Utilizing a Domestic Violence High Risk Team Model

Research has shown that intimate partner domestic violence homicides are often predictable; and if they’re predictable, they’re preventable. The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center's Domestic Violence High Risk Team (DVHRT) Model leverages that predictability by incorporating evidence-based risk assessment into a community’s domestic violence response system to identify cases at high risk of lethality. Once identified, individual cases are then monitored by a multidisciplinary team that shares case information and implements case-specific intervention plans to mitigate the danger. The DVHRT Model focuses on increasing both victim safety and offender accountability. By focusing on the highest risk cases, the DVHRT intervenes in incidents with the most severe potential consequences while improving the quality and cohesion of the entire domestic violence response system. This presentation will provide a comprehensive understanding of the DVHRT Model with an overview of the research at its foundation. The function and structure of key partners in this multidisciplinary approach will be discussed. Participants will learn how team members work together to identify high-risk cases and mobilize risk management strategies.