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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is ADA?
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How does a man get into ADA?
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How does a woman get into ADA? (The RENEW Program)
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Why does this information sheet refer to batterers as men?
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How much does it cost to go to ADA?
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Is this program confidential?
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How long is the ADA program?
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What is the design of the ADA program?
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Does ADA offer individual counseling for batterers?
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Can I refer someone to ADA for assessment only?
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Does ADA offer services to women who assault their male partners?
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Are all the men in ADA court ordered?
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Who is an appropriate referral to ADA?
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Why does ADA conduct drug and alcohol assessments?
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Does ADA serve gay batterers/abusers?
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Why do men drop out of ADA?
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What is ADA’s success rate?
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What other services does the ADA Program offer?
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Interested in additional information about ADA?
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Why did we stop taking Insurance for Service Participants
in the ADA Program?
What is ADA?
ADA stands for Alternatives to Domestic Aggression. ADA is a program that
specializes in working with men and women to stop their use of abuse. The
purpose of ADA is to end domestic violence and abuse in our community.
ADA is a program of Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County. We offer
services on a non-denominational basis, so we work with people of all,
or no, religious affiliations.
How does a man get into ADA?
By calling 734.971.9781 Ext. 430 for an application packet,
completing the application and returning it to ADA in the self addressed
stamped envelope included in the application packet.
Click Here For
Information On Joining The ADA Program: Application Packet Materials
We also offer this application
on line. He then would attend the next Orientation session. Orientations
are held approximately every other Tuesday so there is never a waiting
period. Orientation meetings are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After attending
an Orientation, he is assigned to a group and is scheduled for an assessment.
We offer services to men who batter or use abuse and who reside in any
geographic area.
How does a Woman get into ADA? (This program is called the RENEW Program)
By calling 734.971.9781 Ext. 468 to schedule an intake with
Lisa Larance, RENEW Coordinator.
Click
Here For more information on RENEW
Click
Here For the Flyer for the RENEW Flyer
Why does this information sheet refer to batterers as men?In
95-98% of all cases of domestic violence, the batterer is a man.
How much does it cost to go to ADA?
Tuition is based upon income. ADA is program of Catholic
Social Services, a United Way agency. Below, you can see the sliding tuition
scale. Assessment appointment fees are assessed on a slightly different
scale.
Group Tuition Sliding Scale
Effective June 2005
| Income Level |
Tuition Amount |
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$0.00-$10,000
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$25.00
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$10,001-$15,000
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$30.00
|
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$15,001-$20,000
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$35.00
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$20,001-$30,000
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$45.00
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$30,001-$40,000
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$55.00
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$40,001-$50,000
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$65.00
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$50,001- Above
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$75.00
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Is this program confidential?
Yes. Like all social service professionals we maintain
the confidentiality of service participants. Like other professionals,
there are circumstances when we are ethically bound to convey confidential
information about service participants. Examples of this include when it
is believed that children are being abused/neglected, or when we believe
the service participant is an imminent threat to someone.
How long is the ADA program?
The ADA program is 52 sessions long, minimum. Sessions take
place weekly, unless there is a holiday or other interruption. We offer
groups in the mornings and the evenings. Groups meet for 2 hours. Referrals
can be made to the ADA Program for any duration.
What is the design of the ADA program?
The ADA Program has been designed with the following groups that are outlined
below.
Click
here for a schedule of ADA Groups
Orientation - The Orientation is a thorough overview
of the program. Participants are introduced ADA Program by visiting a group,
meeting and talking with other participants and reviewing the policies
and goals of the ADA Program. This Orientation gives an overview of issues
including confidentiality, tuition cost, attendance requirements and participants
are encouraged to ask questions about what to expect in the ADA Program.
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Orientation is conducted ~ Approximately every other Tuesday
8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Discovery - Participants answer the question "Do I have a
reason to be in this program? " Participants see their own behavior in
others and learn from directly engaging with Mentors who are in the Tactics
and Options levels of the program been. Once they conclude they do have
a reason to be in this program, they move into the Foundations Group.
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Groups Meet ~ Monday Mornings: 9:00 a.m.-11:00. Tuesday
Evenings: 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Foundations - We focus on the 3 Foundation elements of the
program;
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The Power and Control Wheel
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The Choice Model
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The Accountability Plan
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Groups Meet ~ Monday Evenings: 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Mornings: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Tactics - Men learn to identify, label, and acknowledge their
battering behaviors.
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Groups Meet ~ Monday Evenings: 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Tuesday
Evenings: 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesday Mornings: 9:00 a.m.-11:00
a.m.
Options - Participants practice accountable interpersonal
skills, which they will use at all times instead of selectively using them.
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Groups Meet ~ Monday Evenings: 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.,
and Tuesday Afternoons: 11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Does ADA offer individual counseling for batterers?
Yes. We do offer individual counseling.
However, this is generally in addition to group intervention, not instead
of. Group intervention has proven to be the most effective modality for
those who use abuse or violence on their family. Many couples seek marital/couple
counseling because they think the problem is one of communication. This
is not the case. The perpetrator as a means of controlling his partner
will utilize domestic violence tactics. Marital counseling, in cases where
there is domestic violence, puts the woman at risk for further abuse. People
who abuse need to be in group intervention programs with other abusers.
Couples counseling is NEVER an appropriate way to deal with domestic
violence. Therapists who offer couples counseling when domestic violence
has occurred or is occurring do not understand the dynamics of domestic
violence, and are practicing unethical and unsafe services.
In a violent relationship, the survivor/victim is not
able to fully participate because of the potential danger. CLICK
HERE for a Survivor's Handbook (Adobe
PDF File) that lists some reasons why couples counseling is dangerous
(starting on page 25 of the document).
