Creating Equity for Clients Seeking Safety: Substance Abuse in Domestic Violence Programs
Loading...
Authors
Gedney-Rubel, Shirley
Issue Date
2016-04-01
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Domestic violence , Substance abuse , Client safety
Alternative Title
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance abuse (SA) are issues that affect all segments of society. Research supports that IPV and SA often co-occur in domestic violence (DV) survivors, yet DV programs lack the resources to adequately address both issues. While agency intake forms often assess for substance use, there is little follow-up during advocacy and counseling services. Many shelters will reject or discharge clients who are actively using. In order to better serve DV survivors, agency staff could be trained in short assessment and brief interventions for substance use/abuse. The literature supports that brief interventions are successful in harm reduction and increase the likelihood that individuals will seek treatment. Therefore, this research proposes that in order to deliver continuity of care for all DV survivors, programs should provide additional training of staff in evidence-based practices.