BIPP Accreditation # 246-001

Batterers Intervention and Prevention Program (BIPP): As Administered by The Center for

Cognitive Education, LLC

1st Annual Domestic Assault Response Team Conference

May 15, 2013

Topics of discussion

The Center for Cognitive Education

I. TypologiesII. Accreditation StandardsIII. BIPP Program Structure and

Client AccountabilityIV. Program CurriculumV. References and ResourcesVI. Contact information

I. Typologies: One SizeDoes Not Fit All

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• 24.4% of young married couples (18-28) engage in mild physical aggression, including throwing things, pushing, grabbing, or shoving a partner in the past year (Pan1994;Whitaker 2007)

• Approximately 1.5 million women and 835,00 men are physically assaulted or raped by intimate partners in the U.S. annually (Whitaker 2007)

• 5.6% engage in more serious and damaging forms of aggression, including choking, strangling, or beating their partner, physically forcing sex, threatening with a weapon, using a weapon (Pan 1994; Whitaker 2007)

• 70.1% did none of these things (Pan 1994; Whitaker 2007)

I. Typologies continued..

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* Intimate Partner Terrorism • Aka: battering, spouse abuse, ‘wife beating’• 10% of violent couples in community sample• 74% in shelter samples• Primary abuser is almost always male• Violence is more frequent & severe/less likely to stop• Primary abuser coercively controls the partner• Female violence only in self-defense• Power and Control: “all he had to do was look at me

that way and I would do whatever he wanted”• Coercive Control: non physical (as well as physical)

tactics used by abusers to maintain control over their partners….Including intimidation, isolation, economic control , controlling partner’s activities & decisions, emotional abuse, erosion of independence and self-esteem.

I. Typologies continued..

* Situational Couple Violence• Violence initiated equally by women and men• Violence is less frequent and not as severe• Not characterized by a pattern of coercive control• One of many tactics used by partners to express

conflict and disagreement• An “expressive, misguided, and cathartic response”

• The two types of violence are not defined by the nature or frequency of violent acts but solely in terms of the relationship “level of control context” in which they are embedded. Intimate Partner Terrorism is violence that is embedding in a general pattern of control; Situational Couple Violence is not.

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I. Typologies continued..

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It is not always what it looks like, meaning:

• Some Intimate Partner Terrorists (IPT) may gain control without resorting to a high level of violence.

• Similarly, Situational Couple Violence (SCV), although more likely than ‘intimate terrorism’ to involve only isolated low-level violence, can be in some cases be frequent or deadly.

I. Typologies continued..

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Treatment and Case Management Implications:

• SCV are more likely to be more responsive to supportive help programs such as BIPP and traditional services for divorcing partners (parenting classes; anger management; mediation; or couples/family/individual counseling). “Stake in Conformity”

• In contrast, it may not be safe or realistic to expect divorcing IPT partners to learn how to “cooperate” and “improve their relationship”. Instead, they may require more safety-focused plans and custody agreements. A “containment” model is recommended. Focus on concrete education, skill-building of how to live a non-violent lifestyle.

II. Accreditation Standards

The Center for Cognitive Education

(For a detailed description of BIPP guidelines: http://www.tcfv.org)

* The CCE, BIPP Accreditation #246-001.

* Basic, Non-Negotiable Guidelines:• Minimum of 18 weeks/36 hours; one session per week;

no more than 15 participants in one group.• Curriculum standards support: holding participants

accountable; the goal of “no more violence”; cognitive based. Cannot include: techniques that present anger or psychopathology (of either partner) as the cause of family violence; marriage or couples counseling.

• Minimum training and continued training /supervision for Facilitators.

• Notification to victims (start / termination / completion)• Requirements related to confidentiality.

II. Accreditation Standards cont..

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* Basic, Non-Negotiable Guidelines cont.. :

• Support collaboration with other agencies. Guidelines on monthly reports and other documentation to referral sources.

• Requires monthly statistics be sent to governing agency.• Requires programs to be active in community education.• Only designed to address males who engage in intimate

partner violence.

* Benefits of Accreditation:• Establishes and maintains quality control of those

providing services to men who engage in intimate partner violence.

III. BIPP Program Structure & Client Accountability

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The primary goal of the BIPP is to help clients learn responsible, non-violent thinking and behavioral skills so that they do not physically or emotionally harm other persons. Significant Objectives of the Program Agreement:• I will stop all of my violent, abusive, threatening, and

controlling behaviors, including stalking and violation of a protective order.

• I will use only non-abusive, non-controlling, and non-intimidating behavior toward other group participants and group facilitators.

• I will be able to identify and describe personally relevant thinking errors and give personal examples.

