It is all too common for perpetrators of domestic violence to emotionally harm their partners and then to use the depression, anxiety, trauma, etc. that they caused as justification for taking away survivors’ children. Too often survivors have to navigate a complex family law process without legal representation and without support. The Domestic Violence and Mental Health Collaboration Project in King County, WA created Family Law Toolkits for domestic violence advocates, attorneys, mental health service providers, and survivors. These tools enable survivors of domestic violence, particularly those with mental health concerns, to access the information, resources, and support they need to navigate the family law system successfully, and to protect themselves and their children from further harm. The scales of justice have not been balanced; we are tipping them by joining together. During this webinar, we will introduce the Family Law Toolkits, discuss why they are needed, and how to utilize them to improve outcomes for adults and children who have experienced domestic violence. We will also be sharing our new, free templates that you can use to adapt our tools for the needs of your community.

About the Panelists

• Alison L. Iser, MA is a Project Manager for the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence (formerly the King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence) in Seattle, WA where she leads the Domestic Violence and Mental Health Collaboration Project. The Collaboration Project is a partnership of domestic violence advocates, attorneys, mental health service providers, and survivors who are working together to improve the experiences of domestic violence survivors with mental health concerns who are involved with protection order and family law cases. Alison and the Collaboration Project have both been with the Coalition since 2007. Alison has a master’s degree in psychology and a certificate in nonprofit management. She has been actively involved in the movement to end gender-based violence for over 20 years.
• Judy Lin, JD is the Senior Managing Attorney for the pro bono family law programs at the King County Bar Foundation (KCBF). These programs include: the Family Law Mentor Program which trains and mentors volunteer attorneys to provide representation to domestic violence survivors in contested family law cases where children are at risk, the Self-Help Plus Program which assists pro se clients in uncontested family law matters, and the Kinship Care Solutions Project which trains and mentors volunteer attorneys to provide representation to kinship caregivers in Nonparental Custody cases. Prior to joining KCBF, Judy was the Managing Attorney at Legal Services for Children in San Francisco, California representing children and youth in dependency, guardianship, education, and immigration law. Before that, she was a staff attorney at Columbia Legal Services in Everett, Washington.
• Susie Winston, LICSW, is the Director of Child and Family Services for Sound Mental Health (SMH) and oversees the clinical and administrative integrity of SMH’s child and family programs throughout King County. She is also responsible for SMH’s Children’s Domestic Violence Response Team. A child mental health specialist and family therapist, she is an expert in the treatment of all facets of abuse, trauma, neglect and the impact of violence on children, including domestic violence. She is trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).

Cost

Free

Registration

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 Since 2005 the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) has been addressing the victimization and justice needs of people with disabilities and Deaf people through the work in the Center on Victimization and Safety. Our staff in CVS has more than 50 years of combined experience in sexual violence, disability, domestic violence, non-profit management, research and more.