Welcome to the PAR Program of the John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington

The Partner Assault Response (PAR) program is a 12 session group education/counselling program that will provide you with an opportunity to examine your beliefs and attitudes towards domestic violence and learn non-violent strategies and skills to resolve conflict and develop a healthy relationship.

You have been charged in a domestic related incident and the matter is before the Crown. You are being ordered to attend the Partner Assault Response (PAR) program as a condition of a court order (i.e., Revised Recognizance of Bail, Release Order, Conditional Sentence Order, Probation Order or Peace Bond).

Responsibility is an important factor in moving forward successfully in PAR. If you acknowledge responsibility for your behaviour with respect to a criminal offence involving domestic violence please select the “Next” icon below to continue your registration process and to book your PAR intake appointment.

Program Expectations

While attending the PAR program, I understand that I must:

1. Attend and complete a 12 session program.
   a. Attend consistently as attendance is mandatory. I further understand that absences are for crisis or emergency circumstances ONLY up to a MAXIMUM of two (2) absences which must be made up. Any additional absences will result in a DISCHARGE from the program. I further understand that missed sessions will extend the time it takes to complete the 12 sessions necessary to complete the program.
2. Attend sessions on time.
3. Keep the identity of all group members strictly confidential (in-person programming or virtual/Zoom).
4. Not attend a session if under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
5. Behave respectfully to all agency staff, students, volunteers, clients, and PAR program participants.
6. Actively participate in PAR sessions and complete assignments.
7. Not interfere with the safety check and supportive services offered to the person involved in my incident (victim) for the duration of my PAR programming.
8. Notify the program if I abuse or assault my victim/partner or if I am charged with a new offence against my victim/partner while I am attending the PAR program.
9. Notify the program at (519) 743-6071 x. 222 when I have a change in contact information.
10. Pay my client fee as required at program intake.

I understand and agree to comply with the program expectations and that failure to do so may result in my withdrawal from the program and additional charges. I understand that information about my participation in the program or information that I have abused, assaulted or threatened my victim/partner, or breached a condition of my court order, will be reported to the Crown Attorney, Police or Probation and Parole, and to my victim/partner.

I further understand that:

1. Personal information gathered by PAR program staff may be used by the PAR program or the Ministry of the Attorney General for research or program evaluation purposes. No information that could identify me will be included in any research or evaluation report.
2. PAR program staff will notify the Children’s Aid Society if they suspect or believe that I have abused or neglected a child.
3. If I say or do something that causes program staff to be concerned about my safety, or the safety of another person, PAR program staff will notify the person in question and/or the Crown Attorney, Police, Probation and Parole or other service providers.
4. The Ministry of the Attorney General may review my information as part of a program compliance review.

If you agree to the program expectations, please click the “Next” icon below.

Consent for Release of Information

For the purpose of service planning and the provision of PAR services, I consent to and authorize program staff of the John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington’s PAR program to release and receive information from:

• Crown
• Probation
• Waterloo Regional Police Services
• Person Involved in the Incident/victim
• Current Partner

*Note: the purpose of contacting the person involved in the incident (and/or current partner) is for completing a safety check and offering supportive services (e.g. referrals to other community based programs) as identified as potentially helpful to/for this individual.

I acknowledge the purpose for requesting/sharing information related to my PAR programming with the parties noted above and provide consent to request and share information as required for the duration of my registration in the PAR program.