What standing committees or work groups do you have in place at this time? 

The Partnership's work is guided and coordinated by an all-volunteer steering committee.  The current steering committee includes:

• Charlene Quint, Co-Chair
• Pat Davenport, Co-Chair
• Gail Weil
• Astrid Martinez
• Laura Schneider
• Carol Ruderman
• Victoria Williams

There are four standing committees of the Partnership for a Safer Lake County: Public Awareness, Service Coordination, Advocacy, and Membership. 

Public Awareness Committee 

Multi-Year Objectives: Through public events and anti-violence campaigns and by working with local jurisdictions, raise awareness about violence in Lake County and what services exist so victims and those helping victims of abuse can find help; build a sense of collective responsibility for ending violence in Lake County. 

Current Priorities & Objectives: 2017 Priorities & Objectives: Collaborate with Advocacy Committee to create an anti-violence campaign; launch collaboration with Chicago Says No More; host a 2017 Symposium. 

Committee Chair: Gail Weil, Community Youth Network

Service Coordination Committee 

Multi-Year Objectives: Work with United Way to add “violence” as a category in their “Find Help, Lake County” resource guide; improve the understanding of what services are offered and by whom among service providers in and around Lake County; develop a protocol for communicating across agencies to link clients with needed services; implement a referral network among providers; create a protocol for assisting victims of violence similar to the protocol created by the District Attorney’s Sexual Violence Coordinating Council; expand access to Service Point of the Human Service Alliance so member agencies may share information on clients. 

Current Priorities & Objectives: Complete work with United Way to add “violence” as a category in their web-based “Find Help, Lake County” resource guide; improve the Partnership members’ understanding of what services are offered by the members of the Partnership for a Safer Lake County as a first step toward improving the understanding of what services are offered and by whom among service providers in and around Lake County; develop a protocol for communicating across agencies to link clients with needed services. 

Committee Chairs: Astrid Martinez, Mano a Mano

Advocacy Committee 

Multi-Year Objectives: Research existing legislation and policies to identify gaps and identify priorities for advocacy; develop relationships with legislators; build cases for and advocate for policy change and funding to further goals of assisting victims and ending violence in Lake County; use data to measure progress and hold legislators accountable; determine what types of data on violence are the most essential and advocate for public entities and others to collect and report that data; develop a human trafficking committee; form a state-wide network to assist victims of abuse and end violence. 

Current Priorities & Objectives: Develop a report that shows the scope of abuse in Lake County; advocate for public entities or others to collect and report data most essential to understanding abuse; research and identify gaps in existing legislation and policies; collaborate with Public Awareness Committee to create an anti-violence public awareness campaign; formulate a plan for addressing issues related to human trafficking in Lake County. 

Committee Chair: Pat Davenport, A Safe Place

Membership Committee 

Multi-Year Objectives: Develop and maintain a robust membership comprised of individuals and organizations that support and promote the mission of The Partnership for a Safer Lake County. 

Current Priorities & Objectives: Implement new membership structure; recruit new members; diversify membership; facilitate participation of members on committees

Committee Chair: Carol Ruderman, SHALVA