In the past, hospital staff had pamphlets and cards — designed to be discreet — they could give to individuals they believed were in a domestic violence situation, but no method to determine if they were in immediate danger, according to Yingling.
“Now they know we’re asking,” she said. “Now they know we care.”
Brenda Harkavy, assistant state’s attorney and member of the county’s Special Victims Unit, said she hopes the assessments lead to more people being connected to services and fewer domestic violence cases.