History: OAR has an extensive history of providing anger management training to persons involved with the criminal justice system. OAR has taught Anger Management to ex-offenders at the Fairfax County Day Reporting Center, as well as offered classes in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center to both male and female inmates. In 1998, at the request of the Commission on Family Violence Prevention of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Coalition for the Treatment of Abusive Behavior and Virginians Against Domestic Violence convened to develop standards of practice for statewide batterer intervention programs. As a member of VADV, OAR developed its Violence Intervention Program to be consistent with statewide best practice standards recently adopted by the state of Virginia. The Violence Intervention Program aims to establish that domestic violence is a crime and will not be tolerated. It also provides participants with skills and attitudes needed to eliminate violence in their lives. In 2002, OAR was listed by the State of Virginia as a certified Batterer Intervention Program. What is the Violence Intervention Program? The Violence Intervention Program (VIP) is an 18-week, referral-based intervention program designed to aid in the reduction and elimination of domestic violence in Northern Virginia. OAR will attempt to achieve this goal by increasing batterer’s accountability, general understanding of the impact of their behavior, and self-regulation skills. The Program will be offered both in English and in Spanish. Where is the program located? VIP is conveniently offered in two locations. One is centrally located in the City of Fairfax at the OAR main office: 10640 Page Avenue Suite 250 Fairfax, VA 22030 The other is located at the Fairfax Day Reporting Program in Alexandria: 2812 Franklin Street Suite 104 Alexandria, VA 22306 How much does the program cost? Program participants are required to pay a $350 fee at the time of intake, as well as a $50 non-refundable intake fee. Indigent participants may exchange community service for all or part of the fee for the course, or make arrangements for a “pay as you go” plan. What can you expect from the Violence Intervention Program? Trained Staff OAR facilitators have completed 32 hours of initial domestic violence training, in addition to 12 hours of annual continuing education. Comprehensive assessment A comprehensive assessment, including the participant’s patterns of violence, psychosocial factors and commitment to change is conducted at the time of intake. Collaborative working relationships with community organizations and the court system OAR provides the referral source with monthly reports, notice of non-compliance with program requirements, and a final report. OAR currently holds memorandums of agreement in collaboration with the Department of Corrections, the Department of Criminal Justice, the Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office. It also has representatives on the Human Services Coalition of Northern Virginia and the Network Against Family Abuse. OAR is also a member of Virginians Against Domestic Violence. Promotion of victim safety VIP staff work with various victim services organizations to notify victims of the enrollment, completion, and/or non-compliance of the batterer in the program. Accountability of perpetrators OAR utilizes a range of methods so that perpetrators acknowledge the pattern of coercive behaviors associated with domestic violence, understand the interpersonal and legal consequences for these behaviors, and understand the variety of options available for changing these behaviors. How can you make a referral? Referrals can be made by the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Court Services, Probation and Parole offices, Public Defenders, local area shelters and other community-based organizations. Self referrals are also accepted. Inquiries should be made to the OAR office at (703) 246-3033. What does the curriculum include? Understanding Restorative Justice and the Impact of Crime Motivation to Change Role of Substance Abuse Cycle of Anger Recognizing Belief & Thought Patterns Understanding Anger Control Physiological Response to Anger Tips for Relapse Prevention Impact of Domestic Violence on Victim, Abuser and Children Identification of Physical, Emotional, Economic, Sexual and Verbal Abuse and Violence Promotion of Accountability, Self-examination, Negotiation and Fairness Identification of Healthy Relationships Role of Cultural Values and Beliefs