Hat to receive funding for DART worker

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on November 17, 2021.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Medicine Hat is now included in a program to help determine if people in hospital are suffering from domestic abuse.

Local women’s shelter director Natasha Carvalho announced the news Monday during a presentation to city council on her group’s Family domestic violence awareness month activities.

Alberta Health Services stated earlier in the day it would provide funding and operational support for a DART worker in Medicine Hat. The Domestic Abuse Response Team effort has emergency room personnel discuss a series of questions with patients, then if needed, links them with a women’s shelter worker on-call 24 hours.

They follow up and provide resources as required.

“It’s very similar to the Safe Families Response Team that is in place,” said Carvalho, referring to partnership with the Medicine Hat Police Service regarding suspected domestic violence calls.

“We’re very excited about this new partnership with AHS.”

The system is in currently place in 26 Alberta communities and is paid for with a $2.6 million grant from the province. It began in Red Deer in 2017.

“Through the Domestic Abuse Response Team, we are able to help people and connect them to services immediately,” said Dr. Nicholas Mitchell, the provincial director of addiction and mental health in the AHS release.

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