A groundbreaking initiative will bring agencies together to prevent domestic abuse. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary David Wilkins and Tiffany Carr, President of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, launched the Northwest Florida Regional Domestic Violence and Child Welfare Initiative January 5.
The initiative will bring the leadership of the Attorney General’s office, DCF, local law enforcement agencies, community leaders, child welfare agencies and the local certified domestic violence center to enhance the safety of domestic violence survivors and their children in Bay, Gulf and Calhoun counties.
“This initiative will establish a coordinated effort among agencies to reduce domestic violence and better protect our children,†stated Attorney General Pam Bondi in a press release.  “By tailoring our response to each unique situation, we can ensure that we look after children’s best interests and hold perpetrators accountable.â€
The initiative allows state and local partners to build a system that enhances family safety, creates stability for children and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. The aim is to keep the protective parent and their child safely in their homes without having to send children into the foster care system. Domestic violence advocates will also act as liaisons for the court system. State Attorney’s Office, Big Bend Community Based Care, law enforcement agencies, and the Northwest Region of the Department of Children and Families will help coordinate efforts to enhance safety and hold offending parents accountable.
“No one organization can effectively respond to the needs of domestic violence survivors and their children,†said Tiffany Carr, President of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence in a press release. “But when community members and local agencies engage in a strategic, collaborative effort to help keep families safe, they are on the road to creating a future without violence.â€
