The Bridge Program™ of Rose Brooks Center is a hospital-based program that connects victims of domestic violence to services and support, all in the safety of the hospital setting. Advocates provide 24/7 on-call support to approximately 14 area hospitals and clinics throughout the metro area. As one of our longest-standing community programs, The Bridge Program launched in Truman Medical Center 22 years ago, and has continued to evolve to meet the needs of the community as well as the healthcare system.
To amplify this program’s evolution into systems change within the healthcare setting – in 2019 alone, 1,033 patients who were experiencing domestic violence met with hospital advocates through Rose Brooks’ Bridge Program™. Additionally, over 1,000 hospital staff were trained on how to safely screen patients for domestic violence, and refer then to services.
***PROGRAM UPDATE***
This year Rose Brooks Center’s Bridge Program team has established a new partnership with Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences to provide training, consultation and direct service response to the college staff and faculty. Because helping professionals are three times more likely to be victims of domestic violence, this is a crucial step in providing additional care through the Bridge Program.
Many healthcare professionals are reluctant to disclose abuse in their own relationships because of the nature of their work. Having a Bridge Program advocate provide resources, connects the healthcare professional to further support without worry of privacy
To learn more about all community programs, visit
rosebrooks.org/services/community-outreach/.