Brain Injury and Domestic Violence: WINGS Researches Best Practices

WINGS Researches Best Practices in Serving Survivors with Brain Injuries

March is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) awareness month and over the past year, WINGS has embarked on one of the first of its kind collaboration to improve access to care for survivors recovering from head injuries in the Chicagoland area.

Brain injury is often an overlooked consequence of domestic violence. According to the American Brain Injury Foundation, 75% of domestic violence survivors have experienced brain injuries and many more go unreported. These brain injuries can cause acute and long-term effects. Survivors of brain injuries may experience life altering, psychological injury including PTSD, suicidal ideation, depression, memory problems, and/or amnesia.

New Toolkit

As a result of generous funding from the Michael Reese Health Trust, WINGS and domestic violence partner agencies are in the final stages of creating a toolkit featuring best practices for working with survivors of domestic violence who have experiences brain injuries.

Research has shown that 50% of strangulations had no physical signs. Without ordering a CTA scan to look for internal injuries, doctors may misdiagnose patients.

Additionally, brain injuries can affect the daily functioning of survivors and can manifest in different ways. Survivors may:

• Miss appointments
• Experience difficulty concentrating and/or managing finances
• Suffer from depression
• Experience mood swings

“The statistics we collected this year were alarming. Of all the bedside consultations that WINGS conducted during the TBI pilot, 80% of patients responded that they had experienced trauma to the head or neck. Patients disclose being strangled, thrown down stairs, shoved into walls and more,” Daniel, WINGS Manager of Hospital Services shares and continues,

“Hospitals and medical facilities are often a first point of contact for survivors of domestic violence. Our Hospital Program has been effective at holistically addressing patient needs and training hospital staff. This new toolkit provides a guide to other domestic violence agencies to replicate the program with medical facilities in their own communities.”

Training for Medical Staff

Northwest Community Hospital refers survivors. Michael Hartke, Northwest Community Hospital President with Rebecca Darr, WINGS President & CEO.

“We have learned that the more medical professionals are trained, the more likely any stigma associated with domestic violence decreases and more referrals are made because staff understand the referrals process,” Daniel shares.

Medical staff are trained on components of domestic violence, how to effectively screen for domestic violence, the process to refer patients for bedside consultations by WINGS staff, and other related topics.

WINGS provides ongoing training to medical professionals at the following locations:

• Endeavor Health – Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, IL
• Ascension Health St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, IL
• Ascension Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, IL
• Ascension Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health, Hoffman Estates, IL
• New: UI Health in Chicago

Impacting Survivors

In addition to creating the TBI Toolkit for domestic violence agencies and providing on-going training at local hospitals, a portion of the Michael Reese Health Trust funding was earmarked for survivors who had experienced brain injuries.

Daniel shares, “In the first year of this program, we served 12 of these survivors with access to comprehensive resources to help survivors with whatever challenge they may be facing: the process to receive an official diagnosis, enrolling in medical benefits, connecting a survivor with a primary care doctor, following up on medical scans.

This funding also helped meet the survivors’ holistic needs by assisting them to receive pantry items, counseling, housing, children’s services, and legal resources.”

As a result of this holistic care, 83% of the initiative’s participants followed through with their medical plans and 70% of participants obtained or maintained stable housing.

Long-Term Effects of TBIs

Cognitive Effects

• Memory Loss: Difficulty remembering new information or recalling past events.
• Attention and Concentration: Challenges in maintaining focus and attention.
• Executive Function: Impairments in problem-solving, planning, and organizational skills.

Physical Effects

• Headaches: Persistent headaches or migraines.
• Seizures: Increased risk of seizures, known as post-traumatic epilepsy.
• Fatigue: Chronic fatigue and reduced energy levels.
• Motor Skills: Difficulties with coordination and balance.

Emotional and Behavioral Effects

• Mood Swings: Frequent changes in mood, including irritability and emotional instability.
• Depression and Anxiety: Higher likelihood of experiencing depression and anxiety disorders.
• Impulse Control: Difficulty controlling impulses and engaging in risky behaviors.

Sensory Effects

• Visual Changes: Problems with vision, such as blurred vision or double vision.
• Hearing Loss: Potential hearing impairments or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Social and Relational Effects

• Social Interaction: Challenges in social interactions and maintaining relationships.
• Occupational Impact: Reduced ability to work or perform daily activities.