Violence Prevention in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Contact Info
Sexual Violence Prevention
Intimate partner violence is a significant public health problem in Minnesota. At least 40.9% of women and 14.5% of men in Minnesota have reported experiencing violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. The true prevalence is difficult to estimate due to barriers in access to care and reporting.
Hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers, and other health facilities can be safe havens for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence.
The 2026 CUES (Confidentiality, Universal Education + Empowerment, Support) Intervention Webinar Series will equip health workers to talk to patients about intimate partner violence. By using CUES, healthcare staff can make sure all patients receive information and resources about healthy relationships, even if they are not ready to talk about their situation.
CUES is an evidence-based intervention for addressing intimate partner violence in health settings. Patients receive information about available resources without requiring them to disclose. This universal education approach gives victim/survivors the freedom to decide if, when, and how they choose to share their stories with others.
C: Confidentiality. See patients alone for at least part of a visit and explain the limits of the clinic’s confidentiality policy before discussing relationship violence.
UE: Universal Education + Empowerment. Use safety cards to talk with all patients about healthy and unhealthy relationships and the health effects of violence. Always give at least two cards to every patient so that they can share with friends and family.
Safety cards are available in different categories, including primary care, adolescent health, child health and home visitation, and reproductive and sexual health. They are also available in several languages and can be customized to include local information.
S: Support. Disclosure is not the goal of the CUES intervention. The CUES intervention equips providers to respond to patients’ needs by offering trauma-informed support and making warm referrals to advocacy programs.
Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Time: Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Presenters: Cory Cole (Minnesota Department of Health) and Meggie Royer (Violence Free Minnesota)
Register: Session 1: Understanding Intimate Partner Violence and Health
This webinar will be recorded and made available.
ASL interpretation and captioning will be provided for this webinar.
Description: Join us to develop a deeper understanding of how intimate partner violence impacts health outcomes for survivors. Presenters will give an overview of the types of intimate partner violence, and the clinical manifestations healthcare providers may see. Get up to date on the best available data and resources on intimate partner violence in Minnesota.
Learning objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026
Time: Noon – 1 p.m.
Presenters: Dylan Daniels (Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, Inc.) and Julia Tindell (Minnesota Department of Health)
This webinar will be recorded and made available to view on the MDH website.
ASL interpretation and captioning will be provided for this webinar.
Description: Survivors of intimate partner violence say they want health providers to listen without judgment, offer information and support, and not push for disclosures. This webinar will equip health professionals to provide trauma-informed education and support to victims and survivors using the evidence-based CUES (Confidentiality, Universal Education + Empowerment, & Support) Intervention.
Learning objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Time: Noon – 1 p.m.
Presenters: Dylan Daniels (Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, Inc.) and Ash Wirth-Petrik (Violence Free Minnesota)
Register: Session 3: Integrating CUES into Health Settings and Advocacy Programs
This webinar will be recorded and made available to view on the MDH website.
ASL interpretation and captioning will be provided for this webinar.
Description: The CUES Intervention is most effective when it is integrated into a health system’s routine workflows and implemented in close collaboration with domestic violence advocacy programs. This webinar will focus on concrete strategies to increase support for and adoption of CUES within clinics and other health systems. It will also explore the importance of collaboration with advocacy programs, especially when disclosures happen.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Time: Noon – 1 p.m.
Presenters: Jenilee Telander and Wil Sampson-Bernstrom (Minnesota Department of Health, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program)
Register: Session 4: 8 Dimensions of Wellness
This webinar will be recorded and made available to view on the MDH website.
ASL interpretation and captioning will be provided for this webinar.
Description: Your overall wellness is shaped by multiple dimensions, each influencing your mental health. These eight key dimensions—emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, occupational, and social—are deeply interconnected. By understanding how they interact, we can better support ourselves and those around us.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
If you have any questions or requests related to this webinar series, please contact Julia Tindell at Julia.Tindell@state.mn.us.