New reference card to aid domestic violence cases
A new reference card has been developed by the San Francisco-based Family Violence Prevention Fund (FUND) to help health care professionals identify and assist victims of domestic violence who seek medical treatment.
The 3- by 5-inch card, developed as part of FUND’s National Health Initiative on Domestic Violence, is designed to be carried easily and contains important information related to the treatment of victims of domestic violence and abuse.
Questions to ask
Suggested screening questions, such as "Did someone cause these injuries?" are intended to help physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals recognize victims. The card also provides statements of support for battered women, suggested questions to determine the safety of the victim, and the appropriate steps for documenting the abuse. A 5-inch ruler printed along the edge of the card aids professionals in measuring injuries.
The charge for each card is $1, although bulk discounts are available. The card is sponsored by 10 national health groups, including the Amer-ican Medical Association in Chicago and the American Nurses Association in Washington, DC.
FUND is a national nonprofit organization developing innovative responses to domestic violence. FUND’s National Health Initiative on Domestic Violence incorporates the Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, which provides information, training materials, and technical assistance to groups interested in developing a comprehensive response to domestic violence.
Manual offers comprehensive approach
FUND also has created a manual intended to help health care providers in emergency, primary care, and OB/GYN settings implement a comprehensive response to cases of domestic violence. This manual, Improving the Health Care Response to Domestic Violence, contains extensive information on recognizing and treating victims of domestic violence, including training handouts, sample medical documentation forms, and safety planning tips. The cost is $75 plus shipping and handling. (For more information on domestic abuse, see Women’s Health Center Management, September 1997, p. 117.)
To obtain the domestic violence reference card or information on any of FUND’s other programs, contact: Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 383 Rhode Island St., Suite 304, San Francisco, CA 94103-5133. Telephone: (888) RX-ABUSE. Fax: (415) 252-8991. E-mail: health@ fvpf.org. World Wide Web: http://www.fvpf.org/ health/. t
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