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#1 Build Partnerships–for DV/SA Advocates

Violence can have a significant impact on health, and survivors have often been restricted from accessing care due to IPV and HT. Partnering with health centers will promote access to care for survivors in your program. Learn more about how health centers can also work to include DV/SA programs as part of their care team. 

"Noemi [patient advocate at Mariposa Health Center] and Mercedes [domestic violence advocate at Catholic Community Services] have come together to not just provide single advocacy on the DV side…but also advocacy on the client care/health side. They enhanced [available] resources, they broadened those support circles…and in a small community you definitely need as much as help as you can get because sometimes the resources are slim to none."

— Lisa Silva, Program Director, Catholic Community Services (Sierra Vista, AZ)

Hand Shake

Receiving Warm Referrals From Health Centers

Serving as the primary referral from your partnering health center increases patients’ access to DV/SA services. Offer trainings and continuing education with the health center to introduce your agency’s services and staff, along with the dynamics, prevalence, and health impact of IPV and HT. Trainings for your partner will better equip providers and staff to address and respond to IPV and HT at their health center.

 

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Providing Health Services

Promote survivor health at your agency by offering important health services such as health enrollment, reproductive health resources, pain medication, and rapid HIV testing. Reflect a culture of health for your clients and staff through wellness classes, healthy food options, and info on health coverage and care. Another way that DV/SA advocates can promote health is by talking with survivors about reproductive coercion and offering reproductive health services like pregnancy tests, contraception, and condoms.

IPV, Trafficking, and Health: Know the Facts

Health centers participating in the Improving Health Outcomes Through Violence Prevention Pilot Project found that establishing formal partnerships, including memoranda of understanding (MOUs), with community based DV/SA programs, as well as other organizations that support survivors of violence, was crucial to providing trauma informed care for survivors.

Tools to Build a Successful Partnership

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): It is critical for health centers and DV/SA programs to form solid partnerships in anticipation of future needs. Roles and responsibilities of each organization should be clearly identified; establishing an MOU is one of the best tools to use.

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