Supporting the Primary Care Sector Response to Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence (FDSV) Pilot
Thursday, December 14 2023
In the 2022-23 budget, the Commonwealth Government announced funding for supporting the primary care sector response to Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence (FDSV) Pilot. The funding has been provided as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. The measure is to support the primary care sector to build enhanced and expanded primary health care models of support to improve responses to, and health system navigation by:
- Family and domestic violence victims-survivors
- Sexual violence victims-survivors
- Child sexual abuse victims-survivors
Adelaide PHN has partnered with the Country SA PHN to become a new pilot site to establish and integrate models of support for victims and survivors of domestic and family violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse. The objectives of this pilot are to:
- Support primary health care providers to implement a model of support to assist in the early identification and intervention of family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV), and coordinate referrals to support services.
- Increase the capacity and capability of the primary care workforce to better care for victims survivors of FDSV and persons living with FDSV.
- Improve the primary care system integration with the broader FDSV service response system and health service navigation for victims-survivors of sexual violence.
The partnership between Adelaide PHN and Country SA PHN has been developed to support a statewide approach that is inclusive, accessible, and equitable to all in South Australia. The project team will be seeking the voices and views of a diverse range of stakeholders over the coming months with a particular focus on primary care providers, services supporting victims and survivors, and those with lived experience of domestic and family violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse. In keeping with the goals of inclusivity and equity, the voices and views of groups who may face barriers to accessing safe and inclusive services or who may be more likely to experience violence will also be prioritised. This includes (but is not limited to) Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people in the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disability and disabled people.
The pilot project is one of many initiatives taking place around Australia to better prevent, detect, and respond to domestic and family violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse. Adelaide PHN and Country SA PHN will be sharing information and resources about this and other initiatives and resources to amplify all the work happening in this space. Adelaide PHN and Country SA PHN recognise that this is an emotionally challenging and confronting topic for all, especially for those who may have experienced some form of violence or abuse or know someone who has experienced violence or abuse. If engaging with any of the content shared by Adelaide PHN and Country SA PHN brings up feelings of distress, please take care of yourself and make use of the attached resources as needed.
More information will be released about participation in the consultation and co-design of the models of support but in the meantime, if you have queries or would like to express no-obligation interest in participation, please contact fdsv@adelaidephn.com.au.