Georgia Domestic Violence Coordination Framework

Guidance for DV-focused organizations participating in Georgia’s statewide coordination system.

Georgia Coordination Profile

Regional Collaboration

Georgia’s domestic violence response infrastructure operates through a combination of statewide coordination, judicial circuits, and locally driven coalitions. Organizations typically align collaboration activities with county boundaries, judicial circuits, and Continuum of Care (CoC) regions.

Common regional collaboration models in Georgia include:

• Judicial-circuit aligned task forces – Cross-county groups that coordinate with courts, prosecutors, law enforcement, and advocacy programs on protection orders, high-risk case protocols, and court-based services.
• Multi-county coalitions – Regional coalitions that convene shelters, legal providers, culturally specific organizations, and social service agencies to coordinate referrals and outreach.
• CoC and homelessness-response partnerships – Integration of domestic violence providers in CoC planning, coordinated entry processes, and housing prioritization decisions.
• Hospital and healthcare regional partnerships – Agreements with health systems and regional hospitals to support screening workflows, warm handoffs, and data-sharing protocols consistent with policy and funding requirements.

Organizations may find it useful to clarify their primary regional alignment (e.g., judicial circuit, CoC, or metro area) in MOUs and collaborative planning documents to prevent duplication and streamline coordination with state-level partners.

Local Service Networks

Local service networks in Georgia are typically centered around county-level and metropolitan hubs and may include a mix of domestic violence programs, legal partners, housing providers, and social services. Networks often align around specific operational functions rather than a single formal coalition structure.

Common components of local service networks include:

• Domestic violence advocacy programs and shelters – Core service providers offering advocacy, housing supports, and coordinated referrals.
• Legal and court partners – Legal aid organizations, pro bono programs, circuit courts, and specialized court-based initiatives.
• Law enforcement and prosecution partners – Local police departments, sheriff’s offices, and prosecutors participating in case conferencing and policy discussions.
• Behavioral health and healthcare providers – Community service boards, FQHCs, and hospital systems integrating domestic violence response protocols.
• Housing and homelessness providers – Emergency shelters, rapid-rehousing providers, and public housing authorities collaborating on placements and prioritization.
• Community-based and culturally specific organizations – Faith-based entities, immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations, and groups led by and for historically marginalized communities.

Many Georgia communities use standing meetings, shared referral tools, and written coordination protocols to manage day-to-day operations. Additional coordination resources are available through the broader ecosystem hosted at DV.Support, which some agencies use to align regional practices.

Technology Adoption

Georgia agencies employ varied levels of technology to support coordination, ranging from paper-based processes to integrated case management platforms. When planning or updating technology tools, agencies often consider interoperability with regional partners and compliance with applicable state and federal requirements.

Common areas of technology adoption include:

• Case and client management systems – Platforms used for documenting services, tracking outcomes, and generating grant reports, with attention to role-based access and data minimization.
• Secure communication tools – Encrypted email, secure portals, and messaging applications used for inter-agency communication and document exchange.
• Referral and coordination platforms – Regional or statewide tools that support closed-loop referrals, eligibility screening, and tracking of service connections.
• Virtual collaboration infrastructure – Video conferencing, shared document repositories, and project management tools supporting multi-agency workgroups and training.
• Data dashboards and reporting tools – Systems that compile aggregate data to support funding applications, performance monitoring, and regional planning.

When designing technology partnerships, organizations in Georgia often:

• Define data elements that will be shared, aggregated, or de-identified.
• Clarify which agency is the system of record for specific information.
• Document access controls, user provisioning, and offboarding practices.
• Align reporting functions with state and federal grant requirements.

Partner Eligibility

For Georgia-focused initiatives, clear partner eligibility criteria support consistent collaboration, transparent decision-making, and alignment with regional and funding expectations. Criteria can be adapted by local networks, coalitions, or statewide projects to fit the scope of the initiative.

Typical eligibility dimensions include:

• Organizational status
  • Nonprofit, governmental, tribal, or other formally recognized entities.
  • Established governance structure (board or equivalent oversight).
  • Operating policies that address confidentiality and information handling.
• Service relevance
  • Provision of services that intersect with domestic violence response (e.g., advocacy, housing, legal, behavioral health, healthcare, child and family services).
  • Ability to receive and respond to referrals within agreed parameters.
  • Capacity to participate in joint planning, training, or data projects.
• Geographic scope
  • Service coverage within specified Georgia counties, regions, or judicial circuits.
  • Clarity about primary service area and any statewide or cross-border activities.
• Operational alignment
  • Willingness to adopt shared protocols for referrals, information exchange, and reporting, as defined by the collaborative body.
  • Participation in regular coordination meetings or workgroups, as capacity permits.
  • Agreement to use conflict-resolution and decision-making processes outlined in MOUs or participation agreements.
• Data and reporting practices
  • Ability to contribute aggregate or de-identified data consistent with applicable policies and agreements.
  • Internal procedures for data quality, security, and record retention that are compatible with partnership expectations.

Many Georgia collaborations document these criteria in partnership charters or MOUs, along with processes for onboarding new partners, periodic eligibility review, and graduated participation levels (e.g., core partners, referral partners, advisory participants).