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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Project Examples: Abuse and violence

Other Project Examples

Butte Child Evaluation Center

funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

Updated/reviewed August 2022

  • Need: Before 2000, Butte and southwest Montana had around 1,300 cases of child abuse a year, with only a 20% conviction rate for perpetrators of sexual abuse.
  • Intervention: Multiple agencies in the community came together to address the issue of child abuse by forming the Butte Child Evaluation Center (CEC), a Children's Advocacy Center.
  • Results: During a 3-year grant cycle, over 200 interviews and exams were performed on victims of sexual abuse and the Butte CEC became the first program in Montana to be accredited by the National Children's Alliance.

Eastern Plains Sexual Assault Response Team (EPSART)

Updated/reviewed June 2022

  • Need: To provide support and resources to victims of sexual assault and to collaborate and streamline processes for victim-centered care.
  • Intervention: The EPSART holds quarterly team meetings, case review, and opportunities for team training.
  • Results: Enhanced victim and public safety by facilitating investigations and enhancing prosecutions.

Futures Without Violence in Tillamook County

funded by the Health Resources Services Administration

Updated/reviewed August 2021

  • Need: To address intimate partner violence (IPV) in primary care settings as a health concern. To increase healthcare providers' professional understanding about its prevalence and adverse impacts on patient health.
  • Intervention: In partnership with Safer Futures, Tides of Change provides an advocate at a local health clinic to give confidential services to IPV survivors and training to medical staff. The advocate uses curriculum and other materials designed by Futures Without Violence.
  • Results: Healthcare providers at the clinic reported increased understanding of IPV and its impact on health. As a result, IPV advocates received an increase in referrals from healthcare providers. Patients experiencing IPV reported a reduction in chronic, toxic stress and improved overall health after receiving advocacy services.

Family Wellness Warriors Initiative

Updated/reviewed November 2020

  • Need: Decrease rates of domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and child neglect for Alaska Native people in remote villages.
  • Intervention: An evidence-based model inclusive of traditional culture trains local communities on methods of prevention and treatment for domestic and interpersonal violence.
  • Results: Self-sustaining local system with improved family and spiritual well-being and decreased healthcare access needs.