This resource offers comprehensive guidelines and tools for mental health professionals to integrate domestic violence (DV) screening, assessment, and intervention into their practice. It emphasizes that current or past abuse significantly impacts mental health and recovery, advocating for routine inquiry about DV in all mental health settings.
The resource provides protocols for initial danger/safety screens, detailed follow-up questions for various types of abuse (physical, psychological, sexual, and other forms of control), and an expanded safety plan covering strategies for leaving or staying safely. It also includes a section on destigmatizing mental health problems in the context of abuse, guidance on proper documentation of DV in mental health records for legal utility, and considerations for screening for other traumatic experiences. The tools aim to help providers create safe environments, respond to disclosures appropriately, and engage in collaborative partnerships with DV programs.