Educating our care teams
As part of our Family Violence Prevention Program, which is in place at our facilities throughout California, Kaiser Permanente employees and physicians have access to resources to help them identify warning signs and ask about child abuse, intimate partner violence, elder abuse, human trafficking, and sexual assault. Screenings for various types of abuse occur during routine exams and prenatal care visits in ob-gyn departments and well-child visits in pediatrics and family medicine in Southern California. Kaiser Permanente care teams can provide members and patients in need with information and other resources to help them find housing assistance, legal aid, and more.
Speaking proudly about Kaiser Permanente’s patient care, Kelley Martinez says, “Survivors of any kind of abuse or trauma can rest assured that our mental health care teams practice trauma-informed care. That means meeting survivors where they are emotionally and providing a safe, non-judgmental space for them to speak about their experiences and heal.”
Spreading awareness in our communities
At Kaiser Permanente, we are proud of our care teams’ education and awareness, which reflects our commitment to improve the health of our communities. In Southern California, we recently hosted our sixth Family Violence Prevention Symposium, where we met with partners in higher education, law enforcement, community organizations, and other health care systems to share knowledge and best practices about caring for survivors of family violence.
Additionally, Kaiser Permanente in Southern California is a longtime supporter and participant in awareness campaigns like Denim Day, which honors survivors of sexual assault and challenges harmful misconceptions about sexual violence.