The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

The Domestic Violence Unit and DSS' Child Protection Agency

What is the Domestic Violence Unit?

The Domestic Violence Unit is a statewide initiative designed to improve the Department's ability to provide safety to children experiencing domestic violence.  The Unit's philosophy is that the best interests of children cannot be separated from the best interests of their mothers.  A team of Domestic Violence Specialists (many of whom were formerly battered women's advocates in shelter programs or courts), work side by side with child protection staff in 26 DSS area offices across the state.

Why a Domestic Violence Unit in a Child Protection Agency?

Domestic violence and child maltreatment often occur within the same family. It is estimated that over 50% of child abuse cases involve domestic violence.  Universal screening and early identification are only the beginning of the solution.  Intervention of any kind may increase risk.  The safety of all victims must be considered when designing services.  The primary focus of intervention should be safety and stability for the child, which is often achieved by helping the non-offending parent and working with service providers and law enforcement to help, and hold accountable, the offending parent.  The DSS Domestic Violence Unit aims to integrate knowledge from the fields of domestic violence, child protection and family support.

What services does the Unit provide?
  • Case consultation in child abuse and neglect cases involving domestic violence.
  • Direct services to DSS involved battered women and their children.
  • Training on the overlap of child abuse and domestic violence to DSS staff, community agencies and other services.
  • Development and oversight of specialized services to meet the needs of families, including supervised visitation services, specialized evaluation and treatment services for child witnesses, shelter for substance abusing battered mothers and batterer's intervention services for DSS involved men.
  • Bridge building between DSS area offices and community agencies.
  • Information and referral to local resources.
How do you make a referral to the Unit?

The Unit accepts referrals from all levels of staff within DSS as well as from the community.  If you are working with a DSS involved family where domestic violence is a concern, you may consult your Domestic Violence Specialist with questions related to case practice, service delivery, and/or family safety. Please call the DSS Domestic Violence Unit at 617-748-2333 for general information or to reach the Domestic Violence Specialist in your community.