Hari Sethuraman
Research Mentor(s): Beth Reed
Mentor Department: Women’s Studies LSA
Authors: Hari Sethuraman, Lauren Whitmer, Beth Glover Reed
Session: Session 1 (9:00am – 9:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 86
Abstract
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) use frequently co-occur, creating a need for integrated services. However, there are complex challenges for service providers who seek to address both issues simultaneously as they operate out of very different histories and paradigms. One of the biggest barriers to providing hybrid services is a lack of hybrid funding. Programs compete for limited funds in both fields, and many funding sources actually constrain opportunities for hybrid programming. To better understand these challenges, this study examines how IPV and AOD funding structures function, where incompatibilities exist, and how programs can create bridging mechanisms to support integrated services. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, including literature review, policy analysis, and qualitative case study and cross-case-study analysis of 36 programs that are attempting to address both IPV and AOD simultaneously. I use visualization strategies to present key disconnects and tensions in the two fields’ funding structures. Through case study and comparative case-study analysis, I highlight examples of innovative funding strategies these programs are using to navigate field tensions and bridge programming to hybridly address IPV and AOD.. These findings will contribute to a practice-focused toolkit designed to help other organizations plan and strategize to further their own hybrid service goals. Findings reveal critical barriers within the funding landscape of AOD and IPV programs. These include disconnects resulting from differing funding priorities and regulatory frameworks between the AOD and IPV fields, which are further complicated by the differences between survivor- and perpetrator-focused activities. To navigate these challenges, some organizations employ bridging activities, such as leveraging house grants to support broader service integration, cross-training staff to serve both IPV and AOD clients, and securing multiple grants across different funding streams. This research highlights the urgent need for bridging structures to fund hybrid IPV and AOD services. By mapping current funding mechanisms, identifying structural barriers, and offering practice-based solutions, this research aims to equip practitioners with strategies to navigate funding challenges and foster sustainable hybrid programs.
