What’s happening: John Muir Health in Walnut Creek and Palomar Health in Escondido were among five 2024 Dick Davidson NOVA Award recipients from the American Hospital Association (AHA).
What else to know: The five recipients were honored at AHA’s Accelerating Health Equity Conference in Kansas City, Mo., in May.
John Muir Health’s Beyond Violence program provides intervention to people who have been affected by interpersonal violence including assault, stabbing, or gunshot. The program provides direct access to health care services like a mobile health clinic, trauma follow-up clinic, mental health support, connections to jobs and education, and resources for food and housing.
The program, initially designed to serve those aged 15-25, expanded in 2022 to serve anyone older than 15. Since the program started in 2010, 98% of program clients remained alive.
The Palomar Forensic Health Services and Trauma Recovery Center provides comprehensive services and support for San Diego County survivors of all ages who have endured physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, elder abuse, or trauma. The programs connect survivors to specialized case management and mental health services to decrease recidivism, cycles of violence, crime rates, overuse of emergency department services, and morbidity and mortality rates.
Palomar’s team offers California’s only hospital-based training center for forensic medical exams, and the forensic nurses and social workers also serve as expert witnesses in court.
Other recipients were programs based in Traverse City, Mich; Duluth, Minn; and Cleveland, Ohio.
AHA offers more details on the award recipients’ programs.