Hospital-Based Violence Intervention

I want to explore this a little bit because there are going to be people that say, why should someone involved in violence get cash assistance? Right? So I want to explore with you both.

How would you answer? And I'm super clear.

For me, the issue of gun violence is not dissimilar than in August of 20, I think it was 23 already, or maybe it was 24.

We had a... flood that affected certain impacts, certain communities in Connecticut and our basement flooded.

And immediately we had the Red Cross and the Red Cross didn't just show up and say, in theory, we can help you.

They showed up with cash assistance.

I flooded and they showed up with cash assistance, right? And we make that link after those kinds of tragedies, why cash assistance matters.

But what would you say to someone who says, well, I get it when it comes to somebody who's been in a flood or in a fire.

Why gun violence?

Because you are a true victim.

We don't know what happened.

You know what I mean? You're a victim.

You didn't anticipate this happening.

You don't know what you're going to do after this.

Along with all the problems you already have existing, this is something new.

And why not?

And I think beyond that, and we deal with this as we are funded as a program by the Victims of Crime Act Fund programmatic funds that have been as a statewide organizational element, part of what hopefully is helping victims get back on their feet.

One of the difficulties of that program is it is a kind of retroactive process.

So you can apply for victim's assistance.

You can apply for reimbursement, but it's reimbursement.

Many, many, many of our clients, we tangibly call it, you know, there are patients, of course, for us in the initial phase.

We also refer to folks as clients, as many in the social work sphere will.

They have immediate needs that can't be met by those kinds of services.

So that's a big part of it.

And we legitimately hear these critiques, Nelba, of folks saying, well, come on, like that you can't just be given out, you know, can't give out cash.