Occupational therapists receive dual training in mental and physical health which can provide better understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on its victims (Clark, 2022).

We expect that if clients accomplish activities it will lead to the following changes

Program short-term goals: Promote mental, emotional, and physical healing and begin to plan for future, needs, and how to accomplish desired goals.

Program long-term goals: To support and empower survivors of DV to be independent, happy, and to continue to strive to achieve occupational balance..

• Personel:

  • Staff: Collaboration among healthcare professionals (social worker, psychologist, occupational therapist, etc...) to best understand the needs of each individual client.

  • Clients: Individuals who have experienced domestic violence.

• Funding:

  • Grants: Mary Kay Ash Foundation Domestic Violence Shelter Grant Program

    • Awards grants to shelters providing services to individuals seeking safety from abuse (Mary Kay Ash Foundation, n.d.).

  • Donations: Any additional community donations or funds raised on the programs behalf to fund extra events outside of the preplanned one on one and group sessions.

• Space/Items Needed:

  • Space:

    • Recreational room at the local domestic violence shelter for group sessions.

    • Small personal room for one on one sessions with OT at the local domestic violence shelter.

  • Items Needed:

    • 15 chairs in recreational room for group sessions.

    • 50 journals

    • 50 writing utensils

    • 50 copies of educational handouts and additional resources

• 48 individual sessions (1 session per week, 4 per month)

• 24 group sessions (1 session every other week, 2 per month)

• At least 75% participation in each session.

• At least 75% participation in the whole program.

• Increase in the number of individuals who sign up for the program at the beginning of the next cycle of sessions.

• Increase in the number of individuals seeking refuge in the domestic violence shelters utilizing this program.

Work: DV can negatively affect various aspects of an individual's employment, including, career development and advancement, work productivity, meeting daily demands, and maintaining a job (AOTA, 2011). This program can aid individuals in job exploration, filling out job applications, and practicing interview skills (potentially exploring continued education/work and school balance).

Money management: A typical form of DV includes financial abuse, the manipulation of money and other economic resources to maintain control (ultimately to make the victim stay with the abuser) (McCullough & Wehe, 2020). Our program can work with clients on budgeting skills for expenses and savings to promote independence and financial stability. Additionally, to support clients in problem-solving skills and reasoning abilities for budgeting.

Child-rearing: DV survivors with children may experience difficulty with parenting due to physical injuries, mentally or emotionally unavailable, financial disparities, increased generalized stress, and limited social support/resources (McCullough & Wehe, 2020). Our program can work with parents who have experienced DV to establish child routines (daily routines for the child such as feeding, napping, and bedtime), work on parenting skills such as self-regulation, and ways the parent can support their child if they are experiencing a delay in developmentally appropriate skills/development.

Social participation: DV can lead to social isolation and decreased social support (AOTA, 2011). Additionally, the ability to establish and maintain relationships is often hindered for survivors of DV and may result in lasting effects such as distrust of others or fear (of the abuser/retaliation) (AOTA, 2011). When the individual is ready we will promote group sessions the client(s) can attend to promote social participation (and continue to address specific occupational skills) and address social skills.

Mental Health: DV is associated with a range of physical and mental health effects. Survivors of DV are at an increased risk of mental health difficulties such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or suicide (Mental Health and Domestic Violence, n.d.). Our program can work in addressing the mental health of survivors of DV by developing and promoting healthy and effective daily routines to promote well-being, self-efficacy skills, coping skills, relaxation and stress reduction techniques, symptom management, and emotional regulation.

This program hopes to expand its impact into the community and progress toward achieving the following goals:

• Increased awareness of domestic violence and who it can affect.

• Increased amount of individuals seeking help after domestic violence.

• Reduced incidence of domestic violence cases in the community.

• Increased advocacy for continued domestic violence services.

Mary Kay Ash Foundation. (n.d.). Grant information. https://marykayashfoundation.org/what-we-do/domestic-violence/grant-information/

Matt. (2022, June 16). How do domestic violence shelters work? Eccovia. https://eccovia.com/blog/how-domestic-violence-shelters-work/

Mccullough, P., & Wehe, K. (2020). Occupational therapy program for women residing in domestic occupational therapy program for women residing in domestic violence shelters violence shelters. https://commons.und.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1484&context=ot-grad

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Women’s Advocates. (n.d.). Mental health and domestic violence. https://www.wadvocates.org/find-help/about-domestic-violence/mental-health-and-domestic-violence/

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. (n.d.). Statistics. https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS

Research in Practice. (2023). The role of occupational therapists in identifying and responding to domestic violence and abuse. https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/adults/news-views/2022/march/the-role-of-occupational-therapists-in-identifying-and-responding-to-domestic-violence-and-abuse/

U.S. Department of Justice. (2023). Domestic violence. Office on Violence Against Women. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence