Team Members
- Diane Kinney, MS
- Emily F. Rothman, ScD
- Rebecca Stone, PhD, MPH
Research Project Description
Like other U.S. states, Vermont is now facing an opioid epidemic. For many Vermonters, intimate partner violence (IPV) is intertwined with poverty and substance abuse disorders. In 2016, there were 106 opioid-related fatalities in Vermont, a 41% increase from 2015. IPV is a correlate of opioid use disorder (OUD); at least 2.4% of IPV victims have OUDs whereas the rate is 0.1% for the general population. From a national perspective, Vermont has been on the cutting edge of responding to the opioid epidemic in many ways.
However, the state Opioid Coordination Council's plan presently does not contain language or objectives related to IPV. One of Vermont's strengths as a state is its cohesive and centralized state network of domestic violence shelters and advocacy programs (called the Vermont Network to End Domestic Violence)-and those programs could play an important role in addressing the opioid epidemic. The proposed research study will bring together Vermont IPV service experts with policy experts to develop and test an innovative community-based strategy to address poverty, OUD, and IPV.
Specifically, our team will perform a needs and policy assessment, and design, implement, and evaluate an intervention program for IPV survivors in Washington County, Vermont who are also struggling with poverty and OUD. Our goal is for the findings to be used by the Vermont Network, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and federal and state policymakers to promote a new approach to IPV and OUD.
Team Members
Diane Kinney, MS
Diane Kinney has a master’s in counseling psychology with a concentration in trauma studies. Currently the Co-Director of Circle, a Vermont domestic violence agency, she has worked in the field of Intimate Partner Violence for more than 30 years. As a clinician, she has worked in addiction and mental health fields.
Emily F. Rothman, ScD
Emily Rothman is a Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health with secondary appointments at the Boston University School of Medicine in Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Rothman’s primary areas of research expertise are sexual and intimate partner violence prevention.
Rebecca Stone, PhD, MPH
Rebecca Stone is an Assistant Professor in the Sociology Department at Suffolk University, Boston. Dr. Stone’s primary areas of research expertise are women’s victimization and criminal offending, public health approaches to crime prevention and reduction, and qualitative research methods.”
Issue Brief: Vermont
Rural Vermont Residents Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence and Opioid Use Face Multiple Barriers to Recovery and Safety
