Universal Response to
Domestic Violence
Get Help Now:
If you are being hurt, threatened, or made to feel unsafe, call Family Services’ Domestic Violence Hotline at 845-485-5550

What is the Universal Response to Domestic Violence?
The Universal Response to Domestic Violence (URDV) is a team of professionals and community partners working together to respond to domestic violence in Dutchess County. With members from law enforcement, prosecution, victim advocates, healthcare, social services agencies, and more, the team works to improve safety for domestic violence victims, hold offenders accountable, and strengthen collaboration and coordination of domestic violence response across the county.
Our core initiatives include the Lethality Assessment Program, Domestic Abuse Response Team, High-Risk Case Management Team, and the NYS STRIVE Initiative.
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Kaitlin Rodriques
krodriques@familyservicesny.org
What We Do
Lethality Assessment Program
The URDV Coordinator trains police officers in the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP), which is an evidence-based set of questions used at the scene of a domestic violence call. Officers ask these questions to identify victims who may be in serious danger of being seriously injured or killed by their partner. If a victim’s responses show that they are in danger, they are immediately connected with a Family Services advocate who can help with safety planning, crisis support, and access to other community resources.
Domestic Abuse Response Team
The Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) partners work together to connect survivors of domestic violence with services and support, which may include safety planning, advocacy, legal assistance, counseling, housing, and other resources. By coordinating across different agencies, DART helps make it easier for victims to get timely support. DART advocates from Family Services are located in the City of Poughkeepsie, City of Beacon, Town of Poughkeepsie, and Hyde Park Police Departments.
High-Risk Team
The High Risk Team (HRT) features a group of professionals from multiple fields who work together on Dutchess County’s most dangerous domestic violence cases. The team reviews cases where there is a high risk of serious injury or death, and creates coordinated plans that prioritize victim safety while holding offenders accountable. Through this network, they can easily share information and collaborate to prevent future violence and support survivors.
STRIVE Initiative
The Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) Initiative is a New York State program designed to combat domestic violence by bringing together law enforcement, courts, probation, and victim services agencies to create a coordinated, trauma-informed response to intimate partner abuse.
Steering Committee
Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office
Dutchess County Department of Mental Health
Dutchess County Department of Health
Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
Dutchess County Family Court
Dutchess County Integrated Domestic Violence Court
Dutchess County Office of Probation and Community Corrections
City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
New York State Police
City of Beacon Police
Family Services’ Center for Victim Safety and Support
Grace Smith House
Funding Acknowledgement
This project is funded in part by Dutchess County and the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Statewide Targeted Reduction in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) Initiative.
