{"id":3479,"date":"2011-11-01T15:56:24","date_gmt":"2011-11-01T19:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/?p=3479"},"modified":"2011-11-01T15:59:06","modified_gmt":"2011-11-01T19:59:06","slug":"new-domestic-violence-response-team-at-cooper-is-distinguished-in-new-jersey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/2011\/11\/new-domestic-violence-response-team-at-cooper-is-distinguished-in-new-jersey\/","title":{"rendered":"New Domestic Violence Response Team at Cooper is Distinguished in New Jersey"},"content":{"rendered":"

The newly formed Domestic Violence\u00a0Response Team at Cooper University Hospital is the only one of its kind in the\u00a0state. The all-volunteer team, which was\u00a0created in conjunction with the Camden\u00a0County Women\u2019s Center, makes Cooper the\u00a0only hospital in New Jersey with a dedicated Domestic Violence Response Team.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn fact, the state will be looking at us\u00a0as a pilot program for other hospitals,\u201d said\u00a0NICU Social Worker Mary J. Evers, LCSW.<\/p>\n

Based on the vision of the Social\u00a0Work Department and Dianne Charsha, RN, MSN, NNP-BC, Senior Vice\u00a0President for Patient Care Services,\u00a0Chief Nursing Officer and Acting Chief\u00a0Operating Officer, the volunteer program\u00a0at Cooper was created to help domestic\u00a0violence victims who are admitted to the\u00a0emergency department after hours, when\u00a0social workers are unavailable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, these victims often were\u00a0discharged without being seen by a social\u00a0worker and, as a result, left without being\u00a0offered the valuable resources that could\u00a0help them,\u201d Evers said.<\/p>\n

Called volunteer advocates, Cooper\u2019s\u00a0response-team members underwent\u00a010 weeks of domestic-abuse awareness\u00a0training conducted and sponsored by\u00a0the Camden County Women\u2019s Center.\u00a0Acting as representatives of the Camden\u00a0County Women\u2019s Center, the advocates\u00a0will talk with and listen to victims, and\u00a0provide them with resources for support\u00a0and assistance, such as emergency shelter,\u00a0personal counseling, and state and county\u00a0programs for independent housing. The\u00a0advocates will respond on a rotating,on-call basis, being notified when avictim arrives in the EmergencyDepartment after hours.<\/p>\n

The volunteer advocates are all Cooper\u00a0employees from across all service areas\u00a0within the hospital. \u201cEach is committedto serving and providing the victim with\u00a0compassion and empathy, and each\u00a0brings a passion and dedication to this\u00a0project,\u201d Evers said. \u201cUltimately, the goal\u00a0is to help the victims break the cycle of\u00a0violence in their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The members of Cooper\u2019s all-volunteer\u00a0Domestic Violence Response Team:<\/span><\/h3>\n

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