The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69327

Barbara Alberson, MPH¹, Nancy Bagnato, MPH², Shailushi Baxi, MPH³, Larry Cohen, MSW³, Rachel Davis, MSW³, Alexander Kelter, MD⁴, and Diane Nissen⁵. (1) CA Dept. of Health Services, State and Local Injury Control Section, California Department of Health Services, P.O. Box 942732, MS 39A, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, (916) 323-3486, balberso@dhs.ca.gov, (2) Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control Branch, California Department of Health Services, Health Education Consultant III, 611 N.7th Street, Suite C, Sacramento, CA 95814-0208, (3) Prevention Institute, 265 29th street, Oakland, CA 94611, (4) Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control Branch, California Department of Health Services, 611 N. 7th Street, MS #39A, P.O. Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, (5) Sonoma State University, 1801 E. Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928

The State of California, with support from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, developed a statewide Action Plan for the prevention of violence against women. Rather than creating new policy recommendations for the State, the lead agency-- Department of Health Services, Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control (EPIC) branch-- mobilized key constituents to develop and promote policies to address multiple forms of violence against women. The Action Plan was developed with policymakers, such as the Governor, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and state legislators, as the primary audiences. A multidisciplinary coordinating committee of representatives from government and the nonprofit and private sectors guided the process; activities included regional forums, analysis of other strategic plans, and interviews with key informants across the country.

Four key parameters guided policy development: 1) Using a human rights framework, which redefines violence against women as not as a women’s issue but as everyone’s issue. 2) Focusing on the continuum of prevention that addresses a full range of issues, from interventions after violence occurs to measures that keep violence from ever happening. 3) Building on existing efforts to create momentum and support from multiple constituencies. 4) Promoting policies that cut across multiple issues and solved multiple problems in order to create the maximum impact.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:
• 1. Describe the 4 parameters of the framework in the development of an action plan to address the prevention of violence against women in California.
• 2. Delineate specific policy recommendations developed for California on preventing violence against women.

Keywords: Women, Violence

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.