Name
Capella University
NURS-FPX4055 Optimizing Population Health through Community Practice
Prof. Name
Date
Hello. I am ——-, and today, I want to elaborate on how and why a health promotion strategy to curb domestic violence (DV) among African American women in New York City, especially living in such areas as Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, can be planned and assessed (NYC, 2024). The targeted population of this initiative is women with high rates of DV who should be exposed to enhanced safety and well-being due to culturally-tailored education, awareness creation, and trauma-informed care, as well as greater accessibility to local support services. Features such as interactive learning, peer discussion, safety planning, and coping strategies are already incorporated into the program and are evaluated through pre- and post-session surveys that assess knowledge, confidence, and readiness to seek help.
This Health Promotion Plan aims to deal with the consequences of domestic violence (DV) on African American women in New York City, and its prevention, support, and awareness. An educational session was provided to a small group of women, including Tasha, to assess the success of the intervention in achieving the objectives of Healthy People 2030. The outcomes of the sessions will be analyzed, the effectiveness of the progress made regarding the SMART goals will be measured, and the final recommendations will be drawn to support future work in the area of DV prevention and recovery support of this vulnerable group.
The target population of this health promotion program is a small group of African American women residing in Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Tasha. Their stories are representative of the multidimensional difficulties that many women in these communities experience, including emotional and physical abuse, financial dependency, insecure housing, and lack of access to supportive services. Their cultural stigma, the fear of not being believed, and the absence of trauma-informed and culturally relevant resources expose these women to the risks of continued harm. The main objective is to increase awareness of domestic violence and gain confidence to seek help, and provide participants with effective safety and coping strategies. The initiative facilitates healing, informed decision-making, and links women to long-term community-based resources for recovery and protection through a group-based educational session that includes guided discussions, safety planning, and emotional support.
The following are the Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals established in collaboration with Tasha and similar community members:
Goal 1
By the end of the one-hour session, Tasha and at least 90% of participants will accurately identify four signs of DV, such as physical harm, emotional abuse, controlling behavior, and safety risks (S). The session will use videos, simple talks, group discussions, and quizzes to support learning (A). Knowledge will be tested right after the session with a short quiz (M). This ensures participants understand and remember key signs of abuse (T). Raising awareness is vital to help women recognize danger and seek help (R).
Goal 2
By the end of the session, 60% of participants, including Tasha, will express a willingness to share their experiences or concerns about DV with trusted people like friends, family, or counselors (S). Role-playing and communication guides will encourage this goal (A). Printed and digital materials will be provided to support these conversations after the session. Willingness to open up will be measured through the post-session survey (M). Sharing builds support networks that are essential for safety and healing (R).
Goal 3
By the end of the session, participants will learn at least two safety planning and coping strategies, such as creating an emergency plan or practicing stress relief exercises (S). These techniques will be taught through guided practice and discussions (A). Confidence in using these strategies will be measured with the post-session survey (M). Teaching coping and safety skills helps women like Tasha protect themselves and improve their mental health (R).
In the course of the educational session, African American women, among whom Tasha attended, participated in activities aimed at raising their awareness of domestic violence and its effects on health and well-being. With the help of guided discussions, real-life scenarios, and visuals, the participants were taught to recognize four main indicators of abuse: physical harm, emotional manipulation, controlling behavior, and safety threats. A quiz in the form of a post-session was conducted to evaluate the retention of knowledge, and most participants correctly identified the warning signs of DV. These activities directly contributed to Goal 1, as they helped increase awareness and dispel misconceptions about what constitutes abuse.
To promote help-seeking behavior and emotional expression (Goal 2), participants were involved in a sharing circle, where they were encouraged to express any concerns or experiences in a non-judgmental and safe space. Positive communication skills and role-plays were used to help the participants realize that there were people they could trust and share their problems with, who could be friends, family members, or even counselors. Information printed materials and referral cards to local support services were issued, and post-session surveys revealed the readiness to seek help and discuss DV.
To enable safety planning and coping (Goal 3), women learned to create their safety plans and stress-relief techniques, including grounding and deep breathing. Real-world safety tools were presented (such as emergency contact cards and escape planning checklists), and then the facilitators carried out a confidence scale activity. The majority of participants were more ready to cope with unsafe situations and were more armed with coping skills. Such activities contributed to the development of resilience and self-efficacy and improved recovery and safety.
Following the session, participants demonstrated significant progress toward the intended outcomes, with two of the three SMART goals fully met and one partially achieved. For Goal 1, 91% of participants successfully identified at least four signs of domestic violence, including physical abuse, emotional manipulation, controlling behavior, and safety threats. This surpassed the target of 90%, highlighting the effectiveness of the guided discussions, real-life scenarios, and visual learning tools used during the session.
Goal 2, which aimed for 60% of participants to express a willingness to share their experiences or concerns with trusted individuals, was partially achieved. While 54% of the women indicated they would consider speaking with someone—such as a friend, family member, or counselor—some remained hesitant due to fear of judgment, stigma, or lack of trust in the system. This outcome suggests the need for continued emotional support, follow-up sessions, and stronger trust-building efforts.
Goal 3 was successfully met, as all participants demonstrated the application of two safety and coping strategies: emergency planning and stress management techniques. Practice activities, handouts, and facilitator-led discussions contributed to their readiness to respond to unsafe situations and manage emotional distress. These results represent a positive step toward empowering women with the tools they need for safety and recovery.
