The Missouri team recognizes the lasting impact domestic violence can having on families, developing fetuses and children, and as a result all home visitors receive training from the Domestic Violence Enhanced Visitation Intervention (DOVE) program, which screens for domestic violence.

The scope of the training includes screening for and reducing the impact of domestic violence. The DOVE training equips home visitors with knowledge of the cycle of violence and how DOVE can successfully intervene in order to prevent child abuse, neglect and domestic violence. This knowledge base gives home visitors the skills to assess families with two domestic violence screening tools: Women’s Experience with Battering Scale (WEB) and Abused Assessment Screen (AAS).

Periodic assessment is performed for additional and ongoing professional development to support home visitors in their provision of DOVE services. Due to the implementation of DOVE, the Missouri MIECHV team has collaborated with the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, which provides technical assistance and training. As a result of the DOVE incorporation into the Missouri home visiting program, partnerships with local community resources have increased.

The costs of incorporating DOVE into the Missouri MIECHV program are minimal as they are mostly limited to training and the costs of printing materials.

More information about DOVE and the Missouri MIECHV program can be found here.