Agency to increase support for abuse victims

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on January 15, 2016

With domestic and sexual violence affecting one in every four women in the U.S., a national nonprofit has named La Comunidad Hispana (LCH) as one of six recipients of funding to expand support systems for victims.

Catherine Elliott (from left), LCH women’s health medical director, is shown with Clara Vasquez, legal advocate for the Domestic Violence Center. Photo courtesy of La Comunidad Hispana — Catherine Elliott (left), LCH's women’s health medical director, is shown with Clara Vasquez, legal advocate for the Domestic Violence Center. *Photo courtesy of La Comunidad Hispana*

Futures Without Violence identified the Kennett Square nonprofit for assistance to promote the safety and health of people seeking services. LCH will work with the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) to strengthen an existing partnership. LCH has hosted a satellite DVCCC office since 2011, a LCH press release said.

“Domestic violence and sexual abuse can directly impact a woman’s health – even increasing her risk for chronic health outcomes, such as asthma and heart disease, unintended pregnancies, HIV/AIDS and depression,” Lisa James, director of health at Futures Without Violence, said in the release. “These six outstanding health-care centers and domestic violence programs are in a unique position to detect and respond to signs of abuse among their patients, and have the potential to make a tremendous impact in their communities.”

Alisa Jones, LCH’s president and CEO, called the collaboration an essential service. “With our partnership, an LCH provider who sees a patient that has experienced domestic violence has an immediate, in-house referral and communication outlet with a DVCCC counselor,” she said in the release. “These patients are in a vulnerable state, and as a team we can provide them the immediate care and resources they need.”

The pilot program is funded through a collaboration of U.S. department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Since 1996, Futures Without Violence has managed the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, supported by the DHHS Administration for Children and Families, Family Violence Prevention and Services Program to provide resources and trainings to health practitioners and advocates across the country and promote model health responses to intimate partner violence. For more information, visit www.acf.hhs.gov/fvpsa.

LCH has served the southern Chester County community for more than 40 years as a multi-service, bilingual nonprofit that changes lives through health care, social assistance, and education and workforce development. To learn more, go to www.LaComunidadHispana.org.