The incomplete success of Goal 2 highlights the necessity to change the strategy to help the participants feel more comfortable and confident when sharing their experiences or concerns regarding domestic violence. One of the obstacles was the emotional reluctance, stemming from fear of judgment, cultural stigma, and a lack of trust in the support systems. Two strategies are suggested to enhance the efficiency of this goal in subsequent sessions:
First, consider incorporating trauma-informed storytelling circles led by trained peer advocates or counselors. Such safe zones have the potential to promote open discussion, normalize individual experiences, and make participants feel less alone, ultimately developing both trust and emotional preparedness to speak out (Wood et al., 2021). Second, a follow-up plan should be introduced, which will consist of regular consultations in the form of phone calls or supportive SMS, as well as reminders of confidential counseling services and community support resources (Mpungu et al., 2025). Such continued contact would help maintain emotional support and encourage participants to be willing to seek help even after the session.
Healthy People 2030 focuses on the need to encourage safety, violence prevention, and support service access by people who have experienced domestic and gender-based violence. The establishment of a lower rate of women who have been victims of violence by an intimate partner is one of the most important goals (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.a). Another objective in this regard is to increase the number of adults receiving the necessary mental health care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.-b). These national objectives align with the goals of the health promotion session targeting African American women in NYC. The workshop aims to create awareness of domestic violence, enabling participants to ask for support and linking them with available, culturally competent mental health and support services that facilitate safety, healing, and long-term recovery.
The analysis of this health promotion program indicates that it has made great strides in achieving the Healthy People 2030 objectives of reducing domestic violence and access to mental health services among African American women in New York City. The first objective, the awareness of domestic violence warning signs, was met successfully since more than 90 percent of the participants correctly identified at least four major indicators of abuse after the session. This is in line with national goals to lessen intimate partner violence using education and early identification (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.-a).
The second aim, to encourage participants to demonstrate readiness to seek assistance from trusted individuals, was partially fulfilled. Although over 50 percent of the participants were willing to share their experiences, the unresolved fear of stigma, judgment, and mistrust in healthcare systems posed a significant challenge to their willingness to participate. This implies that more trust-building and culturally appropriate interaction approaches are still required.
The third objective, to increase confidence in coping and safety planning, was achieved. The participants were willing to use emergency planning and stress-reduction exercises techniques, which align with Healthy People 2030’s goal of expanding access to mental health care and trauma-informed services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020b). In general, the initiative can support the national health priorities by focusing on safety, emotional resilience, and access to culturally relevant resources.
The fact that the second goal of encouraging help-seeking was partially achieved indicates a gap in emotional preparedness and the feeling of safety that also needs to be addressed to align with the Healthy People 2030 vision of providing more survivors of violence with access to support services. To reinforce this result in subsequent sessions, it is proposed to employ the following two tactics: (1) introduce guided storytelling or testimonial sessions led by peer advocates, which are likely to normalize the seeking of help and reduce isolation rates (Peterson, 2022). (2) Develop a formal follow-up strategy that includes confidential check-ins via text or phone, as well as referrals to trusted counselors or support groups (Hurtado et al., 2023). Such improvements aim to construct trust, destigmatize, and ensure long-term participation in supportive services.
To sum up, this health promotion program was effective in promoting awareness, coping, and recovery among the African American women victims of domestic violence in NYC. Although two SMART goals were fully achieved, current difficulties in help-seeking behavior indicate that additional support and confidence are needed. The session aligns with Healthy People 2030 goals, as it promotes safety and resilience through culturally responsive education. Sustained follow-up and peer-led involvement should be used in the future to reinforce long-term results.
Hurtado, D., Greenspan, S. A., Valenzuela, S., McGinnis, W., Everson, T., & Lenhart, A. (2023). Promise and perils of leader-employee check-ins in reducing emotional exhaustion in primary care clinics: Quasi-Experimental and qualitative evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 98(6), 856–867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2022.12.012
Mpungu, E. N., Kwesiga, J. M., Bwanika, J. M., Musinguzi, D., Nakanyike, C., Iya, J., Akimana, B., Hawkins, C., Cavazos, P., Nachega, J. B., Mills, E., Kitaka, S. B., & Seggane, M. (2025). Developing and testing tele-support psychotherapy through mobile phones for youth (15–30 years) with depression in Uganda. IntechOpen EBooks. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1008155
NYC. (2024). New York City Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee: 2024 ANNUAL REPORT. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/ocdv/downloads/pdf/2024-Annual-FRC-Report.pdf
Peterson, L. (2022). From isolation to integration and advocacy: Healing and empowerment through storytelling. In Routledge International Handbook of Therapeutic Stories and Storytelling (pp. 191-203). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003118893-25/isolation-integration-advocacy-lani-peterson
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-a). Increase the proportion of adults with serious mental illness who get treatment — MHMD-04 – Healthy People 2030 | odphp.health.gov. Health.gov. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/mental-health-and-mental-disorders/increase-proportion-adults-serious-mental-illness-who-get-treatment-mhmd-04
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Reduce intimate partner violence — IVP-D04 – healthy people 2030 | odphp.health.gov. Health.gov. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/violence-prevention/reduce-intimate-partner-violence-ivp-d04
Wood, L., Hairston, D., Schrag, R. V., Clark, E., Parra-Cardona, R., & Temple, J. R. (2021). Creating a digital trauma-informed space: Chat and text advocacy for survivors of violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(19-20), 088626052110435. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211043573
