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Volume2 Issue4
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A significant shareof that investment ($4.1Mover 3years)
will beearmarked for thedevelopment of nationwide
guidanceand trainingmaterials for healthprofessionals,
so theyarebetter prepared todetect domesticabuseand
support victims.
Dr. GaryMacDonald, CDApast-president,welcomed
thegovernment's announcement: “Canada’sdentists
recognize that familyviolence is a significant publichealth
issue, andapplaud this investment tohelpaddress the
problem. Providinghealthprofessionalswithnew training
and tools tohelp identifydomesticviolenceandchild
abuseand toprovide support to thevictims is avital step
tohelpaddress thisproblem.”
Other programswill focuson improvingvictims’ physical
andmental healthandwell-being, facilitatingaccess to
counselling, and supporting service integration.
Service integration
TheDecember roundtablemeetingalso focusedon
service integration, as it is important not to lose sight of
howdifficult it is for victims to share their story. Sheldon
Kennedy, a formerNHLplayerwhopublicly spokeout
about theabusehe sufferedduringhis junior hockeyyears,
explained to theattendees that theSheldonKennedy
ChildAdvocacyCentre inCalgary is aone-stopcentre
withall relevant stakeholdersunder one roof—social and
childcareworkers, policeofficers, Crownattorney, etc.—so
victimsdon’t have to tell their storyover andover again.
Dr.Woodagreed that suchamodel of care is keyasdata
andevidencecollection isoften incomplete incasesof
childabuse.
MinisterAmbroseand theparticipants alsoagreed that
more researchneeds tobeconducted inabuse resilience,
aswell as in theeffectivenessof peer-to-peer counseling
systems.
a
FamilyViolence
andChildAbuse:
A toolbox fordentists
Underchildprotection laws,allCanadianshaveadutyto
reportsuspectedchildneglectandabuse.TheCanadian
ChildWelfareResearchPortalmaintainsanupdated list
ofprovincialandterritorialchildwelfareauthorities,with
contact information.
ThePublicHealthAgencyofCanadarecently launchedStop
FamilyViolence,an informationhubwithcontentdeveloped
specifically forprofessionalsandthepublic.
WesternUniversity’sCentre forResearch&Educationon
ViolenceAgainstWomen&Childrenoffersonlinetraining
ontheassessmentandmanagementof risk fordomestic
violence.
Dentistscanencouragethehygienistsontheirteamstotake
theDetect,Respond,Refer:HelpingtoEndWomanAbuse
onlinecourseofferedbytheCanadianDentalHygienists
Association.
Dr.SusanSutherlandpublishedanarticle in
JCDA
on
domesticviolenceand itsrelationtodentistry.
