Employ qualified therapists who have training in Emotional Focused Therapy for couples. Expertise in domestic violence, serving victims and offenders. Demonstrated collaborative relationship with relevant stakeholders (e.g. police, women’s shelter, child welfare). Demand for couple counselling that exceeds current resources. Ability to meet the needs of diverse populations, including providing services in French. One of the sites will be designated a Lead Agency. The Lead Agency will serve as the Vendor’s primary conduit for data and information about the intervention. For the purposes of calculating travel expenses, the Bidder may assume the northern site will be located from Sudbury and north, the rural site will be located approximately 250 - 350 km from Toronto and the urban site will likely be located within the greater Toronto area. Women who have requested conjoint counselling from the pilot sites for issues related to abuse, who do not have the means to pay, and who are appropriate for conjoint counselling will be invited to participate in the pilot study. (Note: An assessment session will be required to ensure it is safe to proceed with conjoint counselling.) Women can self-refer, however third party referrals are also anticipated from police (when no charges have been laid), Child Welfare agencies and other community counselling services. The following provides additional information of how the study will be conducted: The sample size will consist of 100 couples over a course of approximately 9 months. The specific goal of counselling will be to reduce thinking, behaviours and conflict that may lead to domestic violence. The two partners in each couple will first be seen alone, each for a 1 hour assessment, where they will be screened for safety using a standardized screening tool (e.g. Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream tool [H.I.T.S], Conflict Tactics Scale etc.). When couples are excluded from the pilot study due to risk, women will be offered VAW counselling services and men will be offered alternative services, such as individual counselling and/or other community based services. Participants will be limited to those who are comfortable receiving the counselling in English and/or French. All participants will sign a consent to service, which will include terms of service, privacy and confidentiality, limit of confidentiality (e.g. in cases of risk) and terms of research.
Employ qualified therapists who have training in Emotional Focused Therapy for couples. Expertise in domestic violence, serving victims and offenders. Demonstrated collaborative relationship with relevant stakeholders (e.g. police, women’s shelter, child welfare). Demand for couple counselling that exceeds current resources. Ability to meet the needs of diverse populations, including providing services in French. One of the sites will be designated a Lead Agency. The Lead Agency will serve as the Vendor’s primary conduit for data and information about the intervention. For the purposes of calculating travel expenses, the Bidder may assume the northern site will be located from Sudbury and north, the rural site will be located approximately 250 - 350 km from Toronto and the urban site will likely be located within the greater Toronto area. Women who have requested conjoint counselling from the pilot sites for issues related to abuse, who do not have the means to pay, and who are appropriate for conjoint counselling will be invited to participate in the pilot study. (Note: An assessment session will be required to ensure it is safe to proceed with conjoint counselling.) Women can self-refer, however third party referrals are also anticipated from police (when no charges have been laid), Child Welfare agencies and other community counselling services. The following provides additional information of how the study will be conducted: The sample size will consist of 100 couples over a course of approximately 9 months. The specific goal of counselling will be to reduce thinking, behaviours and conflict that may lead to domestic violence. The two partners in each couple will first be seen alone, each for a 1 hour assessment, where they will be screened for safety using a standardized screening tool (e.g. Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream tool [H.I.T.S], Conflict Tactics Scale etc.). When couples are excluded from the pilot study due to risk, women will be offered VAW counselling services and men will be offered alternative services, such as individual counselling and/or other community based services. Participants will be limited to those who are comfortable receiving the counselling in English and/or French. All participants will sign a consent to service, which will include terms of service, privacy and confidentiality, limit of confidentiality (e.g. in cases of risk) and terms of research.
RequestforBids-Conjoint%20Counselling%20Evaluation.docx