News

• Evaluating Sexual Abuse in Children
• CDC Study Documents the High Costs and Impact of IPV on Male and Female Victims
• Understanding Children, Immigration, and Family Violence: a National Examination of the Issues
• Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings - Focusing on Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Quality Measures Clearinghouse to Feature Family Violence Prevention Fund Guidelines on Identifying Victims of Domestic Violence in Health Care Settings

In a significant advance for efforts to encourage health care providers to assess patients for domestic violence, the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s National Consensus Guidelines on Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence Victimization in Health Care Settings have been accepted for inclusion in the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC). The NQMC web site is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; it provides a database with information on a limited number of evidence-based health care quality measures and measure sets. The site is designed to give the health care community access to key quality measures.

“We have been working for years to convince health care providers to assess patients for domestic violence and learn how to help those who are experiencing abuse.” said Family Violence Prevention Fund Associate Director Debbie Lee. “Now one of our country’s most prestigious health care agencies has featured our Consensus Guidelines.”

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in August of 1999 found that less than ten percent of primary care physicians routinely assess their patients for partner abuse during regular office visits. The FVPF’s Consensus Guidelines present a rationale for regular and routine assessment, and highlight the importance of culturally competent practice in addressing abuse. Consensus Guidelines also offer practical tools and resources, including reference guides, assessment tools, victim safety plan and discharge instructions, indicators of abuse, bibliographies, and a listing of resources and referrals – and help health care providers assess the impact of their assessment programs.

NQMC’s mission is to give practitioners, health care providers, health plans, integrated delivery systems, purchasers and others an accessible mechanism for obtaining detailed information on quality measures, and to further their dissemination, implementation and use in order to inform health care decisions. NQMC builds on AHRQ's previous initiatives in quality measurement, including the Computerized Needs-Oriented Quality Measurement Evaluation System, the Expansion of Quality of Care Measures project, the Quality Measurement Network project, and the Performance Measures Inventory.

The Family Violence Prevention Fund’s guidelines National Consensus Guidelines on Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence Victimization in Health Care Settings can be downloaded here  or one copy can be sent if you contact health@endabuse.org or by visiting our online store at http://store.yahoo.com/fvpfstore/healpractool.html . To view the Family Violence Prevention Fund measures go to the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse website, click here.

The Domestic Violence & Mental Health Policy Initiative funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families

The Chicago-based Domestic Violence & Mental Health Policy Initiative (DVMHPI) is pleased to announce the creation of a National Training and Technical Assistance Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health, funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families. The Center will provide the resources, tools and consensus building opportunities necessary to fill the critical gap in services for survivors with unmet mental health and advocacy needs, to develop more comprehensive and culturally-relevant responses to the range of trauma-related issues faced by domestic violence survivors and their children, and to develop strategies for addressing both the social and psychological conditions that perpetuate abuse and violence across generations.

DVMHPI is looking to hire two highly qualified staff for the new Center: 1) a Policy Research Analyst to track, analyze and produce reports on research, policies, and practices addressing the intersection of domestic violence, trauma, culture and mental health; work in collaboration with DVMHPI’s national stakeholders and partners to develop policy recommendations and responses to these issues, maintain up-to-date web-based informational materials in these areas, host a list serve and assist with ongoing research, evaluation and development activities, and 2) a Center Coordinator to provide administrative oversight of the Center and its activities. For more information contact: Shaye Hall at DVMHPI (312-726-7020 ext. 10 or email shall@dvmhpi.org. For more information about the Center and these positions, visit www.dvmhpi.org.

Fourteenth International Nursing Conference of the Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International (NNVAWI) and Call for Abstracts

Sponsored by NNVAWI, the Center for Health Disparities Research, and the School of Nursing at Oregon Health & Science University this three day conference Joining Forces, Joining Voices: Including Diverse Peoples and Communities in Violence Prevention Research, Practice and Advocacy will be held in Portland, Oregon April 6-8, 2006.

Conference objectives include: understanding the effects of violence on the health disparities of women survivors and their families; determining the barriers that prevent women in diverse communities from creating responses to ending violence; highlighting innovative models of service delivery accountable to diverse women and children living with and surviving violence; strengthening partnerships between researchers, domestic violence agencies, community advocates and diverse communities; sharing cutting edge collaborative research regarding women and violence with diverse communities; and, identifying effective strategies for practice, education, research and policy formation related to the health of women and children survivors of violence.

The conference is designed for nurses, physicians, researchers, victim advocates, community activists, social workers, mental health counselors, advocates working in violence prevention and intervention, in legal fields or with children and other health and human service providers concerned with improving the health and well being of women and children survivors of violence.

Please visit the NNVAWI website, http://www.nnvawi.org for more conference information, on-line registration, on-line call for abstracts (due 12-15-05) and call for award nominations.

