NCJ Number
57927
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
AS AN UNFORSEEN COMPONENT OF THEIR FAMILY-ORIENTED AID TO ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN ALL 20 CHILD ABUSE DEMONSTRATION TREATMENT CENTERS PROVIDE SOME SERVICES WHICH DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ASSIST ABUSED SPOUSES.
Abstract
THE DEMONSTRATION CENTERS ORIGINALLY WERE FUNDED UNDER THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT TO DEVELOP INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR ABUSED CHILDREN. THE SAN DIEGO, CALIF., PROJECT HAD TO AMEND ITS INTAKE POLICY TO ACCEPT REFERRALS OF ABUSED SPOUSES IN FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN WERE HURT 'ACCIDENTALLY' WHEN THE SPOUSE WAS THE TARGET OF THE ASSAULT. THE HONOLULU PROJECT SET UP EMERGENCY SHELTER CARE FOR ABUSED WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILD ABUSE AND WIFE ABUSE. THE PROJECT IN TOPPENISH, WASH., OPERATED BY THE YAKIMA INDIAN NATION ALSO RUNS A SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN WHILE PARENTS ANONYMOUS, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL SELF-HELP GROUPS, REPORTS THAT IN ALMOST EVERY ONE OF ITS OVER 750 CHAPTERS THERE ARE MOTHERS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF SPOUSE ABUSE. THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS SHOWS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS INTERRELATED AND THAT FAMILIES NEED A CONTINUUM OF SERVICE. ONE SUCH MODEL IS THE COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM IN NASHVILLE, TENN., THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE IS NOW CONTACTING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO REPLICATE THIS PROJECT. ALSO THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING HAS FUNDED RESEARCH AIMED AT PREVENTING CRIMINAL VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ELDERLY BECAUSE THIS GROUP TOO, MAY NEED EMERGENCY SHELTER CARE. FOR RELATED DOCUMENTS, SEE NCJ 57922-57926 AND NCJ 57928-57941. (GLR)