Trustees of Boston University

Strength at Home National Implementation

Individuals suffering from PTSD are at three times higher risk for domestic violence, and approximately one-third of veterans seeking treatment for PTSD report that they have engaged in physical Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the previous year. Strength at Home, launched in coordination with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, reduces domestic violence in military and veteran families. Strength at Home intervenes to address conditions specific to veterans, and provides tools to maintain a healthy relationship and to mitigate challenges before family interactions become criminal offenses, which both hurt family members and can impact eligibility for VA benefits. Strength at Home employs a cognitive behavioral intervention and is the first evidence-based program to reduce both physical and psychological IPV. This BWF grant will allow Strength at Home to identify, train, and support a network of VA clinicians who ensure effective delivery of the Strength at Home program to at least 425 veterans, to reduce their use of IPV. This specific effort will identify and train 10 regional trainers, who will provide training and consultation to 120 clinicians. This grant will also support the initial implementation of the Strength at Home program at 10 new VA sites.