Train as a domestic violence advocate.
A self-paced online course in the skills advocates use every day: listening, safety planning, referrals and protecting confidentiality.
Designed around the 40 hours of training California requires for domestic violence counselors under Evidence Code §1037.1.
- Training
- 40 hrs
- Self-paced, online
- Course
- 14 parts
- Orientation + 13 modules
- Credential
- Completion certificate
- Issued automatically on course completion
- Tuition
- $150
- Waivers available
[ ENROLL ]
Start your training
Start with orientation, then work through 13 self-paced modules. Use an email inbox you can open to sign in.
Four steps from enrollment to orientation.
- 01
Register & pay
Enter your full name and email, then review tuition before paying. Ask the training team about a waiver first if you need one.
- 02
Open the sign-in email
When access is ready, open the email and choose Open my training. The link works once and expires after 30 minutes.
- 03
Start orientation
Student home shows your next step. Begin with orientation, then continue through the modules as they unlock.
- 04
Track completion
Your course shows learning progress and any remaining completion requirements. A completion certificate is issued automatically when you finish. Return with the same enrolled email.
What the 40 hours prepare you to do.
- [ MODULE 03 ]
Listen, then act.
Practice listening, validation, usable referrals and purposeful documentation, while keeping decisions with the survivor.
- [ MODULE 04 ]
Plan for safety.
Build flexible safety options around immediate concerns, access needs and the survivor's priorities, with a backup when the first option may not work.
- [ MODULE 10 ]
Make referrals usable.
Turn a resource listing into an option someone can use. Verify entry requirements, access and limits, then agree on a small plan and a fallback.
- [ MODULE 11 ]
Protect what's shared.
Distinguish privacy, confidentiality, privilege and disclosure authority, and protect information while continuing survivor-centered support.
Online, self-paced, and on your schedule.
Modules in sequence
Self-paced modules unlock in order, starting with orientation. Your home page always shows the next required step.
Progress that saves
Stop mid-lesson and come back later. Your progress is saved.
Captioned videos
Every course video has captions and a transcript.
Practice with feedback
Work through fictional scenarios and compare your response with worked examples.
Lesson search
Find a topic across all modules without paging back through the course.
Help & FAQ
Explains the controls, how saving works and how to recover access.
No password to manage
Once enrolled, you sign in with a one-use email link.
A completion certificate is issued automatically when you finish the course, under the Rainbow Services, Ltd. name. It documents your training. It does not by itself confer professional licensure or counselor status. Serving as a domestic violence counselor also requires supervision by an experienced counselor.
Orientation + 13 modules.
The same outline you see in the portal. Readings, videos and fictional practice. Private written practice is ungraded, and optional staff feedback never blocks your progress.
OOrientation
Start with a clear learning goal, learn how to save and resume your progress, and understand the privacy and completion boundaries.
01History of Domestic Violence
Examine how institutions recognize abuse, respond to it, and make support accessible. Learn to check historical claims and notice which choices a system expands or narrows.
02Overview and Dynamics of Domestic Violence
Recognize coercive patterns across money, relationships, technology, and everyday decisions. Understand barriers and trauma responses without using them to judge a survivor's credibility.
03Direct Client Services
Practice listening, validation, usable referrals, and purposeful documentation. Learn how to be active and clear while keeping decisions with the survivor.
04Assessment, Screening & Safety Planning + Technology Safety
Build flexible safety options around immediate concerns, access needs, and the survivor's priorities. Consider technology, uncertainty, and a backup when the first option may not work.
05Impact of Domestic Violence on Children and Youth
Support children and non-abusive caregivers without blame or prediction. Use developmentally appropriate communication and keep adult responsibilities off children.
06Teen Dating Abuse
Take teen relationships seriously and understand how school, peers, family, and devices shape access to help. Practice clear confidentiality explanations and meaningful choices.
07Cultural Responsiveness
Notice assumptions and service barriers that can narrow a survivor's options. Practice qualified communication support, repair, and specific changes that make a service usable.
08Survivors Navigating Multiple Systems
Coordinate support when aging, immigration, health, substance use, and other systems intersect. Keep the survivor's priority, provider roles, and information-sharing boundaries clear.
09Legal Issues
Understand the roles and stages of common California legal pathways. Use current public information while recognizing when a question needs qualified legal advice.
10Resources & Referrals
Turn a resource listing into an option someone can evaluate and use. Verify entry requirements, access, and limits, then agree on a small plan and a fallback.
11Confidentiality & Privilege
Distinguish privacy, confidentiality, privilege, and disclosure authority. Apply current role-specific guidance while protecting information and continuing survivor-centered support.
12Employment Protections for Survivors of Violence
Separate workplace leave, income replacement, and safety accommodations. Find current California information and stay within your authority when explaining options or providing documentation.
13Survivors with Disabilities
Make communication and safety options usable across the whole route. Address the survivor directly and plan for access, equipment, support, and meaningful choice.
[ NEED SUPPORT NOW ]
Rainbow's 24/7 hotline is free and confidential. English and Spanish. Se habla español.