Rule 125-4-9-.08 - Facilitator Requirements and Restrictions on Program PersonnelListed below are the minimum requirements for facilitators and restrictions on FVIP personnel. FVIPs will maintain documentation that all FVIP personnel meet these requirements.
(a)Program Hiring Limitations. FVIPs are restricted in hiring as follows: (1) FVIPs shall not be owned or operated by any person or employ any facilitator, supervisor, or director who is under the supervision of the Department. FVIPs also shall not subcontract with any person who is under the supervision of the Department nor allow any person who is working for an independent employer to perform any type of work for the FVIP.(2) FVIPs shall screen all potential facilitators, supervisors, owners, and directors through referral and employment checks. FVIPs will require that all proposed employees provide the details of any of the following criminal background information: (A) Conviction, guilty plea, nolo contendere plea, for a felony or misdemeanor.(B) Adjudication of guilt withheld for a felony or misdemeanor.(C) Current charges of a violation of law.(D) Reports to the Department of Family and Children's Services for child abuse or neglect.(E) Protective order issued against them, or bond conditions resulting from an arrest.(F) A finding of family violence was made in divorce, custody or visitation proceedings.(3) The Department reserves the right of prior approval in such cases when there is a finding of any instance of A-F (above) for any facilitator, supervisor, owner, or director.(4) The Department shall conduct a comprehensive criminal history background check on each FVIP employee facilitator, supervisor, owner, and director upon initial certification and at the time of hiring additional staff. Current FVIP employees must have the GCIC documentation present in their personnel file.(b)Facilitator Educational and Training Requirements. (1)Educational Requirements. FVIP facilitators must have either a bachelor's degree or at least two years of work with batterers, victims, or victim liaisons.(2)Training Requirements. FVIP facilitators must have undergone the following training requirements. Training requirements are provided in more detail in Department SOP.(A) 84 hours of direct face-to-face contact facilitating or co-facilitating or participation as a trainee in male batterers groups using a power and control model.(B) 40 hours of participation in community education and advocacy,(C) 40 hours of Commission-approved training;(D) Completion of 4 hours of documented experiential education with other members of the coordinated community response to domestic violence.(3)Facilitator trainees. If an apprenticeship or trainee period is necessary to fulfill any of the pre-requisite credentials for facilitator requirements a trainee must work under the direction and supervision of a facilitator that is providing curriculum in compliance with these regulations. Facilitator trainees must have completed forty (40) hours of Commission approved training before co-facilitating a group.(4)Continuing Education Requirements for Facilitators. FVIP facilitators shall be required to fulfill the following continuing education requirements:(A) 8 hours annually of GCFV-approved training; and(B) 4 hours annually of experiential education with other members of the coordinated community response to domestic violence.(5)Personal Accountability: For purposes of maintaining personal accountability, facilitators shall: (A) Sign a violence-free lifestyle statement;(B) Submit to referral and employment checks conducted by programs and criminal background checks to be performed by the Department;(C) Report any actual, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest to the program; and(D) Report any arrests, TPO's, or violations of the nonviolent lifestyle agreement to the program.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 125-4-9-.08
Ga. Constitution 1982, Art. XI, Sec. 1, Par. I, (b), O.C.G.A. Secs. 42-2-11, 42-5-55.
Original Rule entitled "Facilitator Requirements and Restrictions on Program Personnel" adopted. F. Apr. 3, 2003; eff. Apr. 23, 2003.