Kalico Forest, a Northeast Wisconsin-based nonprofit dedicated to community outreach, advocacy, education and support in addressing domestic violence, is excited to launch a groundbreaking, zero-cost safety initiative to allow patients to silently request help for intimate partner violence during a routine doctor visit.
The Red Signal Program allows a discreet way for any patient, whether woman, man, teen or LGBTQ+ individual, to signal for help. By marking their urine specimen cup with a red marker or sticker, nursing staff are alerted through the clinic’s existing system. The patient is then escorted privately to an exam room, where providers conduct a safety assessment and connect them with local resources like Harbor House and Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services.
This first initiative is being implemented with Kalico Forest and Family Care of the Fox Cities in Appleton, Wis., a comprehensive family medicine practice serving patients of all ages. As part of this program, the clinic received Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) screening training from Harbor House. Research shows IPV screening produces no increase in retaliation or harm to the individual who comes forward.
“This is personal for me,” explained Brian Randall, director of operations at Family Care of the Fox Cities and spokesperson for Kalico Forest. “After losing multiple family members in one event to domestic violence, I refused to let another patient leave without a safe way to ask for help. The Red Signal program turns a routine lab collection into a potential lifeline to call for help that works for everyone.”
In 2024, Wisconsin lost 110 lives to domestic and family violence — that’s one person every 3.7 days. Black women were 20 times more likely to be murdered than white women and one in five teens experienced dating violence.
The Red Signal program from Kalico Forest combines two nationally recognized models: Boston University’s “Red Dot to Disclose” and the viral red-marker method. It is fully supported by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Grade B), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Clinics across Northeast Wisconsin can partner for free with Kalico Forest to create consistent, area-wide protection.
To learn more about Kalico Forest, and its initiative to help victims of domestic violence, visit kalicoforest.org.
For more information about Family Care of the Fox Cities, visit familycarefc.com.
About Kalico Forest
Kalico Forest is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, empowering and uplifting women and children affected by domestic violence, in memory of Kali Randall, Zeke Best and Freya Best. Through initiatives including Silver Roots, Zeke’s Light and Freya’s Bloom, Kalico Forest provides trauma-informed support, creative healing and advocacy to foster resilience and hope. For more information, visit www.kalicoforest.org.
About Family Care of the Fox Cities
Family Care of the Fox Cities is a locally owned primary care practice serving patients throughout the Fox Cities region. The clinic provides comprehensive, patient-centered care for individuals and families across all stages of life, with a focus on preventive medicine, continuity of care and long-term wellness. The practice is committed to physician-led care, community connection and delivering high-quality healthcare in a welcoming environment. To learn more about Family Care of the Fox Cities, visit familycarefc.com.
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