185070 A six month follow-up study to assess the sustainability of The Domestic Violence Shelter Screening Project

Wednesday, October 29, 2008: 8:45 AM

Yvonne Wasilewski, PhD, MPH , Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC
Robert A. Murphy, PhD , Center for Child and Family Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
Margaret Samuels, MSW, LCSW , Center for Child and Family Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
Leslie Starsoneck, MSW , Center for Child and Family Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
Donna Potter, LCSW , Center for Child and Family Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
Jennfier Brobst, JD LLM , Center for Child and Family Health, Duke University, Durham, NC
Audrey Foster, BS , Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC
Lorrie Schmid, MA , Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC
A 6 month follow-up study was conducted to assess the sustainability of an evidence-based project to train shelter staff to screen, and refer child shelter residents experiencing distress related to exposure to domestic violence. Nineteen (41%) of staff from 6 North Carolina domestic violence shelters completed the follow-up survey. Individual level sustainability was measured by the extent to which shelter staff remained confident to use screening tools to assess, score and refer children to appropriate services. Site level sustainability was measured on 4 dimensions: 1) memory: the human, material and financial resources to support screening and referral; 2) adaptation: routine activities at shelters modified to accommodate screening and referral; 3) value: collective value placed on screening and referral; and 4) rules: presence of written institutional procedures to guide screening and referral. Staff reported high self- confidence to screen and refer at 6 months follow-up; 70% reported it a permanent activity at the shelter. Shelters scored moderately high (M= 2.15 out of a possible score of 3), on the collective value placed on screening, and on the resources available to support and maintain screening and referral (M = 2.0); but low on modification of routines to accommodate screening (M =1.2); and on institutionalization of written rules for screening (M = 1.3). A low overall sustainability score (M=1.69) indicated that screening has been sustained only partially. Findings from this study provide specific insights into types of site-level activities that require improvement in order to sustain screening and referral in domestic violence shelters.

Learning Objectives:
1) list 5 dimensions of Glasgow's RE-AIM model that interact to evaluate the overall impact of a public health program 2) apply the RE-AIM model to the development of an evaluation of the sustainability of the Domestic Violence Shelter Screening Project 3) discuss how the results of this study can be used to improve the sustainablity of screening and referral of child residents in domestic violence shelters

Keywords: Community Health Programs, Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: health education and behavioral change research scientist with over 30 years of experience developing implementing and evaluating community-based programs for low-income, minority children and their families
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.