Batterer Intervention Program Requirements

• Programs shall be at least 29 weeks in length and include 24 weekly sessions, plus appropriate intake, assessment, and orientation programming
• Program content shall be based on psycho-educational model that addresses tactics of power and control by one person over another
• Offenders must pay the cost of attending the program to take responsibility for their acts of violence
• Programs shall be funded by user fees paid by the batterers
• Applicable only to programs that address the perpetration of violence between intimate partners, spouses, or those who share a child in common or who are cohabitants in intimate relationships for the purpose of exercising power and control by one over the other
• The court shall order a person found guilty of, has adjudication withheld on, or pleads nolo contendere to a crime of domestic violence to attend and successfully complete a batterer intervention program unless the court determines the person does not qualify and states on the record why the program is inappropriate
• It is preferred that the court send batterers to programs as specified in statute
• The court must provide to the batterer a list of batterer intervention programs from which the batterer must choose a program to attend. Information on on where you can take classes at can be found here.

For further details of the changes, please consult Chapter 2012-147, Laws of Florida or contact the Domestic Violence Program at 850-921-2168.

Orange and Osceola County

Brevard and Seminole County