Grants for Violence-Related Injury Prevention Research: Youth Violence, Suicidal Behavior, Child Maltreatment, Intimate Partner Violence, and Sexual Violence

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is soliciting investigator-initiated research that will help expand and advance the understanding of violence, its causes, and prevention strategies. Applications must address one of the research objectives listed in this RFA, including: 1.) dissemination research designed to build knowledge on methods, structures, and processes to implement existing evidence-based interventions, programs and policies to prevent either perpetration of or victimization from youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child maltreatment, and/or suicidal behavior; 2.) intervention evaluation research designed to a.) evaluate the efficacy, effectiveness, and cost effectiveness of primary prevention interventions, programs, and policies to prevent perpetration of youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child maltreatment and/or suicidal behavior, or b.) evaluate the efficacy, effectiveness, cost effectiveness, and safety of screening and intervention in primary care settings to prevent intimate partner violence and/or sexual violence.

Approximately $1,960,000 is expected to be available for six to eight awards. The funding level will not exceed $300,000 (including both direct and indirect costs) per year. The project period is up to three years.

To be eligible, the principal investigator must have conducted violence prevention research and published the findings in a peer-reviewed journal. A letter of intent is due January 3, 2006 and applications February 1, 2006.

Technical assistance will be available for potential applicants during one conference call. The call for eligible applicants will be held on November 14, 2005 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time). The conference call can be accessed by calling 1-888-552-9483 and entering access code 34465.

More information can be obtained at www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/CE06-004.htm.

Reaching and Serving Teen Victims

The National Center for Victims of Crime and the National Crime Prevention Council have just released a new resource for victim service providers on helping teen victims, Reaching and Serving Teen Victims: A Practical Handbook. The handbook discusses adolescent development; the unique impact of victimization on teens, strategies for assessing local teen victimization, creating effective outreach activities, making service environments teen-friendly and, interacting with teens in helpful and productive ways. The guide also includes guidance on parent and family involvement and mandatory reporting.

The handbook can be downloaded at http://www.ncvc.org. Free hard copies of the handbook may be ordered through the National Crime Prevention Council Fulfillment Center at 1-800-NCPC-911 or from the NCPC website at http://www.mcgruffstore.org.

University of New Hampshire Family Research Laboratory Program, Post-Doctoral Fellowships for Research on Family Violence

Postdoctoral fellowships are available for research on family violence. Positions are open to new and experienced researchers with doctorates in the fields of psychology, sociology, social work, law, nursing, public health and medicine. The fellowships are intended for work in the area of child abuse, marital violence, elder abuse, sexual abuse, child victimization, rape, homicide and other family-violence related topics with special attention to mental health impact. Scholars use the one-year fellowships (with possible one-year extension) to collaborate with Family Research Laboratory (FRL) faculty on a current project, to work on one of the many data sets archived at the FRL or, in the case of senior candidates, to work on their own projects. The application deadline is 02/01/2006. For more information go to http://www.unh.edu/frl/fellship.htm.

University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center’s new Faculty Appointment in the Graduate School of Public Affairs Center on Domestic Violence

The Graduate School of Public Affairs (GSPA) at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center is currently seeking applicants for a faculty position to begin August of 2006 in the area of domestic violence at the tenured associate or full professor level.

The Graduate School of Public Affairs offers the Program on Domestic Violence, the first graduate program in the nation to combine intensive study of domestic violence with organizational management and public policy. A federal earmark awarded to the school will fund the development of a Center on Domestic Violence and this faculty member will play a pivotal role in its creation, fostering collaborations between practitioners and researchers, engaging regional and national foundations and other organizations focused on domestic violence in university endeavors and, in initiating educational and research programs.

GSPA already has significant academic activity in the domestic violence arena. The Program on Domestic Violence serves as administrator for a the Domestic Violence Research and Action Coalition including University based and independent scholars interested in the promotion of domestic violence research in Colorado. The University of Colorado at Denver and CU’s Health Sciences Center merged in July 2004 providing exciting new opportunities for collaboration including a newly established Center for Women’s Health Research and a proposed School of Public Health. In addition to its academic offerings, the school also hosts an annual educational series for the community at large.

Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in public policy or administration, women’s studies, sociology, public health, social work, criminal justice or other related field; evidence of excellence in teaching; a strong publications record; and significant accomplishments and promise in funded research. Candidates must demonstrate ability to teach in the school’s MPA, MCJ and/or Ph.D. program core curricula. See http://www.cudenver.edu/gspa for details.

If your university has a faculty position dedicated to the field of domestic violence please let Health E-News know and we will include it in an upcoming edition of Health E-News.

Illinois Funds Program for Women with Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence Issues

The Illinois Department of Human Services is funding a screening and treatment program to assist women with substance abuse issues who experience domestic violence. With this state grant, the substance abuse treatment provider Recovery Resources and the domestic abuse assistance agency Quanada will be combining their services. Women dealing with both issues will be identified through a screening process in place at both centers.

"It's one person and you can't split them in half. They need to be treated as a whole," said Ron Howell, executive director of Recovery Resources. "Eighty to 85 percent of women who seek (substance abuse) treatment have a history of domestic violence," said Jeanne Hansen, coordinator of community intervention services at the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. "We know a woman's sobriety is affected by her safety issues. When we increase her chances for safety, we increase her chances for sobriety. Participation between the agencies may include sending Recovery Resources staff to the Quanada location in order to provide treatment to those women who fear for their safety.

