K’ima:w Medical Center Debuts New Program

TWO RIVERS TRIBUNE

Do you need help with relationship issues?

Are you suffering from abuse from your intimate partner and don’t know where to seek help?

Hoopa has recently opened the doors to a new family violence prevention and advocacy program; Ki’ma:w Medical Center’s Project Connect.

Project Connect is located on the K’imaw campus at the Wellness Center, and is open to the community for services related to intimate partner violence or sexual assault.

The original contributor for Project Connect is Futures Without Violence, U.S. Health and Human Services, which is a coordinated public health initiative to prevent violence against women.

By utilizing these funds Project Connect was able to begin holding local networking meetings to coordinate services and identify community needs in regard to domestic violence issues in our community.

Additional funding for Project Connect was awarded from the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women.

Program Director/Grant Coordinator, Judith Surber, said that although the program was granted funding back in 2011, the actual program dollars were not released until mid 2012. Program objectives thus far have

started from the ground floor, with goals such as hiring advocates, program development and setting up an office to meet with clients.

Besides providing direct services for clients, additional program goals are to raise awareness and educate the community on the effects of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Did you know that Indian women suffer from domestic violence and abuse at a rate of seven times that of women in any other race?

And, 60 percent of our women will suffer from violent assault.

One third will be the victim of sexual assault or rape.

Although these numbers seem alarming, the percentages of women who suffer from some sort of violence are staggering, making domestic violence a community  wide problem.

Project Connect also has numerous tools on healthy relationships, teen dating, and how to keep yourself and your family safe.

If you have any questions or need assistance call Project Connect, K’ima:w Medical Center 625.4261 EX 331 for confidential and safe services.