WELCOME TO THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION FUND'S HEALTH E-NEWS

NEWS

SUPPORT THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SCREENING, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION ACT!

The FVPF is working hard to pass H.R. 1267, the Domestic Violence Screening, Treatment and Prevention Act, which would improve the health care system’s response to domestic violence. The bill is currently pending in the House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce. Right now is a critical time for supporters of this bill to contact their Representatives to ask them to call for a hearing on H.R. 1267 and become co-sponsors of the bill.

To contact your Representative, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Member of Congress. Use the phone script below as a guide. To send an email to your Representative click here.

While it is important that everyone contact their Representatives, we have identified a target list of Members on the Energy and Commerce Committee. If you are from any of the states listed below, please contact the Representative(s) from that state, ask for the staffer listed, and explain that you support H.R. 1267 and that you hope the Representative will become a co-sponsor and call on the Energy and Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on the bill. Your calls will make the difference!

Sample Phone Script

• "Hello my name is x x x x x. I work with x x x x x (Be sure to include your location and zip code).

• I am calling to ask Representative (name) to ask the Energy and Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on H.R. 1267, the Domestic Violence Screening, Treatment, and Prevention Act. I also urge Representative (name) to become a co-sponsor of this bill.

• H.R. 1267 would ensure that trained health care providers routinely screen female patients for domestic violence and guarantee that needed services will be covered when domestic violence is identified. Domestic violence is a serious health care issue that affects thousands of women and their children, but health care providers can help victims of abuse only if they know how to identify domestic violence and provide victims with care and support.

• I strongly urge Representative (name) to support battered women and their children by calling for a hearing on H.R. 1267 and becoming a co-sponsor of this bill."

