Homefront

Clients come to HomeFront directly through referrals from the Calgary Police Service.

HomeFront seeks to achieve its vision and mission by implementing a coordinated community response to domestic violence. It works to achieve these goals by coordinating major systems and driving systemic change through the specialized domestic violence court, early case resolution, specialized case management, mandated domestic violence treatment, evaluation, and programming for people experiencing domestic violence.

• Case Managers - provide support to the victims of domestic violence from the date of the incident until the cases move out of the Domestic Violence Court or the offenders conditions are completed. Victims are assisted through the criminal justice system, ensuring they understand the Court process.

1. Helping victims understand the court proceedings and providing court updates.
2. Ensuring victims’ interests and wishes are considered in court decisions.
3. Developing effective safety planning.
4. Connecting victims to resources in the community.
5. Following up with victims until probation orders end and clients’ safety is optimized.

• Specialized Domestic Violence Court - Every effort is made to ensure that all cases of domestic violence in Calgary appear first in this Court. The Court uses a team of experts in order to ensure appropriate and efficient responses to domestic violence incidents.

• High Risk Management Initiative - HRMI is a very intensive and longer-term program with the capacity to work with up to 20-25 chronic high-risk domestic violence cases. Here, the HomeFront Case-Management team works with both the victim and the offender.

• Evaluation & Frontline - HomeFront is an internationally recognized coordinated community response to domestic violence. The evaluations have directly lead to province-wide initiatives, such as the mandated offender treatment program and establishment of other specialized responses in Alberta.

• Mandated Domestic Violence Treatment - HomeFront oversees the provision of community-based treatment services primarily in Calgary and in partnership with established Calgary treatment programs and where required in surrounding areas. A primary goal of HomeFront is to ensure effective offender accountability, treatment and eventual incorporation into positive social roles and responsibilities.

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COLLABORATION 

HomeFront is a core partner in Calgary’s Specialized Domestic Violence Court. The Court uses a team of experts in order to ensure appropriate and timely responses to domestic violence incidents with the needs of the family kept at the forefront. HomeFront brings together social service agencies, law enforcement and the criminal justice system to:

• Protect the community through the provision of services to the victim, including advocacy, information and treatment services that promote the safety of the victim and facilitate their active involvement in the criminal justice process.
• Hold the offender accountable through the imposition of legal sanctions and provision of opportunities for treatment and rehabilitation.
• Increase accessibility of diverse groups and populations to the justice system.
• Reduce gaps and avoid duplication of service through coordination and collaboration within the justice system and between the justice system and broader community.
• Increase public confidence in the justice system by providing a more immediate and appropriate response to domestic violence.