Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116494

Denise Elizabeth Stevens, PhD, MATRIX Public Health Consultants, Inc, 85 Willow Street, Suite 3, New Haven, CT 06511, 203-787-4700, stevens@matrixphc.com and David T. Mandel, MSW, Training, Non-Violence Alliance, 386 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457.

Program Abstract: The Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Connecticut sponsored a pilot initiative to address domestic violence including batterer accountability from a multi-systems framework. Local practices in addressing domestic violence and batterer accountability were reviewed and a training curriculum developed tailored to the needs of the stakeholders involved. The pilot study included: 1) monthly informational meetings and discussions with key stakeholders within the child protection system (e.g. DCF, Probation, Juvenile Court, Family Court, Police, community-based providers including mental health, substance abuse, child guidance and domestic violence/victimization services); 2) base-line and follow-up assessments including surveys on DCF case workers and supervisors; 3) training sessions for DCF staff and supervisors; and 4) training sessions for community providers. The intervention included a series of educational sessions and one-on-one clinical case supervision as needed provided by an expert in domestic violence and batterer accountability. The evaluation activities involved pre- and post-intervention assessment of field staff on their attitudes and behaviors, skills, and knowledge learned in the areas of batterer interventions, community based resources, effective communication with law enforcement, among others. The results of this initiative have led to substantial systems reform that range from improved documentation and communication to increased awareness of strategies to address domestic violence and batterer accountability across diverse stakeholders. This work reflects the strengths of involving multiple stakeholders in systems change initiatives and has formed the foundation and requisite tools required for replication across sites in order to establish this strategy as an evidence-based practice.

Learning Objectives: