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties. The population in this area is very mobile and services often overlap, it was important to address asexual assault as a regional issue. Currently the TCSATF focuses on providing quarterly free training regarding Advanced Sexual Assault and Rape information.

Violence Against Women Act - VAWA Board

The Department of Justice, Crime Victims Assistance Section administers funds to domestic violence and sexual assault programs. The Advisory Body has primary responsibility for funding decisions and issuing the yearly Request for Proposals. The VAWA funds are awarded to local domestic violence and sexual assault programs, courts, law enforcement and prosecution.

Women's Health & Wellness Alliance

This is a bi-partisan group of legislators, lobbyists and other interested parties who supports legislation that improves the health and safety of women in Oregon.

Building Caring Families

The Building Caring Families Program, developed by Dr. Herman Frankel, focuses on the faith community, specifically clergy. The project goals are to impact domestic violence through clergy premarital education classes. The pilot project is centered in Coos and Curry counties. OCADSV was asked to partner with the BCF program by Dr. Frankel and Coos County Judge Richard Barron.