HRSA Awards Grants to Screen Pregnant Women for Domestic Violence

HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau recently awarded four new community-based grants totaling $1.8 million to screen and provide services for pregnant women experiencing domestic violence.  Physical violence during pregnancy is significantly associated with fetal death and low birthweight, according to a 1998 federal report.

The three-year demonstration program – called Developing a System of Care to Address Family Violence During or Around the Time of Pregnancy -- will help identify women needing domestic violence services and make referrals.  Funded projects will:

• develop partnerships and linkages among health providers, law enforcement, counseling and social support services, and community organizations such as women’s shelters;

• provide interventions that are culturally appropriate and targeted to certain age groups; and

• involve women in planning their own care.

The projects will incorporate lessons learned from pilot grants awarded in fiscal year 2000.  The FY 2002 grantees are the Multnomah County Health Department, Portland, Ore., also serving Jackson and Douglas counties; the Philadelphia (Pa.) Department of Public Health, serving Lower North Central Philadelphia; the Illinois Department of Human Services, Springfield, serving Kane County; and the North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh, serving Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Nash and Northampton counties.  Grantees will receive awards of $150,000 annually over the three-year period.

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