HRSA Report Offers Strategies to Fight Domestic Violence

Health care safety-net providers committed to combating domestic violence in their communities have a new HRSA resource to aid them in their efforts.

Healing Shattered Lives: Assessment of Selected Domestic Violence Programs in Primary Health Care Settings profiles domestic violence programs at nine HRSA-funded health centers.  Conducted jointly by HRSA’s Office of Minority Health and the Bureau of Primary Health Care, the assessment contains clinical protocols and detailed program information that can be used as templates for designing and establishing similar programs in communities throughout the country.

Although domestic violence affects people from all walks of life, multiple social and economic pressures make it even more prevalent in underserved populations.  Because domestic violence is often hidden, even by the abused, health care providers frequently are the only people able to reach the victim and provide diagnosis, treatment and referral to supportive services.

The document contains information on programs serving both rural and urban areas and diverse groups of women.  Examples targeted to specific populations -- such as homeless women, disabled women, women living with HIV/AIDS and residents of public housing -- will prove helpful when tailoring programs to specific groups.

Copies of Healing Shattered Lives may be downloaded directly from the web at bphc.hrsa.gov/omwh.  Hard copies may be obtained from the HRSA Information Center at 1-888-ASK-HRSA or www.ask.hrsa.gov.

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