A Whole of Community Response – Walking Alongside the DFSV Sector: The Role of PHNs in Responding to Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence
Tracks
Room 1: In-Person and Online
| Wednesday, November 26, 2025 |
| 8:30 AM - 8:50 AM |
Overview
Shannon Richardson, HNECC PHN
Details
• Local Link/Navigator Program, enhances the capacity of health care professionals to recognise and respond to DFSV using a whole of practice approach. It also places trained linkers within the primary care system to build trusted relationships and create warm referral pathways between general practice and local DSFV services.
• Supporting Outreach Healthcare Pilot, delivers trauma-informed care directly within refuge accommodation by embedding GPs, nurses, and speech pathologists to provide early intervention and wraparound medical, emotional, and behavioural support for women and children.
• Supporting Recovery Pilot, delivered in partnership with local mental health and DFSV service providers, offers tailored care coordination and psychological support for victim-survivors beyond the immediate crisis—addressing a critical, often underfunded phase of long-term healing.
Speaker
Mrs Shannon Richardson
Manager - Safe And Healthy Families
Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network
A Whole of Community Response – Walking Alongside the DFSV Sector: The Role of PHNs in Responding to Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence
Presentation Overview
Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence (DFSV) is a profound public health issue that causes significant harm across the lifespan, particularly for women and children. The National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022–2032 calls for a whole of community response to end violence in one generation. The Primary Health Care sector has a crucial role to play in this response, walking alongside the DFSV sector to support prevention, recovery, and system reform.
Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are independent, not-for-profit organisations that strengthen primary healthcare by commissioning social services and supporting general practice. Rather than delivering services directly, PHNs commission providers across areas like mental health, aged care, AOD, First Nations health and more recently DFSV.
PHNs are therefore uniquely positioned to contribute to all four pillars of the National Plan by implementing primary care initiatives that respond to the needs of individuals recovering from violence while providing community-based responses. This presentation will showcase how PHNs are creating new pathways of care.
As system integrators, PHNs play a key role in ensuring that the health system walks alongside the DFSV sector, enabling continuity, compassion, and care.
Delegates will walk away from this presentation with the following key learnings:
• Primary Health Networks (PHNs) can play a pivotal role in addressing domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV) through integrated healthcare responses that support both immediate and long-term recovery.
• Trauma-informed, collaborative care models can strengthen the capacity of primary care to support victim-survivors effectively.
• Cross-sector collaboration between community services, DFSV organisations, and healthcare providers is essential in working towards the prevention and elimination of violence.
Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are independent, not-for-profit organisations that strengthen primary healthcare by commissioning social services and supporting general practice. Rather than delivering services directly, PHNs commission providers across areas like mental health, aged care, AOD, First Nations health and more recently DFSV.
PHNs are therefore uniquely positioned to contribute to all four pillars of the National Plan by implementing primary care initiatives that respond to the needs of individuals recovering from violence while providing community-based responses. This presentation will showcase how PHNs are creating new pathways of care.
As system integrators, PHNs play a key role in ensuring that the health system walks alongside the DFSV sector, enabling continuity, compassion, and care.
Delegates will walk away from this presentation with the following key learnings:
• Primary Health Networks (PHNs) can play a pivotal role in addressing domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV) through integrated healthcare responses that support both immediate and long-term recovery.
• Trauma-informed, collaborative care models can strengthen the capacity of primary care to support victim-survivors effectively.
• Cross-sector collaboration between community services, DFSV organisations, and healthcare providers is essential in working towards the prevention and elimination of violence.
Biography
