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The Family Advocacy Program is dedicated to the prevention, education, reporting, intervention and treatment of domestic violence.

The Family Advocacy Program (FAP) provides a variety of programs and services to military members and their families to enhance life skills and improve their quality of life. This mission is accomplished through a variety of seminars, workshops, treatment groups, counseling, and intervention services. Please call to make an appointment.

Our Family Advocacy Program has a highly-qualified, licensed clinical staff, trained in family violence and are available to provide counseling services at your request.

Family Advocacy professionals are also available to assist commanders and other leaders with various trainings, briefings, and workshops to aid in domestic violence prevention.

The MCBH Family Advocacy Program currently has numerous materials available for commanders, individuals and families including videos, reading materials and more.

What is Domestic Abuse?

You have the right to live without fear and violence. You are not alone.

Domestic Abuse is a pattern of violent behaviors that adults sometimes use against their intimate partners, including their spouses. Abuse can cause injury or even death, but it is not just physical. Domestic Abuse includes:

• Physical violence
• Emotional abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Sexual violence

Does your partner:

• Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
• Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
• Intimidate you by breaking things or punching holes in the walls?
• Threaten to hurt you or someone/thing you care about?
• Push, slap, or punch you?
• Choke you?
• Keep you from buying essential items?
• Berate or humiliate you?
• Isolate you from family and friends?
• Threaten to kill you?

If you answered yes to any of these or there are other behaviors that you are worried about, please contact the Victim Advocate program.

Restricted Reporting

What Is Restricted Reporting?

Restricted reporting is a process allowing an adult victim of domestic abuse the option of reporting an incident of domestic abuse to a specified individual without initiating the investigative process or notification to the victim’s or alleged offender’s commander. The report of domestic abuse can be involving a spouse, former spouse, intimate partner, or former intimate partner. Restricted reporting is limited to adult victims of domestic abuse. Exceptions to restricted reporting exist. Please contact a victim advocate for more information.

Who do I tell for Restricted Reporting?

FAP Victim Advocate: 808-216-7175 (24-Hour hotline)
Military Healthcare Provider – any person authorized to provide direct patient care in military medical/dental facilities.

Victims can make restricted reports to healthcare providers, victim advocates, and healthcare providers/victim advocate supervisors. Healthcare providers include mental health providers. Healthcare providers will report the information to victim advocates.

Additionally, victims can make a report to a chaplain; which will be considered privileged and may be protected under the Military Rules of Evidence. However, in order to obtain certain services, an official restricted report must be made.

NOTE: If domestic or sexual abuse is disclosed to someone other than the individuals noted above, that individual may be required to report the incident which may result in command FAP notification and law enforcement investigation, even if the victim made a restricted report to a victim advocate or healthcare provider.

Please note: If the victim elects to receive medical care at a civilian facility, regulations governing the release of medical information at that facility apply and no guarantee can be made that law enforcement will not be notified.

Why Restricted Reporting?

Domestic abuse often goes unreported in society at large. Although the victim’s decision to report the incident is a crucial step toward holding the offender accountable following a domestic abuse incident, it can have potentially serious consequences for the safety and welfare of the victim and other family members. When domestic abuse is reported to military and/or civilian authorities who fail to take appropriate action, the abuse may recur and escalate. In the military community, a victim is usually concerned that reporting will have immediate repercussions on the military career of the family-member offender, and thus affect the family’s financial welfare. The result is that this potential impact may often deter the victim from seeking care at all or reporting the domestic abuse incident. A system that affords victims access to medical and victim advocacy services without immediate command or law enforcement involvement may encourage victims to feel more comfortable and safe about reporting domestic abuse.

Unrestricted Reporting

Victims of domestic abuse who want to pursue an official command or criminal investigation of an incident should use current reporting channels, e.g., chain of command, FAP, or law enforcement. Upon notification of a reported domestic abuse incident, victim advocacy services and FAP clinical services will be offered to the victim. Additionally, at the victim’s request, the healthcare provider, in coordination with criminal investigators, shall conduct any forensic medical examination deemed appropriate. Details regarding the incident will be limited to only those personnel who have a legitimate need to know. In these cases, commands and law enforcement are notified. FAP provides assessments of the incidents and the case is taken to the Incident Determination Committee, an administrative proceeding. FAP also provides services such as groups, classes, and individual, family and couples counseling.

Groups, Classes, and Workshops

21st Century Anger Management
This is a nine-week series consisting of eight goals which will provide the necessary skills to aid in preventing, reducing and managing anger. See this Anger Management PDF for additional information. The eight tools include:

Recognizing stress
Responding instead of reacting
Adjusting expectations
Changing the conversation within yourself
Developing empathy
Retreating and thinking things over
Assertive communication
Forgiving but not forgetting

Class: Tuesdays
Bldg. #216, 0930-1100
Contact 257-7776/8803

Married and Loving It
Presented every month, this couples workshop explains the fundamentals of being a successful military family. Subjects include couples communication, budgeting and finances, where to find helpful resources and much more. Spouses and fiancés are highly encouraged to attend. Call 257-7776/8803 to register.
Class: Third Wednesday of every month
Bldg. #216, 0800 – 1600

PREP Marriage Enhancement Workshop 
This five-session workshop focuses on couples communication and problem-solving. Please call 257-7776/8803 to register.
Bldg. #216