Utah State University launches program to treat domestic violence offenders

LOGAN — A new initiative at Utah State University is taking a different approach to addressing domestic violence by focusing on those who commit it.

The “Bridges to Change” program, developed by USU experts, aims to reduce intimate partner violence by working directly with offenders.

“It’s not just anger management,” said Dr. Derrik Tollefson, social work professor at USU. “It’s not that simple.”

The program begins with a comprehensive intake process using Utah’s Intimate Partner Violence Risk and Needs Evaluation tool. Based on the results, participants are assigned individualized treatment plans that may include group or one-on-one sessions. Some sessions are offered virtually.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach that we used to use a lot in Utah and other places around the country, but we’re moving towards an approach that’s more tailored to that person’s individual risk and need score,” Tollefson said.

He said lower-risk individuals may complete the program in as few as five sessions, while higher-risk participants could require 30 or more.

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Tanya Comer, who helped build the program and will work directly with clients, said the approach is rooted in “mind-body bridging,” a therapeutic method that emphasizes healing.

“You’re not broken. You don’t need to be fixed,” Comer said. “We just have to help you move into a more natural, functioning space. Get in touch with your true self and who you truly are. It becomes a lot less threatening in that way.”

Comer acknowledged the challenges of working with offenders, noting a shortage of providers who are willing and trained to treat this population.

“Just working with someone who’s done this to someone else, that can be really hard for people,” she said.

She and Tollefson noted it’s likely the majority of their clientele will not be receiving treatment voluntarily.

“We anticipate that most of those individuals that we work with will be coming through court referrals or probation referrals or referrals from the Division of Child and Family Services,” Tollefson said.

He said research he’s done supports the program’s effectiveness. He tracked offenders who completed the program and found that recidivism rates remained fairly low years after the program ended.

“The two studies I published on the program that we’re using here have shown recidivism rates in the single digits, so that’s, of course, using official recidivism data, looking at police reports over a five-year kind of follow-up span,” he said. “Obviously, official reports are not going to capture all of that recidivism. It’s ideal if you can get feedback from partners who are still with these individuals and get their perspective, but that’s much, much more difficult to do.”

Tollefson said the treatment doesn’t work on everyone, but he said people do and can change.

Comer said stopping domestic violence is a community effort.

“We have to have an intervention that’s helpful, right? We have to have a probation officer that’s paying attention, that’s really interested in change, right? Are they really interested in seeing change in this person or are they just interested in a more punitive approach? Are we looking at what their survivors are needing in this situation? Are they getting services? Are they getting quality services, right?” Comer said. “Are they getting therapy or are they getting access to the legal help that they need? There’s so many different moving parts that come into just one person changing. And then we have the whole policy piece.”

The clinic officially opens Oct. 21 in Logan. Organizers hope the program will make Cache Valley and the surrounding communities safer.

“This is just a space that gets kind of looked over a lot of times,” Comer said.

Domestic violence resources

If you or someone you know is going through abuse, help is available.

• The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465).
• Resources are also available online at the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition website.
• YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
• Utah’s statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233