Hispanic Counseling Center to Upgrade Domestic Violence Intervention Program with $85,000 Grant

The Hispanic Counseling Center organizes a diverse palette of programs for Hispanic families on Long Island. Singling out one of these services, the Nassau County District Attorney has designated $85,000 to the nonprofit’s prevention and counseling initiatives for perpetrators of domestic violence.  

The grant will help the agency sustain and reshape its existing program, opening new avenues for HCC to approach these challenging cases. 

“We are grateful to the District Attorney’s Office for this significant monetary support, which will allow HCC to make a huge impact in stopping domestic violence,” said Gladys Serrano, Hispanic Counseling Center’s interim CEO, in a public statement. “It is in working with the perpetrators that we will truly make progress and help secure the safety of all family members.”

The HCC plans to unroll two cutting-edge and meticulously-developed intervention models, the Duluth Model Domestic Abuse Intervention Program and the Nurturing Parenting Program. The Duluth Model, a nationally-recognized formula which emphasizes the entire community’s involvement in stemming the tide of domestic violence, was first introduced in the 1980s. Around the same time, the National Institute of Mental Health piloted an early version of the Nurturing Parenting Program, which promotes healthy family environments and living situations.

Nassau County District Attorney Madeleine Singas, who has worked with domestic abuse victims and assailants throughout her legal career, has high hopes for this project. 

“Domestic violence is a scourge on society that knows no boundaries, ethnic, racial, economic or otherwise,” asserted Ms. Singas in a public statement. “As a lifelong special victims prosecutor, this issue is close to my heart and I’m proud to help HCC continue their critically important work in preventing domestic violence.”

In addition, HCC, which touches the lives of over 1,400 community members every month, intends to expand its staff in order to implement the models.