Conference Purpose

The National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence provides valuable professional education on the latest research, practice, policy and advocacy responses to domestic and sexual violence (D/SV) for all health care professionals, researchers, domestic/sexual violence advocates, policy makers, health profession students, survivors and other stakeholders.

Specialized pre-conference institutes will take place on March 19th, 2015 followed by the two-day conference on March 20th and 21st, 2015. The Conference includes an exhibit hall for vendors and opportunities for professional networking. For more information about the Conference Overview and Goals, click here.

Session Types

Innovative Program/Promising Practice Report: Presentation of an innovative program/promising practice issue, concept, strategy or program. Single presenter preferred and a maximum of two. Twenty minute presentation, with 5 minute question/answer/discussion period (25 minutes total).

Scientific Report: Presentation of results of a research-based scientific study. Single presenter. Ten minute presentation, with 5 minute question/answer/discussion period (15 minutes total).

Symposium: An in-depth discussion of a single key issue, area or concept related to health and domestic and sexual violence. Symposia should utilize appropriate adult education techniques, with an emphasis on discussion and participant interaction. One lead presenter and a maximum of three additional presenters are suggested (80 minutes total).

Workshop: A skills-focused session designed to teach, enhance or strengthen specific practical skills of participants. Workshops should incorporate participatory and up to date adult educational techniques such as problem-based or team-based learning, with an emphasis on interactive learning and skills practice. One lead presenter and a maximum of three additional presenters are suggested (80 minutes total).

Poster: A visual presentation of the results of a research-based scientific study or an innovative program/promising practice. Posters will be available for viewing during the entire Conference. Single presenter. Presenters will be asked to be available for informal discussion with participants during Poster Session presentation times at the Conference.

Subject Categories

For all submissions, select two distinct Subject Categories in order of preference.

1. Adolescents: Short and long term health effects of domestic or sexual violence on adolescents� physical and mental health and social/emotional development. Model or innovative health care responses focused on intervention or prevention. Anticipatory guidance regarding healthy relationships.
2. Advocacy and Survivor Perspectives: Survivor perspectives on health care interventions, including personal experiences; D/SV program/shelter-based health care programs; and model health care-based advocacy programs.
3. Children: Short and long term health effects of exposure to domestic and sexual violence and impact of trauma on children. Appropriate health care and public health responses including anticipatory guidance about violence prevention; overlap with child abuse, trauma and neglect; ethical and legal issues, and strategies to promote improved maternal and child health.
4. Cultural Considerations: Dynamics, responses, protective factors, health care utilization, community-based and indigenous health care, and public health responses, as they relate to the interconnections between age, race, ethnicity, immigration status, physical/cognitive ability, class, gender, sexual identity, survivors of D/SV, and geography (rural, urban, frontier, etc.).
5. Assessment and Intervention: Evaluated and/or innovative strategies to address victimization and/or perpetration, including assessment tools and intervention methods.
6. Educating and Engaging Providers: Evidence-based or innovative approaches to education for health care providers, health professional students and policy makers.
7. Health Impact of D/SV Across the Lifespan: Research and/or programs that impact physical, reproductive and mental health of survivors and/or perpetrators, and the relationship to co-occurring issues including but not limited to: obesity; heart disease; diabetes; cancer; tobacco or substance abuse; HIV/AIDS; STIs and unplanned pregnancy; injury; and health care utilization and access to care.
8. Health Policy and Systems Change: Health policy and practice initiatives, including legal, ethical, business and service delivery issues related to HIPPA, health information technology, the Affordable Care Act, and/or state, provincial, regional or local regulations.
9. Public Health and Prevention Programs: Model or promising population/public health programs or prevention focused initiatives, such as health promotion strategies that utilize media or innovative messaging; initiatives engaging men and boys; and other social norms changing programs including community-based, faith-based, school-based and health education and behavior programs.
10. Research: Reports outlining study design, methods, and results of research related to health and D/SV.
11. Technology: Advances and critical issues in telemedicine; electronic medical records and data management; use of technology to assist survivors, health care providers, and others; and how technology is used by perpetrators.
12. Special and Emerging Topics: Other topics not previously listed that are related to the Conference theme or to the field in general.

Selection Criteria

Abstracts that do not adhere to the submission guidelines or relate to the Conference goals will not be accepted for review.

