Background:
The prevalence, co-morbidities, and health care costs of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in childbearing aged women have been significantly under-estimated. IPV is more common than many of the traditional risk factors for which screening and treatment is offered in this age group. Recent studies demonstrate the additional impact of witnessing IPV as a child- both on health care utilization and long term health outcome.

Objectives:
The first part of this special session will highlight new and provocative data from recent studies. The second part will focus on a successful approach to improving IPV services which has been implemented in a large health plan. The "systems-model" approach which builds on already existing resources and the quality improvmement measures used to sustain this effort will be described. An abbreviated version of this lecture (prevalence, cost, and co-morbities) was presented on 6/12/07 to the Preconception Care Council of California and is available for review.

Methods:
Lecture format

Results:
Increased understanding of IPV as a preconception care issue that should be routinely included in screening and care.

Conclusion and implications for practice:
Successful practices for improving IPV services have been tested, implemented and sustained in health care settings and can be widely adopted.