141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

281108
Addressing the use of intimate partner violence with clients in treatment for alcohol, tobacco and other drug use disorders

Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 11:10 AM - 11:30 AM

Laurie Markoff, Ph.D. , Institute for Health and Recovery, Cambridge, MA
Robert Haynor , Division of Violence and Injury Prevention, Massachusetts Dept of Public Health, Boston, MA
Norma Finkelstein, PhD , Institute for Health and Recovery, Cambridge, MA
Kath Schilling, M.Ed., CAS, LADC I , Institute for Health and Recovery, Ca,mbridge, MA
It is not unusual for clients in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment use violence in their relationships with intimate partners. However, for the most part, treatment for SUDs does not address this use of violence. Including refraining from violence as part of recovery would enhance safety for clients and their partners. In Massachusetts, it is rare for a SUD treatment program to refer a client to a Batterer Intervention program. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health brought together representatives from the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Abuse Services and the Massachusetts Division of Violence and Injury Prevention, along with other interested parties, to form a Workgroup to consider how best to address the overlap of SUDs and intimate partner violence. Focus groups were conducted with SUD treatment providers, who requested additional training on working with people who use intimate partner violence and how Batterer Intervention Programs operate, as well as a psycho educational module for clients that would result in clients recognizing their need for assistance in this area. Helping Men Recover is a trauma-informed curriculum for working with men in groups that includes a session on intimate partner violence. The Workgroup decided to pilot implementation of this curriculum in conjunction with training for staff on working with men who use violence in relationships in SUD treatment programs. This presentation will present implementation findings and make recommendations for other SUD treatment programs that wish to address the use of intimate partner violence in their programs.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Program planning
Provision of health care to the public
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the issues involved in addressing intimate partner violence with clients in treatment for substance use disorders

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse Treatment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have conducted multiple focus groups with providers of treatment for substance use disorders to determine what would be needed for them to address the use of intimate partner violence by clients in their treatment programs. I have expertise in systems change and trauma-informed care as well as the overlap of substance use disorders and intimate partner violence and have provided presentation and published articles and on these topics.
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.