Bismarck, ND  –  The CHI North Dakota Violence Prevention Program is an intimate partner violence prevention effort. The program is committed to creating and promoting a culture of non-violence as an essential element of healthy communities and has made great strides since inception.

Over the past year, the program has educated 199 multidisciplinary professionals at statewide summits and train the trainer events.  In addition, the program has provided 48 community outreach workshops reaching over 745 professionals statewide, resulting in increased awareness of intimate partner violence and the incorporation of prevention activities into existing practices.  One professional said, “This workshop had great recommendations for what steps to take when suspecting intimate partner violence and how to handle the situation in a caring way.”  The program also provided 140 healthy relationship workshops, teaching 311 hours of content to more than 1,800 North Dakotans. These workshops promoted healthy relationships through personal growth and skill development.  One workshop participant stated, “It really helped me understand emotions and how to communicate.”  

Program stakeholders are ecstatic with achievements attained over the past year; Veronica Zietz, program director said, “Our success is due, in large part, to the dynamic team of individuals implementing this program to benefit those at-risk of intimate partner violence.”  The program plans to continue operations with the support of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) Mission & Ministry Fund, which recently awarded a three-year grant in the amount of $600,100 to the program.

The CHI ND Violence Prevention Program seeks to create communities free from intimate partner violence by building community and organizational capacity and by promoting healthy relationships. The program serves Bismarck, Carrington, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Lisbon, Oakes, Valley City, and Williston. Learn more at www.chistalexiushealth.org/about-us/nd-violence-prevention-program .