CARE Communities Project: Community-based models of IPV-related services for communities of color

Elizabeth Reed, MPH¹, Carter Pratt, MPH¹, Beth Jacklin, MPH¹, Sonia Suri, PhD¹, Jay G. Silverman, PhD², Daniel Whitaker, PhD³, Charlene Baker, PhD³, and Carlene Pavlos, MTS¹. (1) Violence Prevention and Intervention Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 250 Washington Street, 4th floor, Boston, MA 02108, 617-624-6077, Carter.Pratt@state.ma.us, (2) Department for Society, Human Development and Health/Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, 7th floor, Boston, MA 02115, (3) Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341

The Collaborative for Abuse Prevention in Racial and Ethnic Minority (CARE) Communities Project is intended to improve intimate partner violence (IPV) service delivery for communities of color. This goal is being accomplished through a network model designed to increase collaboration and cultural competence among local IPV agencies, including culturally-based agencies, so that relevance, acceptability, and accessibility of IPV-related services are improved. CARE consists of networks based in different cultural communities in Massachusetts. Each network is a collaboration of representatives from the following agencies: an agency that serves refugee and immigrant survivors of IPV, a rape crisis center, a domestic violence program, a batterer’s intervention program, and a program for children witnessing domestic violence. Our assertion is that enhanced collaboration and cultural competence among IPV-related agencies will lead to improved quality of services provided and increased utilization. Networks were funded to follow a network model that was designed based on findings from the literature in the areas of promoting collaboration and cultural competence. The proposed model and structure for these networks will be discussed including staffing structure and mandated activities. How this model promotes the goals of increasing collaboration and cultural competence will be articulated. A multi method evaluation of CARE was developed and implemented to determine adherence to the model, document activities, determine agency and network level outcomes and lessons learned. Data from the evaluation will be presented to determine adherence to the model.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

Describe the model upon which the CARE Communities Project is based.
Articulate how the model was developed to promote collaboration and cultural competency.
Assess the extent to which model was implemented by the CARE Networks.

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.

Recorded presentation

State-level Interventions for Intimate Partner Violence

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA