Face To Face Program for Victims of Domestic Violence

Barbara Nesbitt, Executive Editor of MediSpecialty.com with Philip Miller, MD, otohns.net Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Advisory Board Member

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Barbara Nesbitt: "Hi, I'm Barbara Nesbitt, and I'm here in Washington, D.C. at the Academy Conference with Dr. Miller who is in private practice in New York and also Assistant Professor."

Dr. Phillip Miller: "That's right, at the New York University School of Medicine."

Barbara Nesbitt: "In talking to him a few minutes ago, one of the things that I also found out was he is among a group of physicians that are involved in the Face to Face program, that's the program for women that have been severely damaged."

Dr. Phillip Miller: "From domestic violence."

Barbara Nesbitt: "Tell me about it, how you got involved, and what do you do?"

Dr. Phillip Miller: "The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has an affiliation with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence whereby individuals who are victims of domestic violence, once they've proceeded through a full program regiment of the rehabilitation, are eligible for receiving pro-bono facial plastic surgery work for some of the physical scars that they have acquired while in the abusive relationship."

Barbara Nesbitt: "You said pro-bono, everybody knows pro-bono means that these physicians are doing it for free."

Dr. Phillip Miller: "That's right."

Barbara Nesbitt: "And something that I found really good was we're talking about the leading, top notch - yourself obviously included - facial plastic surgeons that are doing this."

Dr. Phillip Miller: "That's absolutely right. Patients have to have been screened by a social worker and demonstrated a variety of criteria, for example, making sure that they are out of the abusive relationship for
quite some time, and when a woman has finally been able to remove herself from that abusive relationship and she's back on her feet and actively seeking care because, unfortunately, one of the reasons why women remain in the abusive relationship is that they financially cannot survive without the abuser so once they're secure financially..."

Barbara Nesbitt: "So somebody tells them they'll get some training, they're going to get a job, they'll get an apartment, and they get a new identity. If a woman watches this on OBGYN.net or otohns.net and they know of somebody maybe in their family, in their neighborhood, or even perhaps themselves, where is the first place that they should contact to get involved in having this help?"

Dr. Phillip Miller: "They should call the 800 number, and the 800 number is 842-4546. They'll then be contacted by either the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence or a representatives of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery."

Barbara Nesbitt: "Thank you very, very much. "

Dr. Phillip Miller: "My pleasure, thank you."

Barbara Nesbitt: "My pleasure."