What is this bill about?
AB 1028 would ensure that survivors of violence who are seeking healthcare get connected to domestic and sexual violence advocacy services, and limit the violent injuries that healthcare providers are required, even against patient wishes, to report to law enforcement.
How does it align with yli’s values?
yli partners with thousands of youth across the state, the majority of whom are low-income youth of color. Many of these young people have had profoundly traumatizing experiences with law enforcement, who often do nothing to improve their situations and can even escalate harm.
Because of the involvement of law enforcement, medical mandated reporting requirements have kept survivors from seeking necessary healthcare in the first place, made survivors feel like they could never return to healthcare after they learned of the requirement, or made them feel like they could not share the reason for or extent of certain injuries or health issues with their provider. Not only do these requirements create a barrier to healthcare, but medical mandated reporting to law enforcement can result in the escalation of abuse, undue child welfare involvement, survivors themselves being criminalized, exposure to immigration detention or deportation, and more. According to a study of callers to National Domestic Violence Hotline, 51% of survivors who had experienced mandatory reporting stated that it made their situations much worse, and another 32% stated that it either made things worse or did not help them at all.
Because AB 1028 will require health providers to offer a warm hand off and referral to an advocacy organization, advocates will be able to respond before violence escalates. A warm and informed connection to confidential advocacy services will allow survivors to address their many different safety needs – from crisis intervention, emergency housing to legal support – in an on-going and trauma-informed way.
This policy aligns with our Gender Justice Platform, which addresses the intersecting impacts of both gender-based violence and of law enforcement on communities of color.
What is yli doing about it?
We have just submitted a letter endorsing this bill, and we are showing our support on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Who is sponsoring this bill?
- Alliance for Boys & Men of Color
- California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
- Culturally Responsive Domestic Violence Network
- Futures Without Violence National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence
- UCI DV Law Clinic
- Los Angeles LGBT Center/LGBTQ Institute on Domestic Violence