To coincide with October being Domestic Violence Awareness month, Astor Services for Children & Families (Astor) will unveil a new domestic violence policy. This new policy will be rolled out along with the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) through its Domestic Violence in the Workplace training. On November 12 and 24 (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.), over 85 supervisors in Astor’s programs throughout the Hudson Valley and the Bronx, will receive domestic violence training. The trainings will take place at Astor’s locations in Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie.
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Workplace training is designed to prepare support personnel to identify possible signs and indicators of victimization, make appropriate referrals to domestic violence service providers, work with professionals to assist identified victims with safety planning, and develop individualized responses in recognition of the physical, social and cultural realities that may affect an individual victim’s situation. The training will also include information on the ways in which domestic violence impacts the workplace, including the potential impact on worker productivity and the safety risks to on-site personnel and visitors.
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence is charged with improving the response of state and local communities to domestic violence. OPDV provides guidance to executive staff on policy and legislation; conducts statewide community outreach and public education programs; and trains professionals on addressing domestic violence in a wide array of disciplines, including child welfare, law enforcement and health care.
“Astor is committed to supporting and educating its employees on the issue of domestic violence, and believes that it is the organization’s responsibility to know how to support employees so that they can feel secure in the workplace,” says Renée Fillette, PhD, Chief Operating Officer, Astor.
Contact the New York State Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline for information on domestic violence in your at (800) 942-6906.
About Astor
Since 1953, Astor Services for Children & Families (formerly The Astor Home for Children) has been providing behavioral and educational services in a caring environment where children and their families find strength, healing, hope and trust. Now serving more than 6,000 children and families annually in over 33 locations, Astor’s current range of services in the Hudson Valley (Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties) and the Bronx include: Residential Programs (for children ages 5-14 who have severe behavior and mental health challenges);
Early Childhood Programs (in Dutchess County, Astor operates the Early Head Start and Head Start Programs, which are federal early childhood programs for low-income families); and Community-Based Behavioral Health and Prevention Services (outpatient mental health services).
