With Survivors, Always, is the October 2025 Domestic Violence Awareness Month theme. The Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban Indian facility staff continuously uplift the needs, voices, and experiences of Native survivors across Indian Country. The IHS is incredibly proud to highlight some of the forensic health providers' hard work, compassion, and dedication to supporting healthier patient outcomes within their communities and beyond.
Northern Navajo Medical Center, Shiprock, New Mexico
The Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Prevention team at Shiprock has been working diligently to establish their domestic violence/intimate partner violence (DV/IPV) facility policies, educate the entire team on the importance of using a standardized DV/IPV safety screening tool and how to effectively use the screening tool, as well as implement quality forensic health care based on best practices. The team held a “Break the Cycle” bike event on October 7, and an informational tabling event “Talk N’ Tea” where they provided Navajo tea, conducted a DV/IPV poster contest, and presented a t-shirt clothesline project on October 8 to help raise DV/IPV awareness for staff, the community, and others.
Four Directions Clinic, Kyle, South Dakota
The forensic nursing team at the Four Directions Clinic in Kyle, South Dakota, was recently selected for the 2024 Federal Bureau of Investigation Director’s Community Leadership Award for their outstanding work with victims (this includes child sexual abuse) and partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to hold perpetrators accountable. The nomination recognized the clinic’s work since 2014 and, specifically in 2024, when they conducted after-hour medical forensic exams, provided extensive treatment and follow-up for patients, stayed open late to accommodate time-sensitive forensic interviews, made timely reports of new cases and testified in federal court.
Modoc Nation, Miami, Oklahoma
The Modoc Nation Domestic Violence Prevention program partners with the Community Crisis Center of Northeast Oklahoma and the Modoc Healing House to provide tailored services for survivors of domestic violence and their families in Ottawa County’s American Indian and Alaska Native community. The program utilizes a Community Coordinated Response/Sexual Assault Response Team, which consists of regional partners, trained in violence prevention and crisis response, to provide culturally appropriate direct services and community outreach. The staff provide trauma-informed case management, counseling services, court advocacy, and emergency housing support, while outreach staff conduct workshops, training, recommend prevention curricula, and conduct media campaigns for community education. Staff also work closely with law enforcement, courts, schools, religious communities, healthcare providers, and local nonprofits to assess policies, ensure accessibility of culturally sensitive services, increase community awareness, and provide a targeted response to domestic violence in the community.
Cherokee Indian Hospital, Cherokee, North Carolina
The forensic nursing program at Cherokee Indian Hospital in North Carolina has grown their forensic health care (FHC) services to include two neighboring counties’ healthcare services that serve tribal communities, by providing trainings to start their FHC programs. The FHC program has trained the CIH hospital staff, tribal entities, tribal police, and judicial and prosecution team members on FHC services, including trainings on recognizing the signs of human trafficking. The CIH FHC project continues to educate and bring awareness to the five surrounding counties and their communities through their tribal newspaper and social media, sharing and ensuring a presence at community events, and community resource program meetings. The FHC project also works with local colleges and universities’ campus police, providing education, consent, DV/IPV, and sexual assault awareness to new incoming students.
Whiteriver Service Unit, Whiteriver, Arizona
Since January, the Whiteriver forensic nursing team has provided care and related services to more than 125 patients following domestic violence/intimate partner violence. The service unit has partnered with the Apache Behavioral Health Services to host a symposium on DV/IPV so community members can better understand the health impacts of violent crime. The team is giving a presentation on the "Effects of Violence," a presentation that focuses on what physical violence is and the health effects it can have on the body. Their team is also presenting on "Stop the bleed" to provide the community members with knowledge that can potentially save someone's life. Stop the Bleed teaches basic interventions to perform to help someone from losing too much blood, while waiting for emergency medical services.
Please check out the IHS Forensic Healthcare and the Domestic Violence Prevention webpages for more information. Lastly, stay tuned for Texas A&M University Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing Intimate Partner Violence Examiner Course – the first session is slated to begin in a few months!
Helpful resources and tools:
- IHS, Indian Health Manual, Part 3, Chapter 31: Intimate Partner Violence
- A National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic Examinations - A National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic Examinations (safeta.org).
- StrongHearts Native Helpline:
- StrongHearts Native Helpline | Home (strongheartshelpline.org)
- 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: National Domestic Violence Hotline (thehotline.org)
- Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- TTY 1−800−787−3224 or (206) 518-9361 (Video Phone Only for Deaf Callers)
- National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV): With Survivors, Always: DVAM 2025 | Domestic Violence Awareness Project
