St. Elizabeth Regional Health’s emergency departments recently earned “Center of Hope” status.
The “Center of Hope” designation and service was created in Indianapolis in 1996 to care for the victims of sexual assault in a quiet, compassionate and non-traumatic way. It employs specialty trained sexual assault nurse examiners and provides medical treatment, forensic evidence collection and ensures access to support networks.
All sexual assault response teams are sensitive to the needs of the victim and include the following members: Sexual assault nurse examiners/physician examiners, law enforcement officers, victim advocates and crisis intervention counselors.
“As we transition to St Elizabeth East, we anticipate having a designated area within the emergency department that is specifically designed to meet the special needs of sexual assault patients,” said Wayne O’Connor, division director of Emergency Services for St. Elizabeth Regional Health.
“We are working closely with St. Francis in Indianapolis in developing this program. They are a Center of Hope and have been a wonderful resource for us,” said Tracey Campbell, R.N., Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) coordinator. “We are honored to provide a more caring and less ‘clinical’ exam to those in our community who are in need of these services.”
St. Francis Hospital is also a part of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services system.
“The Center of Hope’s response to sexual assault victims encompasses the various elements critical to the victims’ recovery process. That first interaction between a sexual assault victim and a provider may have long-lasting implications or may help to produce positive outcomes,” said Danielle Gaylord, director of the YWCA of Greater Lafayette’s Domestic Violence Program.
“The compassionate, less-sterile atmosphere combined with specially trained staff of various expertise areas and the link between first responders, follow-up care and wrap-around services are all pieces that must be put into place to properly assist a sexual assault victim. Because sexual assault is an unfortunate reality, it’s wonderful to know the medical community is truly taking care of the victims,” said Gaylord.
“Every person who reports being the victim of a sexual assault deserves to have his or her report thoroughly and professionally investigated including the collection of potential forensic evidence during a physical examination,” said Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Patrick K. Harrington.
“The evidence collected during the sexual assault examination can be critical to the law enforcement investigation. This evidence can be a critical factor in the successful prosecution of sexual assault crimes,” said Harrington. “We are pleased that St. Elizabeth Regional Health has recognized the special needs of sexual assault victims and look forward to working closely with their staff.”
In addition, Pat Jones, forensic lab director from the Purdue University Entomology Department, has volunteered his time in assisting in the development of our protocols and evidence collection process.
As part of the Center of Hope and providing compassionate services, St. Elizabeth Regional Health is looking for donations of the following:
- Hotel sized shampoo, soaps, lotions etc, that are unused and still packaged;
- New or gently used lavender or white bathrobes (to be provided to patients instead of hospital gowns);
- New trial-sized toothpastes; and
- New soft bristle toothbrushes.
Donations may be dropped off at the main information desks at either the Home Hospital or St. Elizabeth Medical Center emergency departments. For more information on donations, please call Tracey Campbell, R.N., Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) coordinator at (765) 446-5885. Donations can also be dropped off at the YWCA of Greater Lafayette, 605 N. 6th St. in Lafayette.
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