Violence Prevention in Health Settings
Hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers, and other health care facilities can often be safe havens for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and exploitation. By using CUES, health care staff can make sure all patients receive information and resources about healthy relationships, even if they aren’t ready to talk about their situation.
CUES stands for Confidentiality, Universal Education + Empowerment, and Support. Traditional screening tools for violence and abuse can miss the signs if a patient isn’t ready to talk. Using the CUES approach makes sure all patients get information around healthy relationships, so they know how to help themselves when they are ready.
What is CUES?
The CUES model begins with confidentiality. Providers meet with patients alone for at least part of the visit to discuss relationships without a partner, friend, or family member present. Providers then ensure their confidentiality within the doctor-patient relationship, and let the patient know when they must talk to authorities. This helps patients gain confidence and control over sharing their information.
The CUES intervention uses a universal education and empowerment approach for patient screening. Every patient should receive safety cards about healthy relationships and how relationships impact health. Talking to all patients normalizes this conversation as a part of health care visits, and ensures all patients get access to information about violence. Patents are then empowered to make decisions on when to seek additional help if needed.
By following this intervention, professionals share valuable support services and information that can be passed on to family and friends who may need it. A team-based approach is highly encouraged and can be formed through the partnership of health care settings and domestic and sexual violence advocacy agencies.
Learn more
The Minnesota Department of Health is working to develop trainings on CUES and how to use this intervention in your own practice as well as providing resources for providers.
To learn more about the grant program, visit About Violence Prevention During Pregnancy and Postpartum Initiative.
The CUES Intervention was developed by Futures Without Violence. For more information about CUES, visit IPV Health.
