For Survivors of Domestic Violence and Their Advocates

233 Pages·2008·4.91 MB·English

Montana Legal Services Association
in partnership with the Montana Department of Justice and
the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Written and researched by: Kelly Hart
FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR ADVOCATES:
A GUIDE TO MONTANA’S ECONOMIC RESOURCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 6

CAREER RESOURCES

Education . . . . . . . . . . 9
Employment . . . . . . . . . . 15
Unemployment Insurance . . . . . . . . 23

CASH ASSISTANCE

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) . . . . 26
Tribal TANF . . . . . . . . . . 31

CHILDREN’S RESOURCES

Child Care . . . . . . . . . . 35
Child Support. . . . . . . . . . 38

CONSUMER RESOURCES

General Financial Resources . . . . . . . 41
Bankruptcy . . . . . . . . . . 45
Credit Resources . . . . . . . . . 48
Budgeting Worksheets . . . . . . . . 54
Joint Credit Accounts and Divorce. . . . . . . 57

DISABILITY RESOURCES

Disability Resources. . . . . . . . . 60
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) . . . . . 66
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) . . . . . . 69

HEALTH RESOURCES

Medical Resources . . . . . . . . . 73
Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . 80
HOUSING AND FOOD RESOURCES

Food Benefits . . . . . . . . . 84
Housing Resources . . . . . . . . . 88
Utilities Assistance . . . . . . . . . 92

IMMIGRANT RESOURCES

Immigrant Resources . . . . . . . . 98

TAX RESOURCES

Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Taxes- Innocent Spouse Relief . . . . . . . 110

OTHER RESOURCES

Crime Victim Compensation Program . . . . . . 113
Individual Development Accounts . . . . . . . 115

APPENDIX

Domestic Violence Resource Directory . . . . . . 119
Legal Resources Directory . . . . . . . . 123
2008 - 2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines . . . . . . 130

CAREER RESOURCES
Montana Job Service Workforce Centers. . . . . 132

CASH ASSISTANCE
Montana Offices of Public Assistance . . . . . 137
Family Violence Option Fact Sheet . . . . . 141

CHILDREN’S RESOURCES
Montana Child Care Resource and Referral Organizations . . 143
Child Custody and Domestic Violence- NCADV Fact Sheet . . 144
Children and Domestic Violence- NCADV Fact Sheet . . . 146

CONSUMER RESOURCES
New Social Security Number for Domestic Violence Victims . . 149
Understanding Financial Institutions . . . . . 151
Annual Credit Report Request Form . . . . . 161

HEALTH RESOURCES
Montana Community Health Centers . . . . . 163
Health Care and Domestic Violence- NCADV Fact Sheet . . 168
HEALTH RESOURCES CONTINUED
MCADSV Coalition Connection 2008 Newsletter
(Focusing on Mental Health) . . . . . . . 170
NCADV Application for the Cosmetic & Reconstructive Support Program 181
R.O.S.E. Fund’s Facial Reconstructive Surgery Program Application. 185

HOUSING AND FOOD RESOURCES
Montana Housing Authorities . . . . . . 195
HUD Certification of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence,
or Stalking . . . . . . . . . 198
Public Service Commission- Energy Utility Service Rules . . 200
Montana Telephone Assistance Program Discount for
Telephone Services . . . . . . . . 203
Domestic Violence and Housing- NCADV Fact Sheet . . . 204

IMMIGRANT RESOURCES
Federal Guidance on Public Charge . . . . . 207
Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence- NCADV Fact Sheet. . 213

TAX RESOURCES
Tax Resources Fact Sheet 2009 . . . . . . 216
Taxes: Innocent Spouse Relief Fact Sheet- Advocate Version . 218
Taxes: Innocent Spouse Relief Fact Sheet- Client Version . . 220

OTHER
Montana Human Resource Development Councils . . . 222
Individual Development Account Resources Fact Sheet . . 224
Predatory Lending Fact Sheet . . . . . . 226
Domestic Violence in Montana- NCADV Fact Sheet . . . 228
Economic Abuse- NCADV Fact Sheet . . . . . 230
Human Trafficking- NCADV Fact Sheet . . . . . 232
I
NTRODUCTION
I
NTRODU CTION

Domestic violence can affect anyone regardless of age, income, gender, ethnicity, or
sexual orientation. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, spiritual, or
economic. Women sometimes stay in abusive relationships because they do not have
economic resources such as savings or a job. They may also lack financial education.
Because abusers are often economically abusive, victims are likely to be dependent on
their abuser. If victims do not fully understand finances, they can fall prey to predatory
lenders and remain trapped in the welfare system.

A combination of factors make it hard to escape a constant cycle of hardship. Women
leaving abusive relationships can face multiple barriers to becoming safe and secure.
These include poverty, a lack of financial education, and financial dependence. Knowing
what resources are available and how to access them can be incredibly valuable for a
survivor.

Economic abuse can be any number of things including:

• Controlling the finances;
• Not allowing one’s partner to work;
• Forcing a partner to be the income provider;
• Jeopardizing current employment with on-site harassment or excessive personal
calls;
• Jeopardizing future employment by refusing to provide transportation to a job
interview or physically assaulting a partner the night before a job interview;
• Taking a partner’s money without her knowledge or permission;
• Denying access to, or knowledge of, finances; or,
• Using a partner’s finances or credit for personal gain.

