Launched this week at NYC Health + Hospitals Kings County, Kings CARES will provide extensive care to survivors of domestic and gender-based assault.
Photo courtesy of NYC Health + Hospitals Kings County
Survivors of domestic and gender-based violence in Brooklyn now have expanded access to long-term, trauma-informed care through a growing program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County.
Hospital leaders, healthcare providers, community organizers and elected officials gathered Wednesday to celebrate the inaugