Today is Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day!
Today is the 16th annual Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day! Advocates, health care providers, and survivors across the country use this day to bring awareness to the health impacts of violence and improve health care’s response to violence.
Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day is particularly timely because Open Enrollment for health coverage is right around the corner—starting on November 1, 2015. Even though survivors can access health coverage at ANYTIME because of the Special Enrollment Period for victims of domestic violence, Open Enrollment is a great time for advocates and survivors to take advantage of the expanded services to help get folks coverage.
Screening and counseling for domestic and sexual violence are now covered benefits under the Affordable Care Act, an addition that can be invaluable for survivors and their families. FUTURES helped to push for this policies to make sure that the Affordable Care Act was able to benefit the people who might need it the most. Experiencing intimate partner violence in any capacity can contribute to number of chronic health problems including depression, alcohol and substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
For more information on how the ACA can benefit survivors, check out a recent webinar.
Here are some ideas of how you can get involved:
- Educate your colleagues about how recent changes in health care policy can benefit survivors.
- Share graphics and information over social media! Check out our Action Kit for sample tweets and Facebook posts using #DVAM and #HCADV.
- Organize a training session or webinar for health care staff on DV screening and counseling. Download PowerPoint presentations from the Making the Connection: Intimate Partner Violence and Public Health Toolkit.
- Collaborate with a local DV agency to hold a community awareness forum or DV101 training at the health center. Find your local DV agency here.
For more ideas on how to engage your community on health and violence check out this recent webinar and our Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day Action Kit.
