2021 COMBAT Mid-Year Funding: $32,650.00

In Rose Brooks' Own Words

The Bridge Hospital Intervention program delivers the COMBAT area of focus on domestic violence by providing immediate essential and life-saving services to victims in hospital settings, specifically at Truman Medical Centers. Within 30 minutes, victims receive safety planning and are connected with the community resources crucial for building lives free of violence, including shelter, counseling, victim advocacy and other essential services. The target audience for this programare 200 patients screening positive for domestic violence by TMC hospital staff, the majority of whom are low-income and uninsured. Activities include immediate support, safety planning, counseling and access to the critical resources necessary to break the cycle of domestic violence.  Outcomes include completion of a safety plan, the provision of community resources, information on shelter services, and education on domestic violence dynamics.

The need this program addresses is connected with the high level of domestic violence incidents in Kansas City. Moreover, more victims are served at Truman Medical Centers (TMC) —the leading safety net provider in the Kansas City area—than any other local hospital system.  

Bridge serves a critical public health need for the greater Kansas City community. Unfortunately, domestic violence services continue to be in high demand in Jackson County, which--among the 114 Missouri counties--ranks first in the number of domestic violence incidents reported with 9,843 incidents in 2019 (Missouri Uniform Crime Reporting Program). Domestic violence places a heavy burden on the health care system; therefore, early detection of domestic violence benefits victims, health care providers and the health care system.

One of the most common preventable health risks to individuals in our community, domestic violence affects one in four women—and is also one of the most frequent reasons women go to hospital emergency rooms, presenting with physical injuries as well as headaches, stomach aches, and other symptoms.  Domestic violence survivors reached at TMC are at high risk and present with physical issues most often related to domestic violence.   Because many patients access Bridge services through the Emergency Department, cases are often severe and include weapon-related injuries.  Most are due to external and internal injuries from lacerations, contusions, and swellings from being hit, punched, shoved, kicked, or struck with an object.   Many also suffer from the effects of strangulation.

The Rose Brooks Center Bridge Hospital Advocacy program is the only system-wide domestic violence hospital intervention model in the Midwest.  Although part of the greater BridgeSPAN collective, Rose Brooks Center’s Bridge program serves more domestic violence victims in crisis than any other shelter in the area.