Newly Created and Updated Resources

Greetings colleagues,

We know that as you and your communities continue to serve survivors during this COVID-19 crisis, that it is important that you have the most up-to-date resources and materials to better assist the survivors you work with. Although these resources are not all COVID-19 specific, they all provide guidance and best practices that will hopefully be helpful at any time.

Choosing Digital Service Platform Step-by-Step Guide

Available in English and Spanish:
As programs continue to manage navigating the shift from face-to-face advocacy to tele-advocacy, online, or mobile advocacy, it may be difficult to figure out how and where to start the process of choosing and setting up digital services. Before going through this step-by-step plan, please read our Using Technology to Communicate with Survivors During a Public Health Crisis Post.

Working Remotely: Tips for Setting Up Phones

Available in English and Spanish:
Whether advocates are asked to temporarily work from home or they work remotely as part of their regular schedule, being able to securely receive and send calls, text messages, and chats is critical. This guide answers common questions around setting up phones when working remotely.

FAQs for Victim Service Programs About HIPAA Privacy, HIPAA Security, and Technology

Available in English (in Spanish soon):
Designed to help local programs understand the nuances of HIPAA Privacy, HIPAA Security, and what the term “HIPAA-compliant” may (or may not) mean when used by technology vendors to market their product. The also explores how such products may or may not provide appropriate privacy protections to help comply with VAWA confidentiality obligations.

Website Safety & Privacy

Recently Updated and Available in English and Spanish:

Visiting a website can leave a digital trail and, for survivors, can create safety and privacy risks. While it may not be possible to completely eliminate risks, through web design and by including content on safety and privacy, you can increase survivors’ awareness and provide options. This revised resource includes tips to help minimize the safety and privacy risks on your program’s website.

How to Talk with Survivors About Safe Methods of Contact & corresponding Safe Contact Intake Form

Available in English and Spanish:
The ways that a survivor wants to communicate with your program should match their needs. A program should never contact a survivor in a way that the survivor has not specifically indicated is safe and private. These resources can help advocates identify safe ways to contact survivors.

Online Support Groups: Best Practices

Available in English and Spanish:
Online support groups can be a valuable way to for survivors to connect with support and other survivors when they are not able to meet in person. There are a wide variety of technology options to connect survivors using technology, including online forums where survivors can read and post messages at any time, and real-time online group web chats or video calls.

Client Information Databases & Confidentiality: A Comprehensive Guide for Service Providers

Available in English (in Spanish soon):
This is both an overview of key data and confidentiality concepts, and a guide to the many considerations that must be weighed when selecting a database, which include: purpose, confidentiality, data security, and program capacity (including costs, technology and staffing). This is intended primarily for community-based victim service programs that are legally obligated under VAWA, FVPSA, and VOCA to maintain confidentiality.

Tips for Using Video Hosting and Sharing Sites

Available in English:

With more people being home due to social distancing, watching videos on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and more means that we are able to access fun as well as informational content like never before. While video content on these platforms can open doors to new information and resources, survivors of violence who watch should be aware of the related risks that come with watching videos in these spaces. This handout can help survivors think through how they use video hosting sites and strategies for managing risks.

Using Zoom: Safety, Privacy and Confidentiality Considerations

Available in English (in Spanish soon):

With physical distancing measures in place, many organizations and individuals have turned to video conferencing as a way to connect. Zoom has been one of the most asked-about tools. As is the case with any tool, there are going to be benefits and risks for survivor safety and privacy, accessibility, and organizations’ confidentiality obligations. This guide is to help programs understand Zoom and ways to utilize the safety and privacy features Zoom has to offer to help maintain confidentiality.

We are always working to keep our materials relevant and updated. If you have any questions about our materials or resources, please reach out to us at safetynet@nnedv.org.

In peace and tech safety.