An Australian hospital’s training program and referral pathway within a multi-disciplinary health– justice partnership addressing family violence

Abstract

Objective: An innovative health–justice partnership was established to deliver legal assistance to women experiencing family violence who attended an Australian hospital. This paper reports on a multifaceted response to build capacity and willingness of health professionals to identify signs of family violence and engage with referral pathways to on-site legal assistance. Methods: A Realistic Evaluation analysed health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes towards identification, response and referral for family violence before and after training; and use of referral pathways. Results: Of 123 health professionals participating in training, 67 completed baseline and follow-up surveys. Traini..