Indian Health Service Domestic Violence Prevention Programs

Domestic Violence Prevention (DVP) awards support the development and/or expansion of a DVP program by incorporating prevention efforts addressing social, spiritual, physical and emotional well-being of victims through the integration of culturally appropriate practices and trauma informed services for Tribes, Tribal organizations and Urban Indian organizations (UIO) serving the American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) population. The DVP program aims to promote prevention efforts that address domestic and sexual violence including sexual exploitation/human trafficking, Missing and Murdered AI/AN, and child maltreatment. To create an effective DVP program, cross-system collaboration with other community sectors to address violence is key – especially with law enforcement, emergency department, social service, legal service, education, coalitions, health care providers, behavioral health, shelters, and advocacy groups. A well-rounded program includes raising awareness of and mitigating the negative health effects and social burden of domestic violence, sexual abuse and assault, child maltreatment (physical, sexual, and psychological/emotional abuse, neglect), sexual exploitation/human trafficking, and Missing and Murdered AI/AN; providing victims advocacy services; integrating evidence-based practice or traditional and/or faith-based services; collecting and communicating data about prevalence, incidence, and risk factors; and establishing a plan to ensure the sustainability of the program beyond the life of this grant.

Forensic Health Care (FHC) awards also support efforts to provide access to treatment for AI/AN victims of domestic and sexual violence by supporting the development of and/or expansion of FHC services that are culturally appropriate and trauma informed. This includes promoting treatment, intervention, and prevention efforts for the social, spiritual and emotional well-being of victims including child maltreatment. To address domestic and sexual violence, including victims of sexual exploitation/human trafficking, applicants are encouraged to use a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) and Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) approaches. Using these types of team approaches is crucial – especially among local, state, and Federal agencies that includes healthcare providers, law enforcement, child protective services, social service, legal service, coalitions, behavioral health, and victim advocacy. The MDT/SART are community-based approaches in responding to sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and sexual abuse victims. Without the advantage of a team approach method, a program is more likely to fail. Improving collaboration through agreements can improve the response time for sexual assault victims.