Since 1992, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations has required emergency rooms to utilize written protocols designed to identify victims of domestic violence.

Role of Batterer’s Intervention Programs
Under F.S. 741.30, the purposes of certified Batterer’s Intervention Programs are to:
       • Hold batterers accountable for domestic violence
       • Teach new skills that will facilitate changes in their behavior
       • Educate batterers about the effect domestic violence has on child witnesses
       • Collect data on program effectiveness and recidivism
       • Challenge myths about domestic violence
       • Coordinate other required services
       • Heighten public awareness
       • Report program compliance and non-compliance to the courts or other referral sources
       • Disallow collusion and victim-blaming by batterers and others

Role of Civil Court Judges
Judges in civil court respond to domestic violence cases by:
       • Hearing ex-parte requests for orders of protection or injunctions.
       • Ordering exclusion from household for batterer, no contact with petitioner, temporary
          custody for victim, counseling for respondent - typically the batterer
       • Holding hearings on requests for permanent injunctions.
       • Hearing requests for dissolution of marriages.

Role of Criminal Courts
Judges in criminal courts have responsibility for hearing cases where a batterer is criminally charged with domestic violence. In criminal cases, judges:
       • Hear criminal cases
       • Order pre-sentence investigation
       • Order probation
       • Mandate counseling

Role of Supervised Visitation Programs
In cases involving domestic violence, judges may order supervised visitation to the non-custodial parent or grandparent. Services offered by supervised visitation programs include:
       • Different levels of supervised visitation.
       • Monitored exchanges.
       • Telephone supervision.
       • Parent education.

For more information on supervised visitation, contact the Clearinghouse on Supervised Visitation at 850-644-6303.

State and National Domestic Violence Hotlines
In working with victims of domestic violence WIC staff may find that either they or their clients need immediate assistance from domestic violence experts. The following hotlines may be useful in these situations:
 

          • Florida Domestic Violence Hotline

1-800-500-1119
1-800-621-4202 TDD