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Project Catalyst

What is Project Catalyst Minnesota?

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Minnesota has been selected to join teams from Georgia, and Ohio on “Project Catalyst III: Statewide Transformation on Health, IPV, and Human Trafficking,” led by national nonprofit Futures Without Violence (FUTURES). The Minnesota Leadership Team consists of the Minnesota Association for Community Health Centers, the Minnesota Department of Health, and Violence Free Minnesota working together to promote state-level policy and systems changes to improve response to intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking (HT) in community health centers and domestic violence programs/community-based organizations across Minnesota.

 

Community health centers help increase access to primary care for patients by reducing barriers such as distance, transportation, and cost. Community health centers are not-for-profit consumer-directed health care centers that work to ensure access for underserved, underinsured, and uninsured patients, with boards representing the communities they serve

 

The Project Catalyst Minnesota Leadership Team will collaborate to:

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  • Promote policy and systems changes that support survivors of IPV and human trafficking seeking care in community health centers and violence-prevention programs.

  • Offer training and technical assistance to six community health centers and six domestic violence advocacy programs/community-based organizations in Minnesota.

  • Implement a plan to improve care for survivors Minnesota-wide.

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Minnesota is working with the following six domestic violence programs and six community health centers for this project:

 

  • Casa de Esperanza and People’s Center Clinics & Services

  • Women of Nations and Open Cities Health Center

  • Committee Against Domestic Abuse (CADA) and Open Door Health Center

  • Oasis of Love and Neighborhood HealthSource

  • Women’s Advocates and Minnesota Community Care

  • Safe Avenues and Community Health Service, Inc.

 

Throughout COVID-19, the Project Catalyst health centers and domestic violence programs have been working together to support patient safety during a time of increased isolation and decreased resources. The programs have been continuing to make referrals and train one another on how to assess for domestic violence during telehealth visits, and the health centers have provided technical assistance on COVID-19 response to their domestic violence program partners.

 

Please visit the Minnesota Project Catalyst website to learn more and stay updated on training dates. If you’re interested in bringing a project like this to your domestic violence program or health center, IPVHealthPartners offers an introductory toolkit and a wealth of resources.

 

Questions? Contact Meggie Royer, Violence Free Minnesota Youth and Prevention Program Manager, at 651-646-6177, ext. 116 or mroyer@vfmn.org.

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