This 45-minute video features a panel of leaders from local trauma agencies in San Francisco. To start off, Dr. Leigh Kimberg, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at ZSFG/UCSF, shares details of her upcoming grant Aspire to Realize Improved Safety and Empowerment (ARISE). ARISE will use a three-tiered intervention to transform connections between the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN) and leading community intimate partner violence (IPV) and legal organizations into sustainable collaborative interventions to empower survivors and reduce IPV.

Ms. Melissa Murphy, a licensed clinical social worker at the Trauma Recovery Center (TRC), shares describes services provided at the TRC, including: therapy for adult survivors of violence, the Rape Treatment Center which supports people after sexual assault in the ZSFG Emergency Department, and mental health services for survivors of torture.

Dr. Ken Epstein, Director of Children?s System of Care for San Francisco County Community Behavioral Health Services within the SF Department of Public Health, speaks about his challenging work creating systems change across San Francisco. He asks, ?How did really good, mission-driven, well-intended people end up in a system that replicates such horrible outcomes for some of the folks that we care the most about? I think that?s a challenging question we have to reflect on?We have to ask ourselves that question, and the answer is: there?s something happening in our delivery system.? Dr. Epstein elegantly describes the purpose of the transformative workforce training Transforming Trauma & Stress 101, an initiative to move from a trauma-inducing system to a healing, trauma-reducing system.

Rebecca Schwartz, a licensed clinical social worker at HIVE, highlights medical and social services provided by the clinical team. Rebecca shares the unique preconception care services provided at HIVE for women and couples affected by HIV. She speaks proudly of recent partnerships with providers in asking women and men living with HIV if they desire pregnancy, then referring to HIVE. Rebecca highlights important work to be done around improving women?s and couple?s health in anticipation for pregnancy, and the novel weekly case conference unifying medical and social care.

Jia Min Cheng represents Bay Area Legal Aid, the largest civil legal services agency in the San Francisco Bay Area. She touches on legal services provided by Bay Legal, including: a youth justice project, legal barriers to employment, immigration services for survivors of IPV, and a medical-legal partnership with Children?s Health Center at ZSFG.

Melissa Bergson, Program Director of La Casa de las Madres, shares comprehensive services provided by La Casa. She describes their 24-hour crisis line, shelter program, drop-in center, and the domestic violence response team which places two advocates at the SF Hall of Justice to support survivors.

Silvi Alcivar, owner and poet of the Poetry Store, shares a poem that she wrote in-the-moment to synthesize the panel. To watch Silvi?s poetry recital, skip to 46:58.

This video is part of a series of recordings from HIVE?s trauma symposium, ?Beyond Compassion: Caring for Women with a History of Trauma.?

Slides and additional resources are available below the video.

Watch “Beyond Compassion – Trauma Resources in San Francisco”:

Slide deck:

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Additional Resources:

Health Cares About IPV

Look to End Abuse Permanently (LEAP SF)

SF Department of Public Health Trauma-Informed Systems Initiative

SF Department of Public Health Transforming Trauma & Stress 101 course:

  • Takes place on the second Tuesday of every month from 8:30AM-12:30PM at 25 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA.
  • To register:
  • Visit http://www.sfdph.org/training
  • Choose Ambulatory Care Training Unit
  • Log in on the upper right hand corner of the page
  • Select a Transforming Trauma & Stress 101 course of your choice

For further information about the DPH Trauma-Informed Systems Initiative, and to schedule special trainings at your workplace, contact Kaytie Speziale at kaytie.speziale@sfdph.org.