Iowa (Women Residential Correctional): TBI Screening

Yes: State or territory answered when contacted and confirmed either past, current or future projects plans in this area.

TBI Program, Study, or Pilot

Type: Pilot 2

Agency Providing the Funding: Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)

Year Provided/Duration: 2008-2014

Funding Given To: Iowa Department of Public Health

System Group

Incarcerated Women, Women’s Residential Correctional

Location

Iowa Corrections Institution for Women in Micthellville, IA

Women’s Residential Correctional Facility in Des Moines, IA

Purpose/Goal

  1. Screen incarcerated women who are up for parole or work release or who were currently on parole or work release.
  2. Provide the women with resources about TBI and domestic violence that may be helpful while reintegrating back to the community.
  3. Gather feedback on the effectiveness of the resources.
  4. Analyze the findings and provide recommendations for future screening and information and referral services.

What tool was used?

HELPS Brain Injury Screening Tool and a Domestic Violence Screening

When is screening done?

Screenings took place during the evening, so the women were able to attend any appointments or jobs required of them during the day.

What happens after screening?

Resource packets are given to each woman who was screened; whether positive or not.

Who Conducted Screening?

Staff from Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa (BIAIA), Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and two UNI Social Work students completed screenings.

Participating screeners received Brain Injury 101 training from BIAIA and Domestic Violence training from ICADV.

Tracking

Unknown

Findings

Iowa Correctional Institution for Women 37 women were eligible for screening, 19 (51%) participated in the screening process. Of the 19 women, 4 were eligible for work release program and 15 were up for parole. The average age of screening participants was 36 years old with the youngest being 23 and the oldest being 48 years old. 84% of screening participants identified as Caucasian or white, 11% identified as African-American and 5% as Alaskan Native. 63% of women screened positively for domestic violence and TBI, 26% screened positively for domestic violence only and 11% did not screen positively for domestic violence or TBI. 63% of women participating in the screening process wished to receive follow-up from ICADV staff and 84% of women screened accepted a resource packet. Of the 16% not accepting the packet, two were survivors of both domestic violence and TBI and one did not screen positively for either domestic violence or TBI. (Hartwig, 2014)

Women’s Residential Correctional Facility Out of the 30 eligible women, nine or 30% participated in the screening process. Of the nine women screened, five identified as being a part of the work release program with the other four not identifying parole or work release. 100% of screening participants identified as Caucasian or white. 78% of women screened positively for domestic violence and TBI, 11% screened positively for domestic violence only and 11% screened positively for TBI only. 100% of women screened accepted the resource packet. Out of all of the women screened at both Iowa Corrections Institution for Women (ICIW) and WRCF, 68% screened positively for domestic violence and TBI, 21% screened positively for only domestic violence, 4% screened positively for TBI only and 7% did not screen positively for domestic violence or TBI. (Hartwig, 2014)

Report findings were extensive and cannot be added as PDF’s to our site. Please submit a request at the link above and we will send the report(s) via email within 24-48 business hours.

Information and Referrals

All women who participated in the screening were offered resources regardless of if they had experienced TBI or were survivors of domestic violence. Women who declined screenings were also offered resources. Below is a list of the resources included in the resource packets:

  • Understanding Brain Injury Quick Guide
  • Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation brochure
  • Iowa COMPASS brochure
  • Disability Resource Library brochure
  • Safety Planning for Domestic Violence Victims Who Have Been Hit on the Head brochure.
  • What to do if You Have Been Strangled brochure
  • Brain Injury Support Network brochure
  • Disability Rights Iowa brochure
  • Victimization of Persons with TBI factsheet
  • Veterans Resource factsheet
  • Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa factsheet
  • CDC Facts about Concussion and Brain Injury factsheet
  • Solutions: Assistive Technology booklet
    Medicaid Home & Community Based Services Brain Injury Waiver factsheet
  • Understanding Brain Injury: A Guide for the Family May Clinic book
  • Des Moines Area Community Resources booklet(Hartwig, 2014)

Trainings

As part of the recommendations from the pilot, it was suggested that staff working with women receive training on how to interact with individuals who have experienced both domestic violence and traumatic brain injury as survivors may have different needs that the general population in corrections institutions.

Name

Iowa Department of Public Health – Brain Injury Services

Jim Pender

E-mail

brain.injury@idph.iowa.gov

Website

https://idph.iowa.gov/brain-injuries

Phone Number

515-204-7978

This pilot built from the previous pilot and continued to be the steppingstone for future projects and screening implementations.

Unknown

Information was acquired through speaking Iowa Department of Public Health and reviewing report: Traumatic Brain Injury and Domestic Violence in Female Offenders in Iowa Screen and Resource Pilot Report

Hartwig, M. (2014). Traumatic brain injury and domestic violence in female offenders in Iowa screen and resource pilot report. Des Moines: Department of Public Health.

Iowa had three agencies identified additional stakeholders to be involved in the project; these stakeholders included the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa, and two students from the University of Northern Iowa; majoring in Social Work and Family Services respectively.

The pilot provided as final recommendations: ‘Due to the high number of positive screenings for both domestic violence and TBI (68% of participants screening positively for domestic violence and TBI), it is recommended that screenings continue at both Iowa Corrections Institution for Women (ICIW) and Women’s Residential Correctional Facility (WRCF). It is recommended that all women be screened for both domestic violence and TBI during the reception process into correctional facilities in Iowa. Identifying survivors of both domestic violence and TBI would allow corrections staff to be able to provide the women resources that could help them to learn about how to better manage any physical, emotional or psychological symptoms related to the trauma they have experienced. Identification also facilitates the ability to refer women to available resources in their communities upon reintegration.’ (Hartwig, 2014)

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