Hospital Accompaniment
Please use your best judgement when determining if folks should provide accompaniment services to individuals. If folks have colds, history respiratory illnesses, compromised immune systems, or other health issues, they may not be the best candidate for providing accompaniment to the hospital. It makes sense to take precautions. Below are some resources as well as fact sheets that have been provided by the CDC to Health Care Providers.
Hospital Letter examples when an advocate is not able to be present:
Access to SANE/Health Services
Connect with your SART members to ensure coordination of services. Some information to discuss includes:
- Is the hospital restricting access to “non-essential” visitors, and what does that mean for advocates responding to the hospital?
- Has the advocacy program modified their services in any way (e.g. telephone services only?)
- If an advocate is unable to provide in-person hospital response, coordinate with about how they might be available to the survivor by phone.
- If a survivor has an opportunity to speak with an advocate by phone, please ensure the survivor is able to talk with the advocate in a private location at the hospital that promotes confidentiality.
Take guidance directly from local health officials. However, if needed, please advocate on behalf of survivors that medical care following sexual violence is to be considered a medical emergency and not an elective procedure. We all must be creative and flexible so that access to patient care is not compromised or delayed.
Other Resources
International Association of Forensic Nurses COVID-19 resources
The Emergency Nurses Association – Practice resources
Mental Health Resources from Mental Health America
Online AA Meetings During COVID-19
- AA Speaker Tape Websites
- https://www.aaspeaker.com/
- https://hacoaa.org/archives/speakers/
- https://www.recoveryaudio.org/
Womens Freedom Fund – If you are in need of financial support for abortion care, please contact support@womensfreedomfund.org once you have scheduled your appointment with one of our care providers, listed below.
- Healthy Futures – Denver, CO – 303.991.7700
- Boulder Valley Women’s Health – Boulder, CO – 303.442.5160
- Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Health Centers – 1.800.230.7526