Partner Network — DVSupport.Network

Join our North American network of shelters, advocacy groups, hospitals, legal aid clinics, and agencies working together for coordinated domestic violence response.

Partner Network

Overview

The partner network is designed to coordinate organizations that interact with domestic violence response systems, including shelters, social service agencies, nonprofits, universities, and hospitals. The primary objective is to support structured collaboration, data-informed planning, cross-referrals, and shared protocols across participating entities.

The network focuses on operational alignment rather than direct service delivery. Participation centers on standardized information exchange, coordinated workflows, and shared capacity-building initiatives that respect each organization’s mandates and governance structures.

Categories of Partners

Partners may align with one or more categories depending on their organizational role, mandate, and scope of work.

1. Direct Service Providers

• Emergency and transitional shelters
• Community-based advocacy and case management programs
• Legal aid and civil legal services organizations
• Healthcare-based intervention teams and hospital social work units

2. Systems and Institutional Partners

• Hospitals, clinics, and health systems
• Universities and colleges (e.g., campus-based advocacy, research centers)
• Courts, legal clinics, and allied justice system stakeholders
• Public agencies (where aligned with domestic violence response or related services)

3. Coordination and Backbone Organizations

• State, regional, and local domestic violence coalitions
• Multi-agency task forces and coordinated response teams
• Research, evaluation, and policy analysis organizations
• Technical assistance and capacity-building intermediaries

4. Specialized and Adjacent Service Partners

• Housing and homelessness service providers
• Mental and behavioral health agencies
• Child and family service organizations
• Economic empowerment, workforce, and financial counseling programs

Eligibility Requirements

Participation in the partner network is based on organizational readiness, governance, and alignment with collaborative practices. The following elements are commonly used as eligibility criteria.

Organizational Status and Governance

• Operates as a registered nonprofit, public agency, educational institution, healthcare institution, or other formally constituted entity.
• Has identifiable leadership, governance, or oversight structures (e.g., board, executive leadership, department heads).
• Maintains organizational policies related to confidentiality, data handling, and professional conduct.

Scope and Alignment of Services

• Engages in activities that intersect with domestic violence response, prevention, research, or systems coordination.
• Demonstrates capacity to participate in cross-agency coordination (e.g., designated liaison, relevant staff roles).
• Shows willingness to align with shared operational frameworks, such as standardized referral protocols or common data elements.

Operational Readiness

• Ability to identify a primary contact person for network coordination.
• Basic infrastructure to receive and respond to referrals or information requests within agreed timeframes.
• Commitment to participate in periodic reviews of data quality, collaboration outcomes, and process improvements.

Verification Process

The verification process confirms that organizations meet baseline criteria for participation and can reliably engage in coordinated operations.

1. Initial Organizational Profile

• Submission of core organizational information (e.g., legal name, type of institution, primary services, service area).
• Designation of at least one network liaison with contact details and role description.
• Summary of how the organization’s work intersects with domestic violence-related systems.

2. Documentation Review

• Review of public records or organizational materials (e.g., website, annual report, institutional profile).
• Optional upload of internal documents, such as governance summaries or high-level policies, as appropriate.
• Verification of institutional affiliation for departments within larger entities (e.g., hospital units, university centers).

3. Alignment and Capacity Assessment

• Discussion or questionnaire regarding current collaboration practices (e.g., existing MOUs, referral pathways).
• Identification of data-sharing interests and constraints, including any institutional or regulatory limitations.
• Confirmation of readiness to engage in standardized workflows, data quality practices, and periodic coordination touchpoints.

4. Confirmation and Designation

• Assignment of partner category (e.g., shelter, hospital, university, coalition, legal services).
• Confirmation of participation scope (e.g., regional initiatives, research collaborations, cross-referral agreements).
• Notification outlining next steps for onboarding and network integration.

Data-Sharing Agreements (Non-Legal High-Level)

Data-sharing within the partner network is governed by high-level operational agreements that are adapted to each organization’s regulatory environment and internal policies. These agreements are not legal contracts but provide a shared framework for responsible information exchange.

Principles of Data Sharing

• Purpose limitation: Data is shared only to support agreed coordination functions, such as referral tracking, capacity monitoring, and high-level outcomes reporting.
• Minimal necessary detail: Information exchange is limited to operationally necessary data fields and excludes sensitive details that are not required for coordination.
• Confidentiality and security: Each partner maintains its own internal safeguards, while aligning with network expectations for secure transmission and storage.
• Transparency: Partners understand what categories of data are collected, how they will be used, and what aggregate reporting may occur.

Types of Data Typically Involved

• De-identified or aggregated service utilization data for planning and evaluation.
• Operational metrics (e.g., referral volumes, waitlist indicators, capacity flags).
• Process data related to coordination (e.g., time-to-response, referral completion rates).
• Limited, role-based access to cross-agency case coordination information, where appropriate and consistent with organizational constraints.

High-Level Agreement Components

• Definition of data categories and responsible parties for collection and maintenance.
• Shared expectations for timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of submitted data.
• Protocols for correcting inaccuracies or withdrawing data elements from shared systems.
• Processes for reviewing, updating, or discontinuing data-sharing arrangements.

Onboarding Steps

Onboarding is structured to bring new partners into the network in a predictable and resource-conscious manner, regardless of organization type.

1. Orientation and Role Clarification

• Introductory session or materials outlining network purpose, governance, and operational expectations.
• Clarification of the organization’s category, anticipated contributions, and potential areas of collaboration.
• Agreement on primary and secondary contacts for communication and escalation.

2. Systems and Workflow Setup

• Configuration of user access to shared tools or platforms, as relevant.
• Selection of standardized workflows (e.g., referral intake, feedback loops, information requests) that the organization will participate in.
• Identification of internal processes that will interface with network activities (e.g., hospital social work intake, shelter case assignment, university case management).

3. Data and Reporting Alignment

• Agreement on which data elements the organization will provide and at what frequency.
• Clarification of how aggregate information may be used for planning, capacity assessment, and evaluation.
• Definition of any organization-specific parameters or limitations based on institutional policy.

4. Training and Technical Assistance

• Access to role-specific guidance for staff who will use coordination tools or participate in shared processes.
• Optional participation in peer learning or sector-specific sessions (e.g., hospitals, shelters, campus-based programs).
• Mechanisms for requesting ongoing technical assistance, process refinement, or additional onboarding for new staff.

5. Initial Review and Adjustment

• Early-stage check-in to identify any workflow or communication issues.
• Adjustments to data elements, referral pathways, or reporting frequency as needed.
• Documentation of finalized arrangements for internal reference and continuity.

CTA: Apply to Join

Organizations interested in joining the partner network can prepare by consolidating core organizational information, identifying a primary liaison, and reviewing internal policies on data and collaboration. This supports an efficient review and onboarding process.

To initiate an application, partners typically:

• Confirm eligibility based on organizational status and intersection with domestic violence response or related systems.
• Compile a brief organizational profile, including governance structure and key programs.
• Identify specific coordination interests, such as referral partnerships, research collaboration, or participation in regional planning.

Once an application is submitted, the network team coordinates the verification and onboarding steps described above, with attention to the varied needs of shelters, agencies, nonprofits, universities, and hospitals.