The CHI North Dakota Violence Prevention Program, an intimate partner violence prevention effort operating in eight CHI communities statewide recently concluded its third year of operations. Committed to creating and promoting a culture of non-violence as an essential element of healthy communities, the program has reached a pivotal Milestone.
Since its inception in 2015, program stakeholders have persevered to build community capacity, educate professionals and promote healthy relationships. Over the course of three years the program has educated 239 multidisciplinary professionals at statewide summits and trained 233 local leaders in evidence-informed curriculum for implementation with local community groups.
Additionally, the program has provided 121 local community outreach workshops reaching over 2,000 professionals statewide. The program offers four variations of workshops; each focused on increasing awareness of intimate partner violence and emphasizing the importance of the universal education. One professional said, “This training is bringing awareness and practical tools to a serious topic.” The program also provided 143 healthy relationship workshops, teaching 420 hours of content, to more than 1,600 North Dakotans. These workshops promote healthy relationships, through self-exploration and the development of decision making, conflict management and communication skills. One workshop participant stated, “I came out of this session with a few concrete ideas to improve my life.”
Program stakeholders are elated with the achievements and positive efforts to date; Veronica Zietz, program director said, “This program is a collaborative effort; our successes are the result of dynamic community partnerships and local leadership. These local leaders are truly making a difference in lives of individuals experiencing intimate partner violence.” The program plans to continue operations with the support of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) Mission & Ministry Fund, which recently awarded a one-year grant to the program in the amount of $251,178.
The CHI ND Violence Prevention Program seeks to create communities free from intimate partner violence by building community and organizational capacity and by promoting healthy relationships. The program serves Bismarck, Carrington, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Lisbon, Oakes, Valley City, and Williston. Click to learn more.