ICDVP Community Resources 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A survivor fleeing domestic violence needs emergency housing but the local shelter is at capacity. What is the BEST next referral option?
- Refer her to a hotel and provide no further follow-up
- Contact a domestic violence hotline to locate vacancies in nearby shelters or safe homes (Correct answer)
- Advise her to return home temporarily until space opens
- Suggest she stay with the abuser's family
Correct answer: Contact a domestic violence hotline to locate vacancies in nearby shelters or safe homes
Hotlines maintain real-time shelter vacancy information and can quickly identify alternative placements across a wider region.
Question 2: Which federal program provides funding for transitional housing specifically designed to help domestic violence survivors gain long-term stability?
- Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program
- Transitional Housing Assistance Grants under VAWA (Correct answer)
- HUD Community Development Block Grants
- SNAP housing supplements
Correct answer: Transitional Housing Assistance Grants under VAWA
VAWA's Transitional Housing Assistance Grants fund medium-term housing with supportive services to bridge the gap between emergency shelter and permanent housing.
Question 3: When connecting a survivor to civil legal aid, the ICDVP advocate should prioritize which type of case first?
- Divorce proceedings to end the marriage quickly
- Order of Protection to establish immediate legal safety (Correct answer)
- Child support modification to increase income
- Property division to secure financial assets
Correct answer: Order of Protection to establish immediate legal safety
An Order of Protection addresses immediate physical safety and is typically the most urgent civil legal need for a survivor.
Question 4: A DV program is building a community resource directory. How frequently should the directory be reviewed and updated?
- Every five years during strategic planning
- At least annually, with verification of contact information and eligibility criteria (Correct answer)
- Only when a referral fails and the resource is found to be outdated
- Whenever new staff join the organization
Correct answer: At least annually, with verification of contact information and eligibility criteria
Annual reviews (or more frequent) ensure that phone numbers, eligibility criteria, and service availability remain accurate and useful.
Question 5: Which component is MOST essential when making a warm handoff referral for a survivor to a community partner?
- Providing the survivor's full case file to the receiving agency
- Personally introducing the survivor to the receiving service provider (Correct answer)
- Requiring the survivor to sign a blanket release covering all future disclosures
- Scheduling the intake appointment at least two weeks out to allow planning
Correct answer: Personally introducing the survivor to the receiving service provider
A warm handoff involves a direct personal introduction or live connection to reduce barriers and increase the likelihood the survivor follows through.
Question 6: An undocumented immigrant survivor is afraid to access shelter services because of immigration status. What should the advocate communicate?
- Shelter services are only available to documented residents
- Most domestic violence shelters provide services regardless of immigration status and maintain confidentiality (Correct answer)
- The survivor should contact ICE first to clarify her status
- Services can be provided but immigration status will be reported to authorities
Correct answer: Most domestic violence shelters provide services regardless of immigration status and maintain confidentiality
Under VAWA and most state laws, DV shelters are required to serve survivors regardless of immigration status and must protect client confidentiality.
Question 7: A survivor needs childcare in order to attend job training. Which community resource is MOST appropriate to contact first?
- The local school district's adult education office
- Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&R) that can identify subsidized care (Correct answer)
- A private day care center without subsidy assistance
- The abuser's family members who have offered to help
Correct answer: Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&R) that can identify subsidized care
CCR&R agencies specialize in connecting low-income families to subsidized childcare programs and know current availability and eligibility.
ICDVP Community Resources 2
A survivor fleeing domestic violence needs emergency housing but the local shelter is at capacity.
What is the BEST next referral option?