Linda Chamberlain, PhD, MPH, Maternal and Child Health Department, Alaska Department of Health, 3601 C St., Suite 934, PO Box 240249, Anchorage, AK 99524-0249, (907)269-3453, howlinghusky@gci.net and Rebecca Whiteman, NP, Family Violence Prevention Fund, 383 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

A growing body of research demonstrates the connection between domestic violence and 8 out of 10 of the leading indicators for Healthy People 2010. Domestic violence is a leading cause of injuries for women and is associated with chronic health problems that often persist for years after the abuse has ended. Childhood exposure to domestic violence can lead to a wide range of physical, mental, developmental, and behavioral health problems for infants and children. The purpose of this session is to: 1) Increase awareness of the connection between domestic violence and maternal and child health issues; 2) Identify opportunities to integrate assessment and intervention for domestic violence into maternal and child health programs; and 3) Identify opportunities to promote a system level response to domestic violence in maternal and child health departments. The presenters will use chapters on women’s health, perinatal programs, and child and adolescent health from a PowerPoint curriculum in the Public Health Toolkit to discuss the epidemiology of domestic violence, implications for service delivery, strategies to integrate routine assessment, policy recommendations, and promising programs that are specific to each program area. This session will demonstrate how participants can use the curriculum, speaker notes, and an extensive bibliography (downloaded directly from the endabuse.org website) to make the case for addressing domestic violence as a maternal and child health issue in their own departments. Case reports of how the toolkit has been used to influence health policies on domestic violence in Pennsylvania and Florida will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• 1)To describe the connection between domestic violence and maternal and child health
• 2)To identify five strategies to integrate assessment and intervention for domestic violence in maternal and child health programs
• 3)To develop skills to use current information and tools to promote policies to address domestic violence within the context of matneral and child health

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Maternal and Child Health

Related Web page: endabuse.org

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 a consultant for the Family Violence Prevention Fund, a nonprofit organization, and worked on the Public Health Toolkit. The Toolkit has been distributed nationally at no cost and can be downloaded directly from the Family Violence Prevention Fund w