Substitute Bill No. 6053 Summary

• Peace officers responding to family violence incidents must provide victims with information about regional domestic violence organizations offering trauma-informed care by licensed professional counselors, effective July 1, 2011.

• Changes disclosure requirements for family violence intervention units so that counselors "shall" (instead of "may") disclose to the Department of Children and Families information indicating a defendant poses danger to a child or custodial parent.

• Requires family violence intervention units to provide or contract for victim services that include trauma-informed care by licensed professional counselors, defining "trauma-informed care" as services based on understanding the neurological, biological, psychological and social effects of trauma and violence.

• Expands the definition of "bullying" in school policies to include acts of dating violence between students and allows policies to address dating violence occurring outside school settings if it negatively impacts a student's academic performance or school safety.

• Requires the Department of Children and Families to include training on prevention, identification, and effects of family violence in all social worker trainee programs before case assignment, effective July 1, 2011.