Blueprint to Prevent Interpersonal Violence in Contra Costa County

Blueprint to Prevent Interpersonal Violence in Contra Costa County

In Contra Costa County, there has been significant attention and investment in interpersonal violence (child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking) intervention, and there are a lot of strong relationships and successes on which to build. There is an increasing desire to place more attention on prevention among many partners, and the readiness and the resources have aligned to make a planning and capacity building process possible.

The Blueprint Planning Working Group is a group of leaders representing Alliance to End Abuse Core Project Team members as well as partner organizations, including the Public Health Department, County Office of Education, community-based organizations, and others, who will help to develop the Blueprint to Prevent Interpersonal Violence in Contra Costa County. Guided by consultation support from Prevention Institute, the planning process and resulting Blueprint will promote a greater shared vision for preventing interpersonal violence among the partners of the Contra Costa Alliance to End Abuse and partners and will increase capacity and readiness for collaborative action and systems change.

The objectives for the planning process include:  

1. Strengthen understanding and capacity for prevention among Alliance members, partners, and other stakeholders;
2. Ensure the Blueprint emphasizes prevention of multiple forms of violence through addressing shared risk and protective factors;
3. Uplift practices with the greatest potential to prevent interpersonal violence across the lifespan drawing from the best available evidence, including community wisdom; and
4. Engage partners, including community members, in a transparent process that engenders and expands multisector collaboration, joint strategies, and outcomes.

The process will include thoughtful dialogue to assess what contributes to interpersonal violence, what helps to prevent it, what is working in the County and what are the critical needs and gaps, and what existing assets can be built upon. The resulting Blueprint will serve as a tool to guide change through shared vision, values, goals, and strategies. The Blueprint is part of an ongoing effort to build relationships, understanding, and trust, and take collaborative action in Contra Costa County.