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Breaking Down Siloes: The Intersections of Substance Use, Domestic Violence, Maternal Health Inequities, and Community Violence
We have data that tells us a story about the intersections of substance use, domestic violence, maternal health inequities, and community violence—but are we listening? About half of pregnancies are unintended, and 1 in 6 women who have been abused experience it for the first time while pregnant. Substance use is intertwined with these issues, as substances are often involved in a physical or sexual assault, and substance use is the top cause of maternal mortality in Illinois, with suicide and homicide joining within the top five causes. People who experience or witness DV are also at significantly higher risk of using substances to cope with trauma or become victims or perpetrators of community violence. While these issues are often treated in siloes, we cannot address the root causes of violence without overcoming all these issues and supporting survivors more holistically through an equitable, trauma-informed, and destigmatizing approach.
Samantha Alonis - Presenter
Deputy Director, Bureau of Prevention Services, Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery
Samantha Alonis currently serves as Deputy Director of the Bureau of Prevention Services at the Illinois Department of Human Services – Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, where she oversees substance use prevention, tobacco compliance, and overdose response programs. Samantha also serves as the National Prevention Network Coordinator for Illinois.
Samantha has 16 years of cross-sector experience, including in social services, local government, higher education, and health care. She began her career as a social worker in a residential center for children who had experienced severe abuse and neglect, where she observed that many of our systems and policies do little to prevent adverse childhood experiences and break cycles of intergenerational trauma. This motivated her to pursue a master’s degree in leadership and public policy so she could apply a trauma-informed and racial equity lens to public policies and transform our systems to advance health equity for young people.
Margaret Clark Graham - Presenter
Prevention Education Trainer, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
Margaret Graham attended Augustana College and is committed to serving communities throughout the Chicagoland area.
During the last 10 years with the YWCA, Margaret has served as a medical and criminal justice advocate supporting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, and victims of crimes including their significant others, at hospitals, police stations, courthouses, and churches. She is also a facilitator of 40-hour sexual assault trainings, volunteer recruiter/trainer, and collaborates with SANE nurses, hospitals, DV agencies, law enforcement, schools, and churches identifying the role of the advocate and services available throughout Chicago and South Suburbs.
Prior to joining the YWCA, Margaret worked with prison ministries in Illinois and outreach ministries in underserved communities.
She recently began working with Prevention Education Services at YWCA to train school staff on Gender-Based Violence in our communities. She is the mother of three adult children and four amazing grandchildren..
Tamela Milan-Alexander - Presenter
Community Engagement Director, EverThrive Illinois
Tamela Milan-Alexander is the Strategic Partnership Liaison with EverThrive Illinois. She completed her Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration and is pursuing a Doctorate in Community Psychology at National Louis University.
Mrs. Milan-Alexander came into the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) field because of her history of opioid use disorder that led to a high-risk pregnancy. After working with her pediatrician, she too could attain needed services for her family, which led to the reunification of all her children. Tamela has over 20 years of experience in the MCH community working as a peer educator, community health worker, and high-risk case manager. She was among the first parents nominated for the National Healthy Start Association (NHSA) Board of Directors. Tamela has appreciated the opportunities to represent the Chicago Foundation for Women’s Willies Warriors Fellowship, Momma’s Voices, ILPQC OB Advisory, NICHQ Advisory to Healthy Start, and IMMT Task Force.