The Abuse of Women is a Pediatric Issue

The Contemporary Pediatrics article, If We Don't Ask, They Aren't Going to Tell: Screening for Domestic Violence encourages all pediatricians to let families know that domestic violence is an issue of concern to pediatricians by screening for it consistently. The article outlines specific guidelines for screening and how to manage dilemmas that can arise as a result. The article can be accessed by clicking here.

The Family Violence Prevention Fund’s guidelines entitled: Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence Consensus Recommendation for Child and Adolescent Health can be downloaded here  or one copy can be sent if you contact health@endabuse.org or by visiting our online store at http://store.yahoo.com/fvpfstore/healpractool.html

Reminder to Buy, Use and Encourage Others to Use the Stop Family Violence Stamp

On October 11, 2003, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Stop Family Violence semi-postal stamp. The stamp is scheduled to remain on sale through December 31, 2006, and is sold for 45 cents. The difference between the sales price and the underlying First-Class Mail rate constitutes a contribution to provide assistance to domestic violence programs through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Stop Family Violence Stamp currently provides a revenue stream to fund the support of enhanced services to children who have been exposed to family violence.

For those who are not able to get it at your local post office, it can be purchased online at http://www.usps.gov. For more information about what the Stop Family Violence Stamp looks like and how to purchase it, go directly by clicking here.

 

NEWS

Evaluating Sexual Abuse in Children

Sexually abused children are seen by pediatricians and family care practitioners in a variety of circumstances, but the diagnosis of sexual abuse and the protection of the child from additional harm depend in part on the provider's willingness to consider abuse as a possibility. Sexually abused children who have not disclosed abuse may present with a variety of symptoms and signs. Released this week by the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC), the Evaluation of Sexual Abuse in Children was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics to assist pediatric and family care providers in effectively evaluating and caring for children who are sexually abused. Go here to access the complete guideline.

CDC Study Documents the High Costs and Impact of IPV on Male and Female Victims

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released results of the first study including male and female victims that determined the healthcare costs and impact of domestic violence incidents, Average Costs per Person Victimized by an Intimate Partner of the Opposite Gender: A Comparison of Men and Women. The study was co-authored by Ileana Arias, Ph.D., and Director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and was published in the Journal of Violence and Victims, Volume 20, Number 4, August 2005. This study found that the health care costs attributed to a domestic violence incident were $948 for female victims and $387 for male victims. The study also found that domestic violence against women results in more emergency room visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and greater use of physician services than male victims.

CDC researchers determined healthcare costs by looking at mental health services; the use of medical services; and losses in productivity such as time off from work, and the cost of childcare or household duties because of injuries. The average medical cost for women victimized by physical domestic violence was $483 compared to $83 for men; mental health services costs for women was $207 compared to $80 for men; while productivity losses were similar at $257 for women and $224 for men.

Phaedra Corso, Ph.D., a CDC economist and the study's other author, noted that a previous CDC study using 1995 data that was published in 2003 provided estimates of the total direct healthcare costs of domestic violence. According to Corso, that study estimated the direct healthcare costs associated with domestic violence to be around $4.1 billion. In addition, the study estimated that domestic violence caused an estimated $1.8 billion in productivity losses associated with injuries and premature death. "Unfortunately, we believe the estimates using 1995 data are conservative because many cases of domestic violence are not reported," Corso said. "In today's dollars, the health care and productivity costs are likely to be much greater."

Understanding Children, Immigration, and Family Violence: a National Examination of the Issues

A joint project of the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the Learning Systems Group Understanding Children, Immigration, and Family Violence: a National Examination of the Issues is a project designed to enhance services for immigrant children and their families affected by domestic violence. With a special focus on building partnerships, this project aims to help States and communities improve current policy and practice efforts. The issues and recommendations outlined identify challenges in reaching out and delivering services, best practices in providing services and policy implications. The document can be accessed at http://www.esi-dc.com/immigrant/.

Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings - Focusing on Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies

The guidelines are the latest step in an international effort to effectively prevent and respond to sexual violence in emergency settings. Developed by a coalition of United Nations agencies, academic institutions, and local and international NGOs, the guidelines outline a range of activities to be undertaken by a variety of individuals working in different sectors. The activities include: putting women in charge of emergency food distribution to minimize the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse; working with displaced communities to make sure women are not vulnerable to attack on their way to latrines or to collect fuel wood; and providing medical care and psychological support for victims of sexual violence. View the full document by clicking here.

 

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Health e-News is a monthly 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.

We encourage you to use Health e-News to share news, views, and experiences concerning your projects and activities on addressing domestic violence as a health care issue. To post an announcement or ask a question, send an e-mail to HealthE-News@endabuse.org. The digest is monitored by Anna Marjavi, Senior Program Assistant with the Family Violence Prevention Fund.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to end domestic violence!

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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.