Training and Certification for Domestic Violence Service Providers: The Need for a National Standard Curriculum and Training Approach

Domestic violence (DV) continues to constitute an enormous public health problem in the United States. Knowledge and understanding of the complexities involved in DV has grown significantly in recent years revealing a need for providers who have broad training in a variety of legal, safety, developmental, and clinical issues that face families impacted by DV. This paper reviews current approaches to training and the ability of such methods to adequately prepare providers. There are no national standards for providers at any level from DV advocates to batterer interventionists, to clinicians with the required hours of training in most states at an alarmingly low level. Few states require cross training for those working as victim advocates or batterer interventionists. The systems that currently provide segregated and limited training create silos of service that are less effective. A proposed set of standards and training guidelines are proposed for DV advocates, batterer interventionists, and clinicians along with a discussion of the implications of such standards for the field.