Partnership Against Violence in the Home: Health Partners Joins Institute for Safe Families
Submitted by Health Partners
 Domestic and random violence is a health care epidemic will take Philadelphia and its future hostage, but there is hope.
Philadelphia has always been the “home base” of Health Partners and Senior Partners, a nonprofit health plan serving more than 150,000 Medicaid and Medicare recipients. Over the past 22 years we have worked hard to improve the health and well-being of the historically underserved communities in the Philadelphia region. We are fortunate to collaborate with a large network of health care providers and community organizations, who complete the circle of medical and social resources that help empower our members and indirectly, whole communities.
Unfortunately, the staggering proportions of growing domestic and random violence have put those in the communities in an often fatal crossfire. Even some of our employees have lost family members and friends.
Philadelphia has been the epicenter of other epidemics, like the flu and yellow fever outbreaks of the early 1900’s. And just like any other “wave” that is taking our loved ones too soon, we can and must seek out the root causes if we are to make a difference.
Health Partners has joined with the Institute for Safe Families (ISF) in the belief that violence begins in the home. Using the words of Dorothy Law Nolte’s poem, “Children Learn What They Live,” ISF inspires a different approach with a powerful graphic campaign.
It is colorful, simple, and profound.
“If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with security, they learn to have faith.”
We are supporting ISF in many ways, including posting this campaign in as many key areas as we can. We’ve distributed framed posters of the Children Learn message to our provider office waiting rooms, emergency departments, head starts, and community health centers. We’ve made it the center of our Health Partners ad campaign through bus shelters, postcards—any communiqué that may strike a chord within a parent or citizen that children watch what we do. Children are the victims, most likely to be hurt by the violence and most likely to repeat the only behavior they know.
Health Partners has also partnered with other community organizations, giving support to courageous groups like “Mothers in Charge” and the Dawn Staley After-School program. We’ve marched with “Men United for a Safer Philadelphia.” We’re sponsoring perfect attendance and anti-violence efforts in the schools. Our work with these and other like-minded organizations will continue until our hometown is no longer under siege.
We realize many like-minded citizens, companies and organizations are also working on a myriad of initiatives to collectively to turn the tide in Philadelphia alone. Are you one of them? If not, we’d welcome input and partnerships with Philadelphia’s business community on this lifesaving mission.
As singer Joan Baez once said, “Action is the antidote to despair.” Our children are depending on us.
About Health Partners: Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit health plan serving the Philadelphia area’s Medical Assistance population, Health Partners is acknowledged as a national model for Medicaid managed care. A unique collaboration of seven health systems, Health Partners expanded its scope in 1996 with the introduction of its Medicare plan, Senior Partners. Currently, Health Partners serves more than 155,000 Medicaid and Medicare members in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Please visit us at www.healthpart.com.
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