The Enhanced Advocacy Impact Study (EAI) evaluates the effectiveness of advocacy services within the intimate partner violence arena in Dorchester, Ma. The Dorchester Community Roundtable' objectives include building and enhancing a comprehensive IPV service delivery network that provides direct services to victims, addresses primary prevention across generations, and functions to educate, inform and train community residents, institutions and service providers. A central component of the Roundtable's mission is to help facilitate the development of a gateway that is negotiable for all women by developing a coordinated community response: e.g. a woman entering any service provided by a roundtable member, should then be connected to any other service provided within the roundtable. Advocates are a key element for victims of IPV to access the gateway into those services and assistance which victims need in order to respond to crisis and rebuild their lives. Advocates are provided in the Dorchester court, both local police stations, and The Carney Hospital, Boston Medical Center and six community health centers. Utilizing a standardized protocol for client intake at the health centers, and common client service documentation across all sites, the EAI is evaluating and assessing the concept of advocacy for victims of intimate partner violence. This presentation will present early findings from that study.
Learning Objectives: 1. To understand the construction of collaboration within a particular community to respond to domestic violence. 2. To incorporate the voice of affected women in evaluation of services provided by the project
Keywords: Community Participation, Domestic Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Dorchester Community Roundtable
CDC Community Collaboration Grant
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Chief evaluator of the CDC grant for community Collaboration