Description/Overview: Worldwide, two over-arching models provide foundational support for interventions addressing IPV: (1) social services of counseling and safe shelter, and (2) legal actions of arrest and protection orders. Evolving from grassroots efforts of volunteers to provide safe housing for a few women and their children, today’s shelters are large in structure, budget, and services. In contrast, justice system support for abused women stemmed from landmark legislation in which a police department was sued for failing to protect an abused woman. Protection orders are funded through taxation and at a per woman modest cost. To determine the safety, health, and general functioning of abused women and their children following a shelter stay compared to abused women who apply for a protection order, a 7-year prospective study of 300 English and Spanish speaking women and their children is underway. A team of 12 nurse researchers from three universities are collaborating to examine the emerging data. Outcomes of re-victimization, safety, lethality risk, mental and physical health, and overall functioning of the 300 women and their children, 4 months after a shelter stay will be presented. In addition, outcomes for women who received a protection order compared to women who did not receive the order will be shared. A subset of data examining the outcomes of immigrant women emphasizes the unique needs of this difficult to access population. Congruent with 2011 Institute of Medicine guidelines which notes the disproportionate impact of IPV on women's lives, this research offers important evidence on the impact of poverty and immigration status on abused women's functioning. When these factors are further explained, interventions can be tailored to improve the safety, health, and functioning of abused women and their children. Implications for global policy and practice standards for shelters and justice services will be stressed.

Learner Objective #1: Critically examine the two over-arching models of care provide the foundational support for interventions to women who have disclosed intimate partner abuse.

Learner Objective #2: Describe the safety, health, and general functioning outcomes for abused women and their children who seek services in each of the models of care.