Can I refer someone to ADA for assessment only?
Yes. We can report our conclusions and/or status of
a referral to anyone for whom a service participant has signed an information
release authorization.
Does ADA offer services to women who assault their male
partners?
Yes! We specialize in offering these services
to men AND women. Click
Here For more information on RENEW
Are all the participants in ADA court ordered?
No, about 85%-95% of the participants in ADA are court
ordered. The rest are what we call "circumstance ordered", "socially mandated",
or "consequence ordered." We say this because many men, in particular,
come to ADA as a way to save their marriage, keep their partners from leaving,
pressure their partners to return if they have already left, manipulate
the court regarding child custody or visitation, or to avoid other unwanted
circumstances. ADA’s goal is NOT to "save" or "end" relationships
- it IS to end his violence and/or abuse.
Who is an appropriate referral to ADA?
The following list of questions is taken from the ADA brochure.
"If you are concerned about being abusive with your partner,
ask yourself these questions and consider them as the warning signs of
a problem."
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Was there violence in your family?
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During conflict do you often threaten someone, break things, punch walls,
slam doors, ignore her, or leave?
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Do you have mood swings, where one moment you feel loving and affectionate,
and the next moment angry and threatening?
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Have you ever used physical violence (shoved, grabbed, hit, slapped, strangled,
etc.) on your partner, or any past partners?
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Do you tend to blame others for your behavior, especially your partner?
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Are you a jealous person?
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Do you try to control how your partner thinks, dresses, who she sees, how
she spends her time, how she spends her money?
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Do you try to discourage her from seeing her friends or family?
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Do you get angry or resentful when she is successful in a job or hobby?
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Do your conversations quickly escalate into threats of separation or divorce?
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Do you ever threaten to hurt her, yourself, or others, if she talks about
leaving you?
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Do you do or say things that are designed to make her feel "crazy" or "stupid"?
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Do you blame alcohol, drugs, stress, or other life events for your behavior?
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Do you feel guilty after your aggressive behavior and strive for her forgiveness?
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Do you think that you could never live without her, yet other times want
her out of your life?
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Do you use sex, money, or other favors as a way to "make up" after conflict?
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Is your partner afraid of you sometimes?
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Have you ever said "don’t make me angry"?
Why does ADA conduct drug and alcohol assessments?
Research indicates that approximately 55% of batterers/abusers
have a history of problems with alcohol or other drugs. ADA staff must
be aware of this history in order to provide the most effective services.
Please note that alcohol or other drug intoxication or problems NEVER
cause domestic violence. To offer treatment only for alcohol or
other drug problems will neglect the dynamics of domestic violence
and the battering or abusive behavior will continue.
For an
extensive list of resources on the relationship between drugs/alcohol and
domestic violence click here.
Does ADA serve gay/lesbian batterers/abusers?
Yes. Gay/lesbian batterers/abusers can be seen on
an individual basis or in the ADA batterer intervention groups.
Why do participants drop out of ADA?
Many choose to drop out of ADA when they learn that they will be held accountable
for their abusive behavior. The ONLY reason people drop out of ADA is because
they have made the decision to continue their abusive behavior, although
their excuses will vary.
Here is a list of some of the common excuses men frequently
use when they choose to drop out of the program:
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"My tuition is too high"
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"They don’t have reasonable hours"
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"Those facilitators are too strict"
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"I don’t want to do it if I have to be in a group"
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"The facilitators don’t understand our situation"
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"I’m not as bad as the rest of the men in the group"
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"The facilitators blame men for everything!"
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"The attendance policy is unreasonable"
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"I’m better now"
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"The facilitators think I have an alcohol or drug problem and I don’t"
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"The facilitators only concentrate on the bad, not the good"
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"This is a relationship problem, I don’t have a problem"
What is ADA’s success rate?
Ultimately, ADA is as successful as each individual is committed
to changing their life. We offer specialized intervention services to men
and women. If they choose to use our services, they can change their behavior,
attitudes and thinking. If they are committed to avoiding change, they
will be successful in avoiding change.
For an
extensive list of resources on effectiveness and outcomes click here.
Another similar question is;
WHAT IS THE RECIDIVISM RATE FOR BATTERERS?
Measuring recidivism can be difficult, since there are
many types of violence which are not easily tracked. Physical
violence is the most measurable type of domestic violence because if often
results in arrests and the event can then be quantified. However,
other types of abuse, control and violence which may not be illegal are
not easily quantified or tracked. Participants who come to ADA are only
here for two hours per week. Knowing what their activities are outside
of group and knowing how they are being abusive after leaving ADA is difficult
to gauge unless they are rearrested. Someone could be verbally abusive
and controlling without being arrested.
CLICK
HERE for an excellent recidivism study by Edward Gondolf in .pdf format
What other services does the ADA Program offer?
Ongoing: The ADA Program provides training and educational
presentations to organizations, classes or individuals who are interested
in learning more about the dynamics of domestic violence and men who batter.
NoMas: The ADA Program offers a specific group
for Spanish speaking men only.
Click
Here For the Flyer the NoMas Group
2000: The ADA Program began offering intervention
services within the Washtenaw County Jail through a program called “CHOICES”.
The ADA Jail Intervention Preparation Program is a 12 session education
series designed to prepare men, who are in the Jail facility, to either
enter into a long term batterer intervention program upon release from
custody, or to enter into the ADA long term batterer intervention program
within the jail facility. The “CHOICES” program was funded as a part of
the Judicial Oversight Demonstration
Initiative Grant Program U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Justice
Programs Violence Against Women Grants Office awarded $10,000,000 to Washtenaw
County in 1999 for a 5 year period.
Click here for a link to Washtenaw County's webpage on the
ADA Program in the Jail
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