Contra Costa program eases service access to survivors of violence

After being in an abusive relationship for years, Fontaine found help through a unique collaborative telehealth service in Contra Costa County called TeleCARE.

At no cost to patients, TeleCARE safely connects survivors of interpersonal violence with the health care services they need, including medical assistance, mental health counseling, prescriptions and even dental care.

TeleCare is run by the Family Justice Center, which has offices in Antioch, Concord, Richmond and Solano County’s Fairfield. Fontaine (not her real name for confidentiality purposes) is not out of the woods mentally, but she’s left her abuser and is on a path to recovery now.

“My situation is hard, but it’s better,” she said. “Because of the TeleCARE appointments, I am now taking medication for my mental health, which has really helped.”

At age 30 with no kids and because of everything she’s gone through, Fontaine meets with a psychiatrist to help her deal with and manage her anxiety and depression.

“I experienced verbal abuse, financial control and isolation for years,” she said. “Despite early warnings from my family and friends about the manipulation and the financial abuse, I remained. It really impacted my mental health.”

TeleCARE was founded four years ago by Dr. William Francis, a Sutter Delta Medical Center emergency physician with Vituity Physician Partnership & Healthcare Staffing Solutions and the Family Justice Center. He explained why he started the program.

“In the emergency department, unfortunately, we see the devastating result of violent crime. After starting my practice at Sutter Delta Medical Center 10 years ago, I became a personal witness to the damage done by interpersonal violence,” he said. “In some cases, unfortunately patients were discharged, with limited previously available resources, only to later return after being revictimized.”

He asked his medical director if he could work with social service organizations to create a better partnership between the Sutter Delta emergency department and existing services. That’s when he met Susun Kim, the Family Justice Center’s executive director.

“I met Dr. Francis in 2020 and learned about his interest in serving domestic violence survivors,” said Kim.

“We started discussing the possibility of offering telehealth services for our clients. After many meetings and discussions, we worked together to create this program. The very first telehealth appointment through our e-referral system was made in November of 2021.”

Francis talked about what he learned from his research.

“What I learned from this experience was that just as our patients required improved access to social services, clients at social service organizations require improved access to healthcare,” he said.

“Through conversations with STAND! (for Families Free of Violence) and the Family Justice Center, it became clear an opportunity existed for hospital systems, health care and interpersonal violence resources to partner on an overarching mission to provide survivors of interpersonal violence with wraparound services necessary for their individual safety journey.”

Kim explained what the Family Justice Center does.

“It’s a one-stop center for victims and survivors of IPV (interpersonal violence), including domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking,” she said. “The Family Justice Center is intentionally built to reach the most marginalized survivors of violence and remove all barriers to service for victims who would be unable to access other services.”

Many interpersonal violence victims can’t or won’t go to hospitals because they’re either afraid, lack access to transportation or child care or have had their identification taken away from them by their abusers.

“Once they’re safe, we’re able to connect them through the TeleCARE program to the health care services they and their children need,” said Kim.

Kim said interpersonal violence has profound effects on its victims’ physical, mental and behavioral health, from abuse-related injuries to chronic disease, stress, substance abuse, depression, PTSD and other correlated issues. Francis discussed the dynamics of interpersonal violence.

“Interpersonal violence occurs between individuals that had an existing relationship prior to the violent act,” he said. “This includes intimate partner violence, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse as examples.

“Interpersonal violence can be exceptionally challenging for the survivor, as in addition to recovering from trauma, the fabric of their world is often disrupted. For some, the very supportive network they relied on no longer exists.”

Victime of interpersonal violence are also less likely to access health care than people who have not experienced violence.

“TeleCARE provides Family Justice Center clients with telehealth appointments for urgent care, routine medical care, follow-up appointments, psychiatric care, prescription refills and referrals to primary care, physical therapy, dental care or emergency departments,” added Kim.

With the mental control and manipulation her abuser had over her finances and emotions, Fontaine said the meetings with her psychiatrist are helping.

“I am really grateful for how kind the doctor is and am happy I took the step to exit the relationship and that I’m taking care of my mental health,” she said.

TeleCARE is funded through grants for which Kim and Francis have written proposals.

“I obtained two grants of $25,000 each from the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation,” Kim said. “I have also obtained a Contra Costa County Innovative Impact grant.

“The Family Justice Center is a recipient of a Trauma Recovery Center grant from the California Victim Compensation Board to provide free trauma-informed mental health services to victims of crime. This grant has funded TeleCARE’s psychiatric services since July 1, 2022, and continues through June 30, 2025.

Fontaine says she knows exactly what she would say if she could give her younger self words of wisdom.

“Seek help, because there is a better life on the other side,” she said.

In 2023, the Family Justice Center helped about 5,000 clients living with 4,000 children.

“If you know anyone who is experiencing abuse or violence in their home, please refer them to the Family Justice Center,” Kim said.

To learn more about interpersonal violence or the center’s TeleCARE program, visit cocofamilyjustice.org/telecare online.

Reach Charleen Earley, a freelance writer and journalism professor at Foothill and Diablo Valley colleges, at charleenbearley@gmail.com or 925-383-3072.