NBC Boston’s new investigative segment Solutions! reported in January on our Domestic Violence High Risk Team (DVHRT) Model. This model is a strategy to prevent and reduce domestic violence homicides in high risk cases.

Watch the segment now on the NBC 10 Boston website.

Investigative Reporter Ally Donnelly learned about the Greater Newburyport DVHRT, and how the DVHRT model has now expanded to 26 Massachusetts communities and a growing number of areas nationwide.

We first created the Greater Newburyport DVHRT in Newburyport 15 years ago to figure out how to better protect those at risk of domestic violence homicide or near-lethal assault. A DVHRT brings together community organizations to the same table to monitor high risk cases, share case information and put into action a coordinated plan to mitigate the danger. When combined with the right risk assessment tools, we have proven just how essential strong community partners are in order to fulfill our mission. As we work to expand the DVHRT model to more communities, we look to grow new partnerships and strengthen the existing ones.

Between 2005 and today, the Greater Newburyport DVHRT monitored 189 high risk cases with zero domestic violence related homicides. In comparison, in the 10 years prior to the implementation of the DVHRT, there were eight domestic violence related deaths.