Brief Interventions Brief interventions can occur at the same time as, just after, or even some time after disclosure, and can take between 10 minutes and several hours. These may be delivered in a single encounter or over multiple visits when possible. Brief interventions can include providing resources or education about IPV and/or SA, connecting the person to advocacy Provision of Safety Whether in the context of crisis management or brief intervention, a critical element of care for those acutely affected by IPV is to promote safety as much as possible. Safety planning should be tailored to the unique needs of the individual, taking into account such elements as cultural and community needs, wellbeing of children and pets, housing situation, and safe access to healthcare and education when necessary (Sabri et al., 2021) . This means Longer-Term Interventions Many IPV survivors will need ongoing support and services whether or not they are able or choose to leave the abusive situation. Longer-term interventions involve may mental health counseling related to the negative psychological and behavioral health consequences of IPV for the victim, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and/ or substance abuse (Paphitis et al., 2022) . While mental healthcare is often helpful, other concerns should not be Referrals Often, the services needed by someone who has experienced IPV are outside the scope of the system in which the provider encounters the person. These services may include legal, healthcare, child protection, immigration support, housing, and/or employment services. Providers should try to offer appropriate referrals for these services whenever possible, but offering these referrals requires knowledge of and authentic collaborations with the local agencies that provide the services. Many providers find it helpful to keep a directory of local resources for IPV on hand. The Resources section provides a list of national IPV organizations and state coalitions on domestic violence and/ Help Lines for Victims and Providers The number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE. Trained advocates are available to help callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These advocates can assist providers as well as clients. A simple trick to memorize this number is: 1. Because the number is toll-free, remember that it begins with 1-800. 2. Memorization of 799 is facilitated by realizing that 799 = 800 – 1. 3. The number is about being safe, so it ends with SAFE. The website http://www.ndvh.org also provides more information about the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The number for the National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800- 656-HOPE. The hotline is operated by the Rape, Abuse, and General Referral Information Often, victims and perpetrators report that they did not tell their provider about the abuse because they did not think it was relevant or they did not think it was something their providers could help with. Many providers also do not routinely ask their patients about IPV or SA (Burton & Carlyle, 2020) . Having IPV and/or SA materials in a location where patients can easily see them lets them know that this is a place where they can get help. Offering materials to clients regardless of whether they disclose IPV and/ or SA is also helpful in raising awareness and knowledge about available resources. Even when the client has not
or other support services, initial safety planning, and more (Ogbe et al., 2020) . Numerous review and research articles have shown the efficacy of brief interventions with IPV survivors, and clinicians should be aware that intervention need not be lengthy to be effective (Miller et al., 2021; Ogbe et al., 2020) . that safety planning, while critical in times of crisis, may be an ongoing effort between the provider and patient. Providers must recognize that there are often many steps in the process of escaping an abusive situation and allow survivors to make their own decisions about whether and if so when and how to do so. Continued therapeutic engagement and supportive interactions should always be maintained and can ultimately foster survivor empowerment. ignored. These include long-term physical and emotional sequelae, as well as effects on employment and financial status, parenting, housing, social supports, and more for survivors of IPV. Nurses and other providers should have at least some knowledge of the available services in their communities in order to refer survivors to supportive resources whenever possible. or SA. There are approximately 56 such coalitions in the United States and in addition to Appendix E, an updated list of state coalitions can be found at https://nnedv.org/ content/state-u-s-territory-coalitions/ . Many state coalitions include agencies that serve victims and survivors of both IPV and SA and provide a unified clearinghouse on information for the state. Some coalitions may also collaborate across state lines to support victims who are seeking to escape an abusive partner or who are closer to the other state’s resources than to those in their home state. Incest National Network (RAINN) and can also be accessed on the Internet at https://www.rainn.org/ . This hotline is also available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Trained personnel provide confidential support and connect callers to a local support organization according to the area code and first three digits of their phone number or by zip code if using a cell phone number. When calling as a provider on behalf of a patient or client, start the phone call by stating the professional relationship with the person needing services (e.g., “I am a nurse”) and then explain the situation and state any questions. There may also be state or local resource hotlines in some areas; the nearest state coalition on IPV and/or SA should be consulted for more information. experienced IPV or SA, it is likely that he or she knows people who have and can share the information with them. When offering these materials, if the patient denies need for them, it may be helpful to say, “In case anyone you know can use them.” Providers should always educational and crisis-service materials about IPV and SA available. These materials can be obtained from local, state, and national IPV organizations, and as noted previously, the Futures Without Violence website has free resources, many of which focus on health-related issues. These can be downloaded or ordered
EliteLearning.com/Social-Work
Book Code: SWFL1825
Page 85
Powered by FlippingBook