The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63576

Bonita Veysey, PhD¹, Rene Andersen², and Vanja Stenius, MA¹. (1) School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University, Center for Law and Justice Rm 556, 123 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102, 973 353 1929, veysey@andromeda.rutgers.edu, (2) Western Massachusetts Training Consortium, 187 High Street, Suite 204, Holyoke, MA 01040

The Franklin County Women’s Research Project is a collaboration among the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium, the Franklin Medical Center, three Women’s Resource Centers located across the county, and local consumer/survivor/ recovering women (CSRs). This project is unusual in two ways: (1) it is a rural site, and (2) the project was designed, implemented and evaluated by CSRs. The program model integrates services at the person level and at the system level. The Women’s Resource Centers are the focal points for the individual level services integration offering women supports through their peers, including AA/NA meetings, trauma recovery groups using the Addiction and Trauma Recovery Model (ATRIUM), Peer Resource Advocates, writing, art, and body awareness programs, and a variety of opportunities. The guiding principle is that women heal when they find the resources within themselves to define their lives and engage in activities and work that is meaningful to them. These Centers work in conjunction with the formal treatment systems. Services integration is accomplished through the Services Integration Committee comprised of the mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence providers, the Community Coordination Council comprised of a wider network of service and support providers, and through the activities of the Trauma Liaison, an employee of Franklin Medical Center who chairs the committees and provides consultation on women with trauma histories.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this session the participant (learner) will be able to:
• Describe the components of services integration for women with co-occurring disorders with histories of violence in rural settings.

Keywords: Access and Services, Rural Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am the Co-PI on this investigation. My support is provided through a sub-contract of the federal grant.