 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Martha Lee Coulter, MSW, DrPH, Robert Byers, PhD, and Abigail Alexander, BA. Department of Community and Family Health, The James and Jennifer Harrell Center for the Study of Domestic Violence, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, (813)974-7829, mcoulter@hsc.usf.edu
This study evaluates an innovative collaborative community program designed to assist individuals and their children who are leaving violent situations. The program is designed to reduce the risk of future injury to the children by reducing the risk that the survivors will return to the abuser. The program provides legal services for assistance in family court proceedings and ongoing case management designed to facilitate reduction of problems with employment, child care, and housing and to refer for services such as counseling where needed. A pretest and posttest design is used. A total of 40 participants completed both the pretest and the six-month posttest using the Revised Global History Questionnaire. This questionnaire focused on employment, education, transportation, housing, childcare, school involvement, child health, and participant health. Results indicate positive program impact in all areas: employment increased from 55% to 65%; educational needs decreased from 90% to 80%; reliance on others for transportation increased from 50% to 68%; overall satisfaction with current living situations improved with 43% indicating they were very much satisfied, up from 26%; child care increased from 50% to 65; both parent and child health problems declined; problems with children’s peers declined from 20% to 8%; problems with their emotions declined from 35% to 8%; and problems with their behavior decreased from 30% to 8%. The consistency of the positive outcomes for this innovative program indicates a beneficial program effect.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Domestic Violence, Community Programs
Related Web page: www.harrellcenter.hsc.usf.edu
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.