NYS LGBTQ+ IPV NETWORK Service Access Assessment Tool

The New York State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer Intimate Partner Violence Network (The Network) is a statewide group of direct service providers who are working to ensure that intimate partner violence (IPV) services are inclusive and affirming of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) people, especially transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary (TGNCNB) and/or Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC).

This self-assessment tool for organizations is a starting point to understanding and analyzing the ways in which organizational culture and structure may be contributing to barriers to access for LGBTQ+ survivors of color. You can find the full Network Assessment Tool here.

The estimated time to complete this assessment is 10 minutes. Each of the four sections has 6 multiple choice questions, and there are 2 open-ended questions at the end of the assessment, for a total of 26 questions. After taking the assessment, record your score and compare it to the scale found in the full assessment tool to see your service access and LGBTQ+/TGNCNB cultural competency level. You can also find recommendations there to help you improve your score. Please note that if you leave the survey, your answers will not be saved.

Question Title

* 1. What is the FULL name of your organization? (No acronyms please.) (Required.)

Assessment 1 of 4: Direct Services

This part of the assessment is aimed at aiding service providers in assessing the services access and cultural competency of their direct services for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC.

Question Title

* 2. Do staff and volunteers share their own pronouns when interacting with survivors, colleagues, and community? (Choose 1 answer for "yes" and leave the rest blank.)

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 3. Do outreach staff and other staff use gender neutral pronouns when referring to survivors and the person(s) causing them harm until gender specific pronouns are provided?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 4. Are screenings conducted based on power and control, not perceived gender identity, to ensure that the caller is not the primary person(s) causing harm before they are admitted to confidential survivor-centric programs/groups/sites?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 5. Are staff and volunteers, including crisis line workers, trained to sensitively support LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors with the particular safety needs of belonging to each of these communities, and to competently provide other services, including links and referrals to relevant resources and culturally specific agencies?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 6. If available and/or requested, do staff make referrals for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors of IPV who experience criminalization (connected to their survival) and/or have civil legal needs (i.e. order of protection, immigration, divorce, custody, housing, discrimination, etc) to programs that meet those intersecting needs?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 7. If an organization has youth programming, are program staff familiar with issues confronting LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC parents and youth (custody, coming out, school issues, transitioning, accommodations, etc.)?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

Assessment 2 of 4: Policies and Organizational Culture

This part of the assessment is aimed at aiding service providers in assessing the services access and cultural competency of their organizational polices and culture around LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors.

Question Title

* 8. Does the organization make an effort or have a process to hire LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC people as staff, and to support these staff in progressing in the agency?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 9. Are LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC individuals involved in the development and decision-making process for inclusive staff and client policies?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 10. Have all of your staff (including administration, HR, volunteers, and board members) received routine and ongoing training regarding oppression and best practices in providing affirming services for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 11. Are your policies reviewed on an annual basis to monitor the intentional inclusion of LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC communities?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 12. Are new clients aware of agency confidentiality policy surrounding LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors and the consequences for violating this policy?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 13. Are strategies for increasing accessibility for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors integrated into programs and services on an ongoing basis? (For example: language, physical space, printed materials, etc.)

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

Assessment 3 of 4: Printed Materials

This part of the assessment is aimed at aiding service providers in assessing the services access and cultural competency of their printed materials around LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors.

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* 14. Do all written and web-based materials use inclusive language and images? (For example: using gender neutral language and avoiding specific pronouns, when speaking of person(s) causing harm or survivors, images with a diversity of community members)

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 15. Do you have materials in languages other than English?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 16. Do your materials explicitly state whether or not your program serves LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB survivors?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 17. Does your program provide materials/opportunities to assess whether LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors feel comfortable and welcomed when accessing services?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 18. Does your agency have a system for recording names and pronouns other than what is on legal documents?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 19. Does your program provide outreach and materials specific to LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

Assessment 4 of 4: Physical Space

This part of the assessment is aimed at aiding service providers in assessing the services access and cultural competency of their physical space around LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors.

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* 20. Is information about community services and resources for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors easily accessible in your space(s)?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 21. Do resource areas contain materials such as books, magazines, and videos that reflect the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 22. Are your facilities arranged to accommodate survivors of all gender identities, including safe access to restrooms and other shared spaces?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 23. Does your waiting area or public areas have your non-discrimination policy posted?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 24. Is the non-discrimination personnel policy available in languages other than English?

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

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* 25. Does your space provide a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors? (i.e. signage, community photos, etc.)

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

Assessment 5 of 5: Barriers to Service Provision and Access

This section is aimed at helping organizations think about what barriers organizations face in improving service access and cultural competency for LGBTQ+ and/or TGNCNB BIPOC survivors.

NYS LGBTQ+ IPV NETWORK Service Access Assessment Tool