During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 19-25, 2026, organizations across Missouri came together to recognize the strength of survivors and the professionals who support them. Among them, the UMKC Institute for Human Development (IHD) continues to advance a growing effort to address a critical — but often overlooked — issue: brain injury among survivors of intimate partner violence.
Over the past year, IHD has strengthened its partnership with the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV) to help domestic violence shelters, victim advocates and service providers better recognize and respond to brain injury. Together, the organizations are working to increase awareness, expand screening efforts and improve access to appropriate supports for survivors across Missouri.
As part of this work, IHD’s Beth Dauber and MOCADSV’s Ashley Whaley recently co-presented “Developing Brain Injury-Informed Practices within Victim Services” at the Missouri Victim Services Academy, providing advocates and providers with practical tools to identify potential brain injury and adapt services to better meet survivors’ needs.
“Through our partnership with the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, we’re helping advocates recognize the signs of brain injury and respond in ways that are more informed, compassionate and effective,” said Dauber.
An Overlooked Connection
The connection between intimate partner violence and brain injury is increasingly recognized as a significant public health concern.
Survivors of domestic and sexual violence are at high risk for repeated blows to the head and oxygen deprivation caused by strangulation, both of which can result in traumatic brain injury. Yet these injuries often go unrecognized, undocumented and untreated.
Survivors may experience symptoms such as:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Chronic headaches
- Emotional dysregulation
- Fatigue
Because these symptoms can overlap with trauma-related responses, brain injury is frequently overlooked, creating barriers to effective support and recovery.
Why Identification Matters
Failure to recognize brain injury can affect every aspect of a survivor’s life.
When brain injury goes unidentified, it can:
- Complicate safety planning
- Affect legal advocacy outcomes
- Disrupt access to services
- Undermine long-term independence
Integrating brain injury awareness into victim services is not simply a clinical improvement — it’s an accessibility issue that helps ensure survivors receive support that reflects their full experience.
Turning Knowledge into Practice
A key focus of IHD’s collaboration with MOCADSV is helping providers move from awareness to action.
In partnership with the Brain Injury Association of Missouri and the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA), IHD is helping expand the use of the Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS), a confidential web-based tool that helps advocates and healthcare providers identify individuals who may have experienced brain injury in the context of domestic or sexual violence.
National data underscore the need for this approach: more than 80% of individuals screened using OBISSS in domestic violence settings have screened positive for a potential brain injury.
Missouri is currently piloting OBISSS with nonprofit agencies across the state, providing training, implementation support and access to the screening tool. Building on this work, IHD and MOCADSV are also developing a collaborative grant proposal focused on evaluating brain injury screening implementation within victim service settings.
The partnership reflects MOCADSV’s recognition of brain injury as a significant gap within victim services and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for survivors.
Contributing to a National Conversation
As awareness of the intersection between intimate partner violence and brain injury grows nationwide, IHD is helping shape the conversation beyond Missouri.
Dauber co-facilitates a national Special Interest Group focused on intimate partner violence and brain injury, bringing together representatives from 25 states to share resources, emerging practices and strategies for systems change.
Earlier this year, Dauber was also invited to participate in a Congressional Brain Injury Task Force briefing on Capitol Hill. The briefing, “The Hidden Intersection: Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury,” highlighted the unique challenges faced by survivors and emphasized the importance of continued federal support for brain injury services and research.
The panel featured survivors and national experts working to increase awareness of an issue that has historically remained hidden within both victim services and healthcare systems.
A Systems Approach
IHD’s work in brain injury builds on its broader mission to improve systems that support people with disabilities and complex support needs.
Whether disability is present at birth or acquired later in life, individuals often rely on interconnected networks of healthcare, social services and community-based supports. This systems-level perspective positions IHD to help bridge gaps between fields that have not traditionally worked together—including victim advocacy and brain injury services.
“Brain injury is often an invisible barrier for survivors navigating systems that weren’t designed to recognize it,” said Dauber. “By integrating brain injury awareness into victim services, we’re helping ensure individuals receive support that reflects their full experience—and building more responsive systems in the process.”
Looking Ahead
Through partnerships with victim advocates, brain injury organizations and national leaders, IHD is helping build a more responsive and connected system of support for survivors.
Together, these efforts are increasing awareness, expanding access to screening and strengthening services that recognize both the immediate and long-term impacts of violence—including brain injury.
Learn more about UMKC-IHD’s Brain Injury Program
This project is funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, grant #90TBSG006104, through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, in partnership with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development and the Brain Injury Association of Missouri. The ideas and opinions shared are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the funding agencies or partners.
