VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE Sonoma County Violence Profile Significant problem in the U.S. from infants to elderly, it affects people in all stages of life. Contributes to poor health outcomes, particularly among young people, people of color, and low-income communities. Home Visiting Advisory Council Meeting May, 28 th 2014 VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE CONT. VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE Exposure to Violence Increase in injury, disability, and even death. Specifically, chronic disease Increases risk for unhealthy behaviors: smoking, eating disorders, substance abuse, and decreased physical activity For children: increased likelihood of chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. For communities: reduces productivity, decreasing property values, and disrupting social services. Goal: To reduce and prevent violence in Sonoma County Violence Profile (Part A) Assessment of Inputs (Part B) Violence Profile The foundation of the Sonoma County Violence Prevention Initiative Strategic Planning VIOLENCE PROFILE: PURPOSE DATA & THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT 1 st Planning Step Inform Collective Impact Public Health Frame Identify Disparities Looking at data alone will not give us the entire story We need to learn from the community experts to truly understand the data Many times, there is no quantitative data available to explain something that people working in the field have seen and experienced 1
THEMED FOCUS GROUPS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS We asked participants about: Violence-related trends Populations most impacted by violence What is unique to the Sonoma County area Risk and protective factors associated with violence Existing data Gaps in existing data Generational Increases when women are pregnant College students and Dating Violence Increase in Spanish speaking and Latinos seeking support Increase in females being arrested Clients both affluent and lower income Children exposed to DV now direct victims Moving away from why does the woman stay mentality Increase focus on perpetrators Role of drugs and alcohol From your experience as a Home Visitor, what s your best guess as to how many of your clients and/or their immediate family members are impacted by Domestic Violence? SEXUAL ASSAULT: FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS Many occur before age of 18 Perpetrator often known to the victim Often occurs within families High # incidents in college and while intoxicated Sonoma County part of a Sex Trafficking circuit General lack of understanding about what Sexual Assault (and consent) means Need to include men in discussion and prevention Sexual Assault happens to ALL kinds of people None A little Some Most All GANG VIOLENCE: FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS Offer protection and a sense of family/community Gangs can be diverse Increase in drop out gangs Rival gangs team up for $ and drugs Fighting within gang Younger gang membership More females committing violent crime Gangs motivated by territory, drugs, money, racism Gangs target recent immigrants for recruitment Generational gangs Increase in spousal abuse among gang members From your experience, how many of your clients and/or their immediate family members do you think are in or affiliated with a gang? None A little Some Most All 2
CHILD MALTREATMENT: FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS What type of Child Abuse most often occurs among your clients and/or their family members? Increase of substance exposed newborns Commercially sexually exploited children DUI s with children in the car Educational neglect Children impacted by parents issues (DV, mental health, substance abuse, etc.) Increase in teens with mental health issues Substandard living environments A. Neglect B. Emotional C. Physical D. Sexual E. Other Neglect Emotional Physical Sexual Other CROSS CUTTING COMMON THEMES COMMON THEMES Alcohol, Drugs & Violence Mental Health Housing Shortage/High Cost of Living The Influence of Technology Isolated and Remote Areas Economic Downturn Racism/Classism in Sonoma County Cultural competency Among Providers People Who are Undocumented Underreporting Across All Forms of Violence Labeling ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS & VIOLENCE Vast majority of arrests fueled by drugs and alcohol Increase in prescription drug use Impacts every type of violence Meth use still big problem (causes permanent damage). Many cases in Psych Emergency are meth related. It is cheap and easy to get. Large underground drug industry Significant drug and alcohol use among youth. Youth easily able to buy drugs off of each other at school Drugs common factor for all young people From your experience, how many of your clients and/or their immediate family members are struggling with drugs and/or alcohol? None A little Some Most All 3
MENTAL HEALTH Depression Self medicating Lack of Mental Health services, especially for youth Many people impacted by mental health issues, substance abuse, trauma, etc. Jails full of people with mental health issues. Revolving door Youth slipping through the cracks From your experience, how many of your clients and/or their immediate family members are struggling with mental health issues? None A little Some Most All HOUSING SHORTAGE/HIGH COST OF LIVING Large homeless population in Sonoma County People endure a violent and/or unhealthy environment to avoid homelessness Homeless youth percentages are increasing Affordable housing for elderly is a large issue Very expensive to live in Sonoma County THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY Used for stalking Used for bullying Used to solicit sex online Calling people out on social media Ghost profiles used to orchestrate drug deals, fights, and the buying/selling of weapons ISOLATED/REMOTE AREAS Sonoma County is a large county with urban, suburban, and rural environments Transportations issues Isolated from services Lack of eyes and reporting in isolated areas ECONOMIC DOWNTURN Program and services cut Keep people in compromising situations Drags people into illegal, abusive, and/or violent work Lack of job opportunities and job security Increase in suicide among specific populations 4
RACISM/CLASSISM IN SONOMA COUNTY CULTURAL COMPETENCY AMONG PROVIDERS Reporting child abuse, substantiating cases, and placement Attention mainly on Latino gangs, but also have white gangs 40 schools districts divide race and income in Sonoma County Native people thought to be Latino Misperception that Native and/or Latino people are all the same and have experienced the same thing Assumptions about where drug issues are Assumptions that affluent people are not impacted by violence Understanding other cultures Valuing cultural differences (cultural humility) Relativity around different ways of living- What s substandard to some, may be a move up to others Discipline: Is spanking a child okay? Programs need to be tailored to specific population Tailored outreach General lack of cultural knowledge in our community PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED Estimated number of people who are undocumented in Sonoma County: 41,000 or 8.8% of SC population Fear of law enforcement May endure violent situations because they fear reporting will lead to deportation Cultural differences and language and/or literacy barriers Starting to see an increase of reporting for DV may be due to new protection laws (VAWA, U Visa, etc.) UNDERREPORTING ACROSS ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE Fear Pressure not to report from families, peers, school administration Lack of trust in the system The victim may not fully understand that they were victimized We only see things when they get really bad People don t know what it means to report Our community likes to keep violence hidden because of the wine country image Reporting and collecting data may differ across jurisdictions and organizations LABELING Mislabeling Trauma and abuse overlooked and labeled something else Stigma Intersectionality Labels on schools (e.g., Gang school, rich kid school, etc.) Labels used when collecting data MORE THEMES Violence impacts EVERYONE! Disparity in Sonoma County Violence is becoming more sophisticated Violence is more becoming more severe More exposure to violence at younger age Generational trauma and violence Lack of equal opportunity/access Co-occurring issues (mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, etc.) 5
SONOMA COUNTY ASSETS Many organizations providing social services Collaborative community (e.g., Family Justice Center, MGPTF, etc ) Volunteerism Restorative justice approach is beginning to spread throughout the County into schools QUESTIONS & COMMENTS THANK YOU! Alea Tantarelli County of Sonoma Department of Health Services Alea.tantarelli@sonoma-county.org (707) 565-5364 6