Child and spouse abuse threatens the fabric of our entire
society. Concern for the welfare of Navy families and the effects of family
violence on military performance prompted the establishment of the Family
Advocacy Program (FAP) in 1976. Today the FAP is designed to address
the prevention, identification, reporting, intervention, treatment, and
follow-up of child and spouse maltreatment.
Fleet &
Family Support Center (FFSC) has a mandate from NavPers to provide parenting
classes and preventative education in support of the Family Advocacy Program.
The Navy Family Advocacy Center (FAC) is mandated to provide assessment,
intervention, and new parent support team education. The FAC was
designated as a model program site to receive reports of child and spouse abuse
involving military families in the San Diego area.
The Navy's
comprehensive community response to family violence is designed to prevent or to
stop the violence and to minimize its impact on the family and the
Navy.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS INCLUDE:
FFSC RESPONSIBILITIES
Education
FFSC's Family Advocacy has the primary responsibility for
Family Advocacy education programs. FAP provides a series of classes
to promote positive parenting methods, better understanding of child
development, and responsible anger management. FFSC also offers
general FAP classes to commands and individuals to increase awareness of child
and spouse abuse and provides training to command leadership and command Family
Advocacy representatives on family advocacy policies and procedures.
FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER RESPONSIBILITIES
Identification and
reporting
FAP provides training to help professionals identify abuse.
Incidents of abuse or neglect are reported to the FAC and are coordinated with
local child protective and law enforcement authorities.
Prevention
The
Family Advocacy New Parent Support Team provides assistance to Navy families
that are expecting a child or parents of newborns. The NPST officers
have access to a variety of community resources to assist parents of
newborns. Team members are able to provide home visits or meet with a
parent at Naval Medical Center San Diego following their clinic appointments.
The Family Advocacy Victim Services Specialists (VSS) are advocates who
contact victims when spouse abuse has been identified. The VSS can
assist victims in providing for their safety and support. They help victims
obtain shelter, temporary restraining orders, transitional compensation and
support and safety planning. The VSS will also meet with victims at
any convenient location.
Intervention and treatment
The case review
committee is a team of family advocacy professionals, managed-care providers,
and command representatives that recommend an appropriate response to identify
cases of abuse. The Navy's intervention may include crisis
intervention, emergency shelter, specialized assessments, rehabilitation, or
treatment designed to prevent further abuse.
The FAC maintains close
coordination with civilian social service providers to ensure Navy families
receive quality services that are sensitive to their needs.
General life
skills education
Each month FFSC presents a series of important workshops
designed to enhance your quality of life and meet your changing lifestyle
needs. Life skills' topics are primarily preventive and proactive in
nature, and aim to prevent or alleviate difficulties before they seriously
affect the individual, family, or command.
Classes provide knowledge,
skills and support to guide you toward a healthy lifestyle by enhancing
self-esteem, strengthening interpersonal competencies, and increasing awareness
about anger and stress management.