Abstracts will be reviewed and scored based on:

1. Relevance to the goal of the Conference
2. Organization and clarity
3. Description of objectives, content and teaching methodologies to address the educational needs of participants
4. Special consideration will be given to abstracts that address diverse or marginalized populations using an intersectional analysis.
5. Additional review criteria by session type include:
   • Innovative Program/Promising Practice Report: Content about innovative programs/promising practice issues, concepts, strategies or programs that present new and effective ways to improve the health care response to D/SV.
   • Scientific Report: Content that is scientifically based, accurate, current, and objective.
   • Symposium: Session provides an in-depth exploration of a key issue, area or concept related to health and domestic/sexual violence.
   • Workshop: Ability to enhance or strengthen specific practice, research, or policy skills of participants. Workshops should utilize adult learning theory, incorporate up to date educational techniques (e.g. problem-based or team-based learning), and be interactive and participatory.

Please note: The Abstract Selection Committee typically receives more submissions than can be accepted. Submissions for oral presentation are competitive, with workshop and symposium submissions being most competitive. In order to accommodate the largest number of excellent abstracts, the Committee may need to allocate a shorter time period than requested or to accept an abstract as a poster rather than as an oral presentation. During the application process, applicants will have the opportunity to state their willingness to reformat the presentation if requested. Applicants will be given an opportunity to update the description, learning objectives and speaker(s) as appropriate.

Submission Deadline and Important Details for Applicants

The deadline to submit all proposals is: Friday, June 27, 2014, 11:59 pm Pacific

Abstracts presented elsewhere may be submitted for consideration at this Conference, provided that full disclosure is made in the abstract submission materials. (Presenters are responsible for adhering to the submission exclusivity/primacy guidelines of outside entities.)

Accepted Scientific Reports and Innovative Programs/Promising Practice Reports will be grouped according to topic or theme by the Conference staff. Typically, three to four abstracts will be grouped for presentation in a single 80-minute session. Each session will be assigned a moderator to ensure time limits are followed.

Upon receipt of acceptance, you will be asked to confirm your participation by following the instructions contained in the acceptance letter from Futures Without Violence.

For each abstract that is selected, one presenter will be eligible for discounted registration to the Conference. Note: additional fees apply for the pre-conference institutes. A very small number of additional stipends to partially defray travel or hotel expenses will be available to presenters (based on financial need). A separate scholarship application will be available on the conference website when registration opens.

Notification of abstract acceptance and final assignment of poster and presentation will be made by September 10, 2014. Notification will be sent to the email provided in your submission.

You must confirm your intention to participate in the Conference by November 3, 2014.

Although online submission is preferred, those with limited internet access may submit proposals in hard copy format. Please contact Anna Marjavi for hard copy submission instructions:

Futures Without Violence
Attn: Anna Marjavi
100 Montgomery Street, The Presidio
San Francisco, CA 94129-1718
Phone: (415) 678-5500 Email: amarjavi@futureswithoutviolence.org

Conference Overview

Domestic and sexual violence (D/SV) are widespread and serious health care issues that affect health and well-being across the lifespan. This conference addresses domestic and sexual violence including teen dating violence/adolescent relationship abuse and reproductive coercion as well as other forms of violence that often overlap with D/SV including child abuse and trauma, human trafficking, and bullying. In addition to its acute health consequences, D/SV is a significant risk factor for adverse health behaviors that can lead to lifelong and even intergenerational health and social welfare sequelae. Survivors as well as perpetrators visit health care providers for routine care, specific health problems, and for the care of their children, elders, and/or other dependents. Health care providers and organizations can implement practice innovations, develop programs, and conduct important research that contributes to violence prevention and intervention efforts. Therefore, health care and public health professionals are in a unique position to serve as key players in a coordinated, multi-sector response to D/SV and other forms of interpersonal violence.

Conference Goal

The goal of the Seventh Biennial National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence is to advance the field of health care's response to domestic and sexual violence. The conference will examine:

• Health impacts, co-occurring issues, health care responses, and policy implications related to survivors, children, perpetrators, and communities affected by D/SV;
• The intersectionality¹ of factors relevant to domestic and sexual violence - i.e., how the categories of race, class, culture, ethnicity, religion, physical/cognitive ability, age, gender, sexual identity, immigration status, language, and geographic settings and communities interconnect with one another to reveal the complexity of personal experiences and to inform program strategies;
• Innovative practices, programs, and partnerships among health systems, providers, public health programs, legal/government systems, social service agencies, domestic/sexual violence programs, and advocates that improve patient safety and health status at the local state, national, and international levels;
• Recent research about risk and protective factors, physical/mental health effects, health and advocacy-based innovations, and prevention;
• Policy implications regarding identification, intervention and prevention