Economic abuse is a very real form of domestic violence and can have lifelong impacts on
a person, even after the abusive relationship has ended. Bankruptcy, garnishment, ruined
credit, and identity theft are some of the results of economic abuse. For example, if a
person ruins his partner's credit, it can take years to fix and can greatly impact things such
as loans for education, a car, or a home.

Montana Legal Services Association wrote For Survivors of Domestic Violence and Their
Advocates: A Guide to Montana’s Economic Resources because the available resources
can be complicated to understand. Each of the sections in this Guide includes information
specific to domestic violence survivors, if available, and was reviewed by an expert in the
topic area.

The author would like to thank the Boston, Massachusetts domestic violence program
Harbor Cov for permission to replicate their economic advocacy guide, Making Ends Meet
to create For Survivors of Domestic Violence and Their Advocates: A Guide to Montana’s
Economic Resources.

Many thanks also to our experts who reviewed the content of the Guide:

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana Montana Legal Services Association-
Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Inc. Consumer Law Unit
Donated Dental Services Housing Law Uni.
Educational Opportunity Center Migrant Law Unit

Internal Revenue Service Montana Primary Care Association

Lewis and Clark County Office of Public Assistance Montana Public Service Commission
Montana Attorney General’s Office National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Montana Child Care Resource and Referral Network National Immigration Law Center
Montana Comprehensive Health Association Planned Parenthood of Montana
Montana Credit Unions for Community Development R.O.S.E Fund

Montana Department of Labor and Industry- Social Security Administration

Unemployment Insurance Division
Workforce Services Division
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services-
Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program
Child Support Enforcement Division
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program

Special thanks to the Editorial Board:
Matthew Dale, Nicole Gray, Nick Hyde, Sandy Matule, Tara Veazey, and Kelsen Young

If you have questions about this guide, please contact:

Montana Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
P.O. Box 818
Helena MT 59624
Phone: [phone] or 1(888) 404-7794
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

This project was supported by Grant No. 2006-WR-AX-0032 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S.
Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this
publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of

Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
C R
AREER ESOURCES
E
DUCATION

How can I find out about Adult Education programs?

The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) has offices throughout the state where you can
see a counselor for free. The counselor can tell you about all the options available in your
area that fit your level of education. Counselors can:
• Give you information
• Provide college and career counseling
• Guide you to make the best choices for yourself
• Assist in filling out forms and applications
• Help you figure out where you need to go next
• Find financial aid for school
• Find the support services you need
• Help you with defaulted student loans

For more information, you can go to see a counselor or check out their website at:
http://www.msun.edu/grants/eoc/. Contact one of the offices below for more information.

Educational Opportunity Center
Billings : [phone]
Browning: [phone] ext. 233
Butte: [phone]

Fort Peck (Wolf Point): [phone]

Great Falls: [phone] or

1-800-446-2698

Havre: [phone]

Helena: [phone]

Kalispell: [phone]

Rocky Boy (Box Elder): [phone]

Salish- Kootenai: [phone]

What are my options for a higher education?

There are several different types of schools and colleges you can attend such as
community colleges, state colleges and universities, private colleges and universities, and
technical schools. Many of these schools offer several different types of educational
programs. You could earn a Certificate, an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Graduate, or
Professional degree.

Where can I learn about higher education opportunities in my community?

There are 3 community, 3 private, and 7 tribal colleges, along with 6 colleges of technology
and 6 state universities in Montana. See the end of this section for a listing and contact
their admissions office for more information. Many colleges also offer Internet or distance
learning. Because of this, you may not actually need to be close to a college to take a
class as long as you can find Internet access. The EOC can help you decide what is best
for you and has lots of resources on their website as well.

I am interested in going to college, but am worried about how I am going to pay for
it. What kind of financial aid is out there?

It is easy to be overwhelmed at the prospect of trying to go back to school and still make
ends meet. Take things one step at a time and stay focused on your goal. If you find a
school you are interested in, you will need to think about how you will pay for it.

The Student Assistance Foundation is a resource that can help you figure out how to pay
for school. They offer different services like grants and counseling on financial planning for
education. You can visit them online at http://www.safmt.org/. You can also call them at
[phone].

The cost of higher education varies greatly, depending on the school you go to and the
kind of degree you earn. Earning a certificate at a community college, for example, would
be cheaper than earning a bachelor’s degree at a private college. In addition, there are
several different types of financial aid you can receive. Talk with a financial aid officer at
the school and learn about what is available including grants, loans, and scholarships. You
can also learn more about financial aid on the Department of Education’s website:
www.ed.gov/finaid.

To receive financial aid from your school, you will need to fill out a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA. You can learn more about this application at
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Below is a brief explanation of some of the different types of financial aid you may be able
to get.

Grants

Grants are given out by schools, and federal and state governments. These do not have to
be paid back. Grants can be awarded for a variety of reasons- financial need,
achievement, ethnicity, hobbies, or religious affiliation just to name a few. To get more
information about different types of grants offered, talk with the financial aid officer at the
school you are interested in attending.

Loans

The federal government offers 3 types of loans for students who need help paying for their
education: Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Stafford
Loan.

Federal Perkins Loans are low-interest loans offered to students with a financial need.