Collaboration is the focus for Treasure Valley Economic Action Program service providers. |
Economic abuse is an often overlooked dimension of domestic abuse that is one of the root causes of the cycle of violence. In 2009, United Way convened leaders of local domestic violence agencies who serve this population to discuss a solution to this need. Dr. Cynthia Sanders PhD, MSW and Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Boise State University serves on the United Way Impact Council and is a subject expert on issues relating to domestic violence, women’s issues and social and economic development.
Agencies that responded to the call for action and formed a collaborative include: Advocates Against Family Violence in Caldwell, City Life in Emmett, Valley Crisis Center of Nampa, FACES of Boise, Nampa Family Justice Center, and the Women’s & Children’s Alliance (WCA) in Boise. The WCA was selected to serve as the lead agency for the collaborative.
The primary goal of this effort is to implement a standardized research based financial education opportunity to address this critical need and to disrupt the cycle of abuse and poverty. United Way and the collaborative have raised nearly enough funds to cover program expenses through the first year. Through this pilot program, we can demonstrate how working together on a community issue can result in successful systems change and disrupt the cycle of poverty through focused attention on a root cause of the issue.
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