Help! My Patient Says They Were Hurt by A Partner – What Do I and the Clinic Need to Do Now?

Description: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Human Trafficking/Exploitation (HT/E) commonly occur in communities, and affect patients, served by community health centers. When the providers, nurses, community health workers, receptionists, medical assistants, security, managers, and other staff are concerned about a patient, or a disclosure of personal violence against a patient has occurred, the staff or clinical managers may not know what to do or how to approach the situation. “Is the patient safe? Do we need to report to law enforcement? Does the patient have a place to live? Can they access their medications? Is there a weapon in the home?” are some questions that need to be addressed. Fortunately, there are community experts who health center staff can partner with to help increase patient safety. Health centers do not have to do it alone.

Health Partners on IPVE + Exploitation is hosting this learning collaborative (LC) to support health centers in building partnerships with community-based organizations (such as domestic violence programs) through bi-directional agreements and memorandum of understanding (MOUs).

It is crucial that health centers have protocols in place to support the patient, and even more critical to develop partnerships with community-based organizations which have expertise in IPV/HT/E support for patients.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of this Learning Collaborative, participants will be better able to:

1. Describe how IPV/HT/E may present within their community health center, including through mobile health or school-based sites.
2. Identify key collaborators within their community who may be organizational partners to support patients who are vulnerable to, or affected by IPV/HT/E.
3. Identify tools that can be used within clinical operations to support patients and staff who may have had experiences of IPV/HT/E for themselves or their family/community.
4. Use tools to develop effective community partnerships to help patients affected by IPV/HT/E.

Learning Collaborative Session Dates/Times:

• Session 1: Wednesday, March 30, 2022 (12pm PST, 3pm EST 1 hour)
• Session 2: Friday, April 1, 2022 (12pm PST, 3pm EST, 1 hour)
• Session 3: Wednesday, April 6, 2022 (12pm PST, 3pm EST, 1 hour)
• Session 4: Friday, April 8, 2022 (12pm PST, 3pm EST, 1 hour)

Learning Collaborative Session Descriptions:

Session 1.  Introduction to IPV/HT/E, patient presentations in clinic/mobile health/telehealth, and operational protocols for Community Health Center support.

Session 2.  Introduction to Domestic Violence Programs and other community-based organizations with expertise in IPV/HT/E and how these programs can partner with and support patient care in Community Health Centers.

Session 3. Learning Lab – Examine ways to develop critical partnerships with DV programs and other community-based programs, including the use of an MOU tool.

Session 4. Introduction of tools for use within the Community Health Center to support staff who may have personal or family/community experiences with IPV/HT/E.  (Workplaces Respond tools).

Learning Collaborative Faculty and Presenters:

• Anna Marjavi, Director, Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation
• Kimberly S.G. Chang, MD, MPH

Who is eligible to apply: Applicants must be representatives of a BPHC Health Center Program grantee (or potential Health Center grantee) or DV Program with Health Center potential partner.

Commitment: Accepted Learning Collaborative applicants are asked to attend a total of four – 60 minute learning sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays from March to April 2022.

Deadline to apply: Wednesday March 23, 2022 at 5pm PT/8pm ET.

Note:  If you need any accommodations to best support your participation, let us know on the registration page. We will do our best to accommodate advance requests made by March 15, 2022. If you are completing the application after this date, please still apply and let us know your needs in case we are able to fulfill them.

Questions? Please email Camila Sanchez, Program Assistant, Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation csanchez@futureswithoutviolence.org

Learning Collaborative activities include didactic presentations by faculty, resource exchange and group conversation. This type of collaborative learning allows faculty and participants to identify strategies and solutions, together. Participants are encouraged to bring and exchange their ideas, challenges, and needs related to the topics being discussed.

Applications for this LC are now closed.