Lethality Assessment Program

As Domestic Violence Awareness Month kicks off this weekend, Embrace is excited to announce that Rusk and Washburn Counties were trained this week as trainers of a nationally-recognized domestic violence homicide prevention program, called the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP).

Both Rusk County Law Enforcement Departments, the four Washburn County Police Departments, and Embrace were selected as Wisconsin's third Lethality Assessment Program Team. This Team has already begun to incorporate the evidence-based LAP assessment and referral protocol into law enforcement's domestic violence incident response. As part of the protocol, Embrace's trained staff will be available to support high-risk survivors in the moment with safety planning and resources. The LAP program is proven to prevent homicides in our communities.

Other benefits to our communities will likely include a reduction in the high rates of domestic violence incidents, suicides, and near or attempted homicides our service areas face. All officers, deputies and advocates from the participating agencies will be fully trained in the life-saving model by January 31, 2017. 

Pictured above with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Staff are Rusk and Washburn Counties' new LAP trainers from Spooner Police Department, Minong Police Department, Birchwood Police Department, Shell Lake Police Department, Washburn County District Attorney's Office, Washburn County Health & Human Services, Ladysmith Police Department, Rusk County Sheriff's Department, and Embrace.