The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence received a grant form the Verizon Foundation Friday that will train Health Care providers to become effective domestic violence screeners.
One of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act allows for free screening and counseling for women who are victims of domestic violence. The CCADV wants to make sure every health care provider in the state is following the same procedure when it comes to screening for potential domestic abuse. "It's a unique opportunity, when a patient comes in to see someone they know and trust," said executive director Karen Jarmoc. "They might be asked some questions that will possibly reveal that they do need help. This is really a chance to create a statewide mechanism."
Jarmoc said the $10,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation is the first step toward that goal. She said, "What we're planning on doing is utilizing the dollars to help us pay for an individual who has expertise in working with the medical community on domestic violence, but also to put together a medical advisory team. We are going to look at assessment tools and screening tools. We want to ensure that, given these new opportunities are utilized in the right way."
Over the next few months, the CCADV office will develop a curriculum to train health care personnel on how to identify and talk to potential victims of domestic abuse, and how to steer them to the proper resources and services.
