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What
does ACT stand for?
Accept
Change Today: A Men’s Education Course |
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Who
is the program for?
The ACT Program
is a batterer’s intervention course for men who abuse their adult female
partners, girlfriends or wives. Abuse includes the tactics of power and
control that men use such as: physical coercion and threats, intimidation,
economic abuse, emotional abuse, isolation, using the children, using male
privilege, minimizing the abuse, denying the abuse or blaming the victim. |
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What
is the course about?
Men who enroll
in the ACT Program have been abusive to their partners as explained above.
The course emphasizes that men, and men alone, are responsible for their
abuse of women and are capable of ending the abuse. The course is similar
to a DWI class in that new information about living a non-violent
lifestyle is presented. Men can choose to use this information if they
wish.
Men
with alcohol or other substance abuse issues are required to obtain an
alcohol/substance abuse evaluation from a recognized chemical dependency
agency and follow through with recommended treatment before entering the
ACT Program. |
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Are
there any special program rules?
Rules exist
regarding promptness, attendance, fee payment, use of respectful language
toward others (especially women) and a contract not to be violent. Program
rules are firmly enforced and men are suspended for failing to comply.
Suspension may be lifted if the man agrees to begin the program again.
Permanent termination from ACT results from failing to comply with program
rules on the third attempt to complete the program. |
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Does
the ACT Program
guarantee participants who complete
the program will never again be abusive?
It is the ACT
program philosophy that abuse is a choice and men can learn to make
different choices of behavior. Men who complete the ACT Program have all
the information they need to choose to live a violence-free life.
Therefore, the ACT Program offers no guarantee that men will end their use
of violence and abusive tactics upon completion. The participant always
makes that decision for himself. |
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How
is the ACT Program important to our community?
The ACT Program is part of
Steuben County’s coordinated commitment to end violence against women
and to hold men accountable for their violence and abusive behaviors.
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Does
the ACT Program
coordinate
with other community services?
The ACT Program works in close
coordination with the courts, probation, prosecutors, police and victim
service providers to make this service available to the men who have been
mandated to attend. Men may also voluntarily enroll in the program.
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How to join the ACT Program
If you have been court ordered to attend the ACT
Program, please follow these guidelines:
You have 30 days from the date of the court order to
make an appointment with the ACT Program.
Call Family Service Society, Inc. at 607-962-3148 and
ask to speak with the Intake Worker.
Should you fail to keep your appointment with the ACT
Program, the mandating agency will be notified immediately. Note:
additional legal charges may be brought against you for failing to
comply with a court order.
The ACT Program is held at Family Service Society, Inc.’s
Bath office location.
Please contact Family Service
Society, Inc.’s Intake Worker at 607-962-3148 to enroll in the ACT
Program. |