The Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (CCDV) has published its Cumulative Progress Report and Strategic Plan, detailing efforts and achievements since its establishment in 2019 to improve community responses to domestic violence. The strategic plan outlines CCDV’s priorities for the next five years.
“From the start, the CCDV has focused on bringing together stakeholders across every sector of the family violence system to improve our community’s collective action,” said CCDV Co-Chair and District Court Judge Monique Diaz. “This report highlights the importance of these partnerships and showcases the work the CCDV and its stakeholders have accomplished together over the last five years, such as improving the protective order process, expanding capacity for legal services, and creating a Domestic Violence Navigation Line. As we look to the future, the CCDV will continue to lead with collaboration and innovation while implementing its new strategic plan.”
Key achievements from 2019 to 2023 include:
- Forming a workgroup in 2020 to execute service of process on respondents, streamline documentation, and enforce protective orders with law enforcement.
- Transitioning the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) to a victim-centered model in 2020, providing support through crisis advocates and service providers.
- Establishing Bexar County’s first Civil Family Violence Prevention Program in 2021, offering rehabilitative support services and compliance services for court orders.
- Launching a Domestic Violence Navigation Line in 2021, connecting survivors to a 24/7 call center for risk assessment and resource connection.
- Developing the Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Symposium to facilitate community learning on domestic violence strategies.
- Creating a community-wide domestic violence awareness campaign, reaching over 63,000 community members and distributing more than 10,000 decals to various organizations.
“We are proud of the progress and improvements we’ve collectively made over the past five years,” said CCDV Co-Chair and Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez. “The progress represents a step forward in the right direction and we acknowledge there is still more work to do. The new CCDV strategic plan will continue the work by focusing on data utilization, communications planning and healthy relationships and it supports the City’s Metro Health Violence Prevention Plan.”
The new strategic plan, adopted in December 2023, will be implemented through 2028 and focuses on:
- Improving data acquisition, sharing, and utilization.
- Implementing a comprehensive communications campaign and using social media.
- Incorporating education on healthy relationships early in life.
The CCDV was created in 2019 with a mission to work collaboratively to empower the community, increase safety, and achieve justice by preventing and effectively intervening in domestic violence and its inter-generational impact. The commission includes stakeholders from healthcare, prosecution, judiciary, law enforcement, education, and non-profits.
For anyone experiencing domestic violence, please call the Family Violence Prevention Services 24/7 Hotline at (210) 733-8810 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800- 799-SAFE (7233). In an emergency, please call or text 911.