About EDVP: History, 1988-1991

Starting in 1988, the regional criminal justice system started to develop its response to domestic violence. EDVP was instrumental in piloting the advocacy program at superior court to assist victims in obtaining protection orders. The King County Women’s Program presented EDVP with its 10th Anniversary Award to recognize the Phoenix Group, addressing the post-traumatic effects of violence on former victims. The agency provided two workshops at the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Conference held in Seattle.

EDVP focused prevention efforts on professional trainings to local police and fire departments, hospital emergency room and social work staff in 1989. Community commitment was further served by taking part in the King County Human Services Roundtable planning process to address family violence. Funds were granted by the Junior League and City of Bellevue to improve and expand office space in response to increasing client needs. Demand for EDVP services continued to increase by 50% each year.

Growth and change marked 1990-1991. The pilot Family Violence Intervention Project was initiated in the Fall of 1990. Throughout the project’s 15-month pilot period, EDVP cooperated with King County and Harborview’s Anger Management and Domestic Violence Program to develop and evaluate a model for providing comprehensive services to families. That year EDVP increased victim’s access to lawyers’ services with the initiation of the Eastside Legal Assistance Program’s domestic violence clinics. EDVP also initiated the starting phases of the long range planning process for 1991-1996. EDVP received a three-year $150,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust to expand and stabilize children’s services.

With the Human Services Roundtable’s plan complete, funding was approved to add over 50 victim advocates throughout the region to increase safety for victims. The sales tax funded Law, Safety and Justice Levy passed in 1990 provided a steady source of funding for victim advocates in specialized provider agencies, courts and at EDVP. We launched our Community Advocacy Program with the addition of seven program staff, increasing paid staff to 24 and the agency’s operating budget to over $700,000. Lee Drechsel, Founding Director of EDVP, left midyear to accept the directorship of a larger human services agency. The newly hired executive director resigned after only a few months amid many changes on both the board and staff.

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