08/07/2026
Note: Graphic created with use of AI.
Understanding High-Risk Domestic Violence
Part 2 of 3: IDENTIFICATION: The early steps the BCFJC takes to identify evidence-based risk
Every survivor of intimate partner violence who seeks services at the BCFJC begins in Central Intake, where professionals assess immediate needs and connect survivors with our collaborative network of services.
Services available at the Center include crisis intervention, safety planning, protective order assistance, adult counseling, child therapy, police reporting and criminal case assistance, victim advocacy, childcare during appointments, social work, emergency food assistance, financial empowerment education, and other resources that help survivors achieve safety, stability, and long-term independence.
As part of the Central Intake process, eligible survivors complete two evidence-based screening tools:
• Danger Assessment, developed by Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell, helps identify risk factors associated with intimate partner homicide.
• Strangulation Assessment, developed by the Alliance for HOPE International’s Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, helps identify survivors at significantly higher risk. Also, many survivors do not realize that strangulation can be life-threatening even when there are no visible injuries.
These assessments are not intended to predict what will happen in the future. Rather, they help professionals recognize evidence-based risk factors that research has shown are linked to an increased risk of serious injury or homicide so intervention can begin as early as possible.
At the BCFJC, when these assessments indicate a survivor may be at high risk, the case receives specialized review and, when appropriate, additional intervention through our onsite Domestic Violence High-Risk (DVHR) Coordinator Program.
The BCFJC’s DVHR Coordinator Program was launched in 2020 thanks to support from the Texas Council on Family Violence. The program was established through a collaborative effort involving the BCFJC Foundation, Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Leadership, and Metro Health. The initiative helped support the Community Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence’s (CCDV) initial five-year strategic plan, helping improve our response to high-risk survivors.
During the COVID pandemic, the BCFJC expanded its services to virtual access, resulting in an approximately 40% increase in individuals seeking assistance. As more high-risk survivors reached out for help, the need for specialized intervention grew. Recognizing both the demand and the program’s success, Bexar County Commissioners Court expanded the BCFJC DVHR Coordinator program from one to three, allowing more survivors to receive specialized, ongoing support.
Six years later, the rise in client volume first experienced in 2020 has now become the new standard. In part 3, we’ll share what happens after a survivor is identified as high risk at the BCFJC and how our three specialized DVHR Coordinators work alongside survivors to help prevent future violence.
If you believe you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. To learn more about the services available through the Bexar County Family Justice Center, call (210) 631-0100 or visit www.bcfjc.org.
