About
The Howard County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team (HCDVFRT) was originally established in November of 2007. It originated after HB 741, “Local Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams,” was signed into law by Governor Robert Ehrlich on April 26, 2005, effective July 1, 2005. The legislation enabled counties to create domestic violence fatality review teams, making Maryland the 21st state in the U.S. to pass such significant legislation. The mission of HCDVFRT is to attempt to reduce domestic violence; specifically, domestic-related fatalities and near fatalities in our county through a multi-disciplinary review of our response to domestic violence in our community. The goal is to utilize a multi-disciplinary model to address training and community-based prevention programs, as well as to affect systemic change to our community’s response to domestic violence.
Team Information
Membership
The HCDVFRT is made up of a multidisciplinary group of professionals whose role in the community may contribute to a better understanding of the factors that influenced the occurrence of a domestic violence fatality or near fatality and whose agency, organization or governmental department can influence or change the response protocol in hope of preventing future deaths or injury.
Meeting Schedule
Meetings are held quarterly each year at 10:00am. The meetings are currently being held, in person, at either the Public Safety Training Center, located at 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive, Marriottsville, MD 21104 or at the Howard County Police Department Northern District, Community Room, located at 3410 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Meetings are open to the public.
Team Roster
Devora Kirschner, Team Co-Chair, Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office
Sergeant Jason Morrill, Team Co-Chair, Howard County Police Department
Corporal Chris Piper, Howard County Police Department
Dina Ward, Howard County Sheriff’s Office
Detective Sergeant Justin Updegraff, Maryland State Police
Jordan Baker, Hopeworks of Howard County
Nadia BenAissa, Hopeworks of Howard County
Lisa Enriquez, Springboard Community Services
Jacob Reik, Springboard Community Services
LaTisha Carter, My Covenant Place
Erin Anderson, Howard County Health Department
Chris Collins, Howard County Health Department
Jacqueline Scott, Department of Community Resources and Services
Robyn Adams, Department of Social Services
Tykeria Singleton, Division of Parole and Probation
Cynthia Schulmeyer, Howard County Public School System
Laura Willemin, Grassroots Crisis Intervention
Zakia Reaves Johnson, Howard Community College
Jena Britton, Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center