• I will be able to verbalize an understanding of the relationship between my thinking errors and my offense, and other offense behavior, if applicable.

III. BIPP Program Structure & Client Accountability cont..

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Significant Objectives of the Program Agreement:• I will be able to describe and/or demonstrate in role-play

exercises how to overcome each personally relevant thinking error.

• I will be able to describe and/or demonstrate in role-play exercises appropriate coping strategies to effectively deal with high risk trigger situations.

• I will have no illegal drug use and will stay alcohol free while participating in intervention services.

• I will fulfill my financial agreements made to the program.

Client Accountability and Program Rules• I agree to attend the BIPP program on a weekly basis for a minimum of 24 sessions (1 ½ hour sessions). If you have more than three unexcused absences, you will be suspended from the program and referred back to the referring agency for review to restart the program. If you are required to restart the program, you will not receive credit for previously attended sessions.

III. BIPP Program Structure & Client Accountability cont..

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• I agree to dress appropriately for group. No sleeveless shirts; caps; inappropriate slogans or saying on clothing, etc..• I agree to arrive on time for each session. If I am more than 15

minutes late I will be charged for the session but I will not be allowed to receive credit for the session. Each session will last 90 minutes. This will be acknowledged as an unexcused session and your number of required sessions will be extended for each time you are late more than 15 minutes. You may be considered for a suspension and required to restart the program if tardiness continues to be an issue.

• I agree to pay the $25.00 fee for each session at the time the session is held. I understand that if I become more than $75.00 delinquent on fees, I may be discharged from the program and referred back to the referring agency for review to restart.

• I agree to pay $25.00 for any unexcused session.• I agree to purchase the Resources and Homework Workbook for

a cost of $20.00.• I agree not to use alcohol or illicit drugs while enrolled in the

program and will stay alcohol free.

III. BIPP Program Structure & Client Accountability cont..

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• I agree not to threaten any other group members orstaff members at any time. If I do so, I will be asked to leave the group immediately. I am also aware that my community supervision officer, the Court, or other referral source will be notified of my threatening behavior. I understand that if the above occurs that I may be terminated from the treatment program.

• I agree not to bring weapons to the group.• I agree to fully participate in the sessions and to complete the

required homework assignments before group. If you do not complete the homework assignments, you will not receive credit for the session.

• I agree to complete a written and verbal Weekly Check-in assignment and I will give an accurate and honest evaluation of my weekly progress.

• I am aware that the BIPP staff member will evaluate my progress on a regular basis and will be communicating with my community supervision officer, the Court, or other referral source the progress I have made.

III.BIPP Program Structure & Client Accountability cont..

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• I agree to respect the confidentiality of other group members by not divulging their identities or information about them to anyone else.

• I agree not to bring food or beverages (other than clear bottle water) in the building and/or group meeting room.

• I agree to refrain from victim blaming and will refer to all persons, present or not, in respectful terms.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE IS THE PLATFORM FOR LEARNING AND CHANGE

IV. Program Curriculum

The Center for Cognitive Education

* The STOP Program. “Innovative Skills, Techniques, Options, and Plans for Better Relationships”.By David Wexler, Ph.D. (2000 and 2006)

* Corrective Thinking ModelBy Truthought, LLC.www.truthought.com

Review Program Out-line(within handouts)

V. References and Resources:

The Center for Cognitive Education

A Manual for Delivery of Cognitive Self Change ; VermontDepartment of Corrections, 2002 (www.nicic.org/Library/021558)

Charting a New Course TM and Corrective Thinking Process TM

Training aid and certification offered by Truthought, LLC(www.truthought.com)

Thinking for a Change: National Institute of Corrections(www.nicic.org/Library/017124)

Vermont’s Cognitive Self Change Program: A 15 year Review;(www.thefreelibrary.com/Vermont’s+Cognitive+Self+Change+Program:+A+15+Year+Review-a079665471)

Motivating Offenders to Change: National Institute of Corrections (www.nicic.gov/Library/022253)

STOP Domestic Violence ; by David B. Wexler, Ph.D. (2000/2006)

VII. Contact Information:

The Center for Cognitive Education

The Center for Cognitive Education, LLC.503 Main Street, Georgetown, TX 78626Web-site: www.theccedu.org Tel. 512-868-9644 Fax. 512-868-2644

Dean Eddy, MA, LPC-S, LSOTP-SManaging Partner; BIPP AdministratorEmail: deddy@theccedu.orgCell: 512-966-8830

Angela De La Rosa, BSManaging Partner; CEP/NIPV AdministratorEmail: adelarosa@theccedu.orgCell: 512-585-8095