Energy and Commerce Committee Targets

1. Arizona:
   John B. Shadegg R-AZ (202-225-3361)
   Staffer: Doug Stoss

2. California:
   George Radanovich R-CA (202-225-4540)
   Staffer: Maura Archambault

   Darrell Issa R-CA (202-225-3906)
   Staffer: Steve Cima

   Christopher Cox R-CA (202-225-5611)
   Staffer: Sarah Petry

   Mary Bono R-CA (202-225-5330)
   Staffer: Katherine Martin

3. Colorado:
   Diana DeGette D-CO (202-225-4431)
   Staffer: Shannon Good

4. Florida:
   Jim Davis D-FL (202-225-3376)
   Staffer: Pat Collier or Tracy Nagelbush

   Michael Bilirakis R-FL (202-225-5755)
   Staffer: Jeremy Allen

   Peter Deutsch D-FL (202-225-7931)
   Staffer: Elizabeth Assey or Eric Lynn

   Cliff Stearns R-FL (202-225-5744)
   Staffer: Lauren Smith

5. Colorado:
   Georgia:
   Nathan Deal R-GA (202-225-5211)
   Staffer: Thomas Field

   Charlie Norwood R-GA (202-225-4101)
   Staffer: Rodney Whitlock

6. Idaho:
   C.L. Otter R-ID (202-225-6611)
   Staffer: Brandon Heiner

7. Illinios:
   John Shimkus R-IL (202-225-5271)
   Staffer: Mo Zilly

   Bobby Rush D-IL (202-225-4372)
   Staffer: Yardly Pollas or Christian Fjeld

8. Indiana:
   Steve Buyer R-IN (202-225-5037)
   Staffer: Myrna Dugan

9. Kentucky:
   Ed Whitfield R-KY (202-225-3115)
   Staffer: Jason VanPelt

   Ernie Fletcher R-KY (202-225-4706)
   Staffer: Matt McCullough

10. Louisiana:
    Billy Tauzin R-LA (202-225-4031)
    Staffer: James White

    Christopher John D-LA (202-225-2031)
    Staffer: Vera Lebrun

11. Maine:
    Thomas Allen D-ME (202-225-6116)
    Staffer: Susan Lexer

12. Missouri:
    Karen McCarthy D-MO (202-225-4535)
    Staffer: Joe McKelzey

    Roy Blunt R-MO (202-225-6536)
    Staffer: Joe Trauger

13. Michigan:
    John Dingell D-MI (202-225-4071)
    Staffer: Jack Maniko

    Fred Upton R-MI (202-225-3761)
    Staffer: Jane Williams

    Mike Rogers R-MI (202-225-4872)
    Staffer: Heather Keiser

    Bart Stupak D-MI (202-225-4735)
    Staffer: Geoff Werth

14. Mississippi:
    Charles Pickering R-MS (202-225-5031)
    Staffer: Jason Dedwylder

15. North Carolina:
    Richard Burr R-NC (202-225-2071)
    Staffer: Jenny Hanson

16. New Jersey:
    Mike Ferguson R-NJ (202-225-5361)
    Staffer: Alex DelPizzo

17. Nebraska:
    Lee Terry R-NE (202-225-4155)
    Staffer: Perry Pirsch

18. New Hampshire:
    Charles Bass R-NH (202-225-5206)
    Staffer: Alissa Southworth

19. New Mexico:
    Heather Wilson R-NM (202-225-6316)
    Staffer: Holly Kilness

20. New York:
    Vito Fossella R-NY (202-225-3371)
    Staffer: Johnna Kountz

21. Ohio:
    Paul Gillmor R-OH (202-225-6405)
    Staffer: Mark Schroeder

    Greg Walden R-OH (202-225-6730)
    Staffer: Valerie Henry

22. Pennsylvania:
    James C. Greenwood R-PA (202-225-4276)
    Staffer: Allen Eisenberg

    Joseph R. Pitts R-PA (202-225-2411)
    Staffer: Julie Hershey Carr

23. Tennessee:
    Bart Gordon D-TN (202-225-4231)
    Staffer: Dana Lichtenberg

24. Texas:
    Ralph Hall D-TX (202-225-6673)
    Staffer: Grace Warren

    Joe Barton R-TX (202-225-2002)
    Staffer: Ryan Long

    Gene Green D-TX (202-225-1688)
    Staffer: Sharon Scribner

25. Virginia:
    Rick Boucher D-VA (202-225-3861)
    Staffer: Rob Smith

26. Wyoming:
    Barbara Cubin R-WY (202-225-2311)
    Staffer: Joanie McCrann

EVENTS

BRIEFING ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND WOMEN’S HEALTH

The Family Violence Prevention Fund, along with the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, the International Center for Research on Women, and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States held a congressional briefing on the connection between health and international gender-based violence on October 29 in Washington, DC.

Speakers included FVPF President Esta Soler, Dr. Joxel García of the World Health Organization/Pan-American Health Organization, Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta of the International Center for Research on Women, Roxanna Carrillo of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and Dr. Ileana Arias of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The briefing addressed specific recommendations from the World Health Organization’s World Report on Violence and Health, including what the United States government can do to reduce violence against women both in the United States and abroad. The panelists emphasized the call of the report that we must take a public health approach to ending violence with its focus on primary prevention and early intervention. Finally, the panel discussed the consequences of violence on women’s reproductive health, including HIV/AIDS.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MANUAL ON ENSURING LINGUISTIC ACCESS IN HEALTH CARE SETTINGS

The National Health Law Program has recently published a manual entitled “Ensuring Linguistic Access in Health Care Settings: Legal Rights & Responsibilities”. This comprehensive manual (a revision of the 1998 original) shows advocates and providers how to overcome language barriers to obtain appropriate medical care for their clients. It outlines language access responsibilities under federal and state law, as well as in the private sector, and offers recommendations for addressing identified problems.

Over 46 million people (more than 17 percent of the United States population) speak a language other than English at home. It is critical that the growing numbers of limited English proficient (LEP) residents be able to communicate with their health care providers. Accurate communication ensures the correct exchange of information, allows patients to provide informed consent for treatment, and avoids breaches of patient- provider confidentiality.

This manual is designed to assist advocates, policy makers, and providers in understanding the current status of language access and the legal protections that govern it. Baseline facts, checklists, and legal/policy recommendations are highlighted throughout. The manual is organized as follows:

• Section I offers background information on the scope of the problem.

• Section II discusses federal requirements for linguistic access, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Hill-Burton obligations; Medicaid and Medicare requirements; the Emergency Treatment and Active Labor Act; and provisions of the United States Constitution.

• Section III describes state law requirements, including state statutes and regulations that require translation services in health care settings and court decisions that have assessed obligations from the perspective of potential tort liability.

• Section IV looks at activities by the managed care organizations, in particular those participating in managed care programs offered by Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs.

• Section V examines the language-oriented recommendations of private entities that license and accredit health care providers, such as hospitals and managed care organizations.

• Section VI assesses programs and activities underway to improve access to competent interpreter services in health care settings.

• Section VII offers recommendations for addressing the identified problems.

  To order a copy of “Ensuring Linguistic Access in Health Care Settings,” contact the NHELP’s Los Angeles office by phone: (310) 204-6010 or email: nhelp@healthlaw.org. The manual is priced at $100 for for-profit companies, government agencies, and universities, $65 for nonprofit advocacy organizations. For more information on the manual, Click Here.

INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR WOMEN GRADUATE STUDENTS & RESEARCHERS

The American Association University of Women (AAUW) is offering a variety of International Fellowships for full-time study or research for women who are not US citizens or permanent residents. The award will apply to both graduate and postgraduate study at accredited institutions in the 2004-2005 academic year. The application postmark deadline is December 15, 2003.

For more information visit AAUW's website or contact: AAUW Educational Foundation, Department 60, 2201 North Dodge Street, Iowa City, IA 52243-4030, USA; email: aauw@act.org; phone: 319-337-1716 ext. 60.

Health e-News is a bi-weekly electronic news digest focusing on health care and domestic violence policy, research, prevention and advocacy. Health e-News is available in both text and html formats. To subscribe Click Here.

To post an announcement or ask a question, send an e-mail to HealthE-News@endabuse.org. The digest is monitored by Vibhuti Mehra, Program Assistant with the Family Violence Prevention Fund. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to end domestic violence!

Be sure to visit our website http://endabuse.org/health to learn more about our programs, products, and campaigns!

This publication is funded in part by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau.