WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pervasive problem in our society that has a devastating impact upon victims, offenders, children, families, communities, government, and employers; and

WHEREAS, the need exists in South Carolina to increase awareness of domestic violence, its prevalence and harmful effects, and to create a stronger mechanism to meet those challenges by improving communication and coordination among the agencies and officials responsible for addressing domestic violence issues; and

WHEREAS, a model approach is needed to assist in establishing coordinated programs at the state and local level to provide comprehensive community response processes that incorporate all entities and disciplines affecting domestic violence; and

WHEREAS, it is essential that a group of informed and concerned public and private sector representatives collaborate to identify and evaluate current programs and strategies, devise new strategies to improve coordination and cooperation among existing domestic violence programs and agencies, provide assistance in the programs, promote continuing communication and coordination among the agencies and officials, provide recommendations for further improvements to community response efforts to respond to domestic violence.

NOW, THEREFORE, I hereby establish the Governor's Task Force on Domestic violence (hereinafter referred to as "the Task Force"), that shall have the following responsibilities:

1. Identify current processes used by state and local communities to intervene and respond to criminal domestic violence and determine the availability of services for victims, their families, and offenders.

2. Devise strategies to improve coordination, communication, funding, and cooperation among existing domestic violence programs and agencies and create model policies designed to result in efficient, cost-effective, comprehensive community response processes that incorporate all entities and disciplines affecting criminal domestic violence.

3. Collaborate with private sector entities to more comprehensively identify community-driven, successful efforts to prevent domestic violence and increase employee and community productivity. Provide assistance in the development of training, education, community awareness, and prevention programs, and promote continuing communication and coordination among the agencies and officials responsible for addressing domestic violence.

4. Collect and utilize existing data, reports, statistics, studies, and best practices or existing model programs compiled by criminal justice, social services, and other agencies to devise strategies for possible inclusion in community response efforts.

5. Design strategies to facilitate the development of local domestic violence coordinating councils.

The membership of the Task Force referenced herein will be designated by the Governor and include medical and mental health providers, human services professionals, law enforcement and judicial experts, local communities and neighborhoods, employers, non-profit organizations, and treatment providers for victims and offenders.

It is further provided that the Task Force shall submit its recommendations to the Governor no later than September 30, 2000.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS 5th DAY OF JULY, 2000.

JIM HODGES
Governor
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 10:23 A.M.