Next Millennium Conference: Ending Domestic Violence Intervention--What Works?

The founder and former director of Women Kind Support Systems for Battered Women in Minneapolis, Minn., Susan Hadley, describes the philosophy and activities of this program. Women Kind focuses on early intervention by establishing liaison with and training for health care providers, who are likely to be the first professionals to be in a position to diagnose domestic abuse and make referrals. The program has found that providing training in domestic violence for health care professionals increases their awareness of and appropriate response to domestic abuse victims. Antonia Vann, executive director of Asha Family Services in Milwaukee, Wis., describes this program, which delivers services to a minority population in the city's inner city. The program focuses on individualized screening, diagnosis, and treatment for domestic abuse victims. Carol Seaver, coordinator of the Older Abused Women's Program at the Milwaukee Women's Center, describes this program for older battered women. She discusses the particular program of this population of victims and how the program addresses these needs. Two of the panel members describe the Latino Battered Women's Support and Education Program at Mercy Mobile Health Care in Atlanta, Ga. This program provides comprehensive family services for Latino families in the city, with attention to those families in which abuse is occurring.