SUFA Initiative (2002)

Family Violence Initiative

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Resources
Funding	The Family Violence Initiative receives annually $7 million per year for family violence prevention activities, commencing in FY 1997-98. The annual allocation is specifically dedicated to conducting research, operating the NCFV and coordinating the FVI. Seven federal departments share the resources: Health Canada $2.14M; Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation $1.90M; Justice $1.45M; Canadian Heritage $0.46M; Solicitor General (RCMP) $0.45M; Statistics Canada $0.35M; Status of Women $0.25M. Most policy development and programming related to family violence prevention is carried out by departments with internal departmental resources.
Tracking and Reporting	Federal spending is tracked and documented in the FVI Accountability Framework and the FVI Reporting Framework. Information on spending is included in the FVI Annual Report to Treasury Board Secretariat. The 1997/98 Report is available on the NCFV website. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/nc-cn

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Measurement and Reporting
Outcomes	Outputs: Each department participating in the FVI has a reporting framework, which outlines specific outputs. Some of the key planned outputs include: Knowledge development through family violence research projects, research publications, databases relevant to family violence issues; Knowledge dissemination through reports, fact sheets, information kits, videos, web sites, workshops; Family violence programs in community and institutional sites; CSC staff training; Shelter units built, repaired and / or upgraded. Performance information on outputs is monitored and collected by the individual departments and included in the reporting frameworks. Key outcome commitments: Effective, efficient and coordinated federal policy development and programming on family violence issues; Enhanced prevention of and improved response to family violence and development and implementation of community activities; Increased public awareness and reduced tolerance to family violence in Canada; Reduced family violence in Canada. Health Canada measures the accomplishments and achievements of the key outcomes within the FVI Reporting Framework. Information generated through the above activities is shared with all interested parties.
Indicators	Outputs: Knowledge development measured in terms of the number of databases, reports, fact sheets, etc. produced and the number of research projects completed; Knowledge dissemination measured in terms of resource use, distribution statistics, website visits, etc.; Number of programs in place, number of staff receiving training; Number of available shelter units. Participating departments measure their own indicators. Outcomes: Legislation, federal policies and programs developed in concordance with recent statistics and evaluated intervention models; Relevant policies and programs developed by other levels of government, First Nations, NGOs, professional associations, private sector; Utilization of effective intervention models; Public accessibility to family violence prevention and treatment services; Public opinion on family violence issues and on tolerance of family violence; Gap between victimization rates and crime statistics; Self-reported family violence-related incidents; incidence of family violence Information is obtained through surveys monitoring statistics, review of network information. Health Canada coordinates the overall review of activities carried out by departments, agencies and Crown Corporations.
Comparable Indicators	Common indicators have been developed to measure outputs and outcomes (and are used in the FVI Reporting Framework); several indicators coincide with criminal justice system indicators and with indicators for women's economic well-being. Indicators of societal performance include statistics on crime, victimization, child maltreatment, shelter use, beliefs and behaviours. The data are available from criminal justice statistics, General Social Survey, Transition Home Survey, NPHS, NLSCY, Canadian Incidence Survey of Child Maltreatment and Neglect, Public Awareness Survey Participating departments have their own data collection mechanisms. The data are used jointly among participating departments for evaluation as well as by other related programs at the federal level. At this stage, there are no FVI/P/T indicators. No plan is currently in place to develop FVI/P/T indicators. The FVI has identified appropriate indicators in its reporting framework.
Evaluation / Thrid Party Assessments	Health Canada chairs an Interdepartmental Evaluation Working Group on Family Violence. The IWG developed a Reporting Framework, and monitors progress in collecting and reporting on key results and performance indicators. Each participating department, agency and Crown Corporation develops performance indicators related to the activities and outputs of the FVI and summarizes its resources, reach and results. Health Canada compiles annual narrative reports on the performance of federal government interventions on family violence. A cumulative Five Year Report will be completed by Fall 2002. An informal FVI/P/T of Chairs of provincial / territorial interdepartmental working groups and the Government of Canada IWG meets periodically. There is no provision for an audit.
Shared Information and Best Practices	The Interdepartmental Evaluation Working Group on Family Violence identifies detailed measures for performance indicators, and reviews the appropriateness of performance information. The National Clearinghouse on Family Violence is managed by Health Canada on behalf of all Departments participating in the Family Violence Initiative. Its web site is http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/nc-cn. Its toll free number is 1-800-267-1291. Its TTY number is 1-800-561-5643. It produces a biannual newsletter that is distributed to a mailing list of 5500 and is also posted on its web site. Analysis of NCFV clientele shows that 33.15% of NCFV clientele are social service providers, 13.36% health service providers, 13.72% from the education sector, 12.92% general public and the balance from other sectors. A questionnaire designed for web use permits tracking of web site users. IWG participating departments, including Statistics Canada, Justice Canada, Status of Women Canada and Canadian Heritage have publication programs. Statistics Canada annually produces Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile and publishes survey results in its Juristat series. The former is available on-line (http://www.statcan.ca) and the latter can be purchased. Justice Canada supports dissemination of information on family violence through its Public Legal Education and Information program. It also publishes research results on its web site (http://www.justice.gc.ca). SWC has aided in the distribution of results of its Girl Child Project with the Alliance of Five Research Centres on Family Violence and Violence Against Women. Canadian Heritage, Multicultural Program has also been involved in an extensive awareness campaign to inform ethno-cultural communities across Canada.
Public Reporting	Performance information on outputs, outcomes and societal indicators is included in Annual Reports. The 1997/98 Report is available on the NCFV website.

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Involving Canadians
Provisions for Citizens to Participate in Developing Social Priorities and Reviewing Outcomes	Departments have consultative processes to involve Canadians in developing priorities. For example, Justice frequently puts position papers on-line for feedback; Statistics Canada consults to develop questionnaire content; NCFV includes a feedback form with all publications it distributes. Projects often have advisory groups. IWG meets P/T counterparts periodically. There are no plans to develop a structured citizen engagement mechanism for FVI.
Feedback Mechanisms to the Public	The involvement of Canadians is tracked through the FVI Accountability Reporting Frameworks. Annual Reports of the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence and the Family Violence Initiative are available on the NCFV web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/nc-cn.

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Service Commitments
Public Availability of Eligibility Criteria	Each Department establishes eligibility requirements for participation in its FVI programs. The NCFV is operated on behalf of all FVI departments and is funded through the annual FVI allocation. This resource centre is accessible on the web site.
Existence and Availability of Service Commitments	Each Department is responsible for service commitments related to its programs. The NCFV has clearly established service standards. Information on service standards is contained in the NCFV Annual Report available on the website.
Measurement and Public Reporting	There are regular reviews of client satisfaction for the NCFV. (In 1998/99, of those who completed the survey, 99% of users believed the NCFV to be a useful service; 97% agreed that getting material was an easy process; 99% felt that service was adequate and staff were courteous and helpful).

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Appeals and Complaints
Existence, Availability and Communication of Mechanisms	Not applicable - The Family Violence Initiative is a way of managing an issue horizontally across departments. It does not have an appeals and complaints mechanism because, as an Initiative, it does not have grants and contributions programs or other programs that might generate administrative practice concerns. Its $7M annual allocation is used to operate the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, collect data, conduct research and evaluate and coordinate the FVI.
Tracking and Public Reporting	Not applicable; see above

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Mobility
Existence of Measure	The FVI, does not include residency based policy or practices, nor does it have programming that is affected by education, training, health or social service/social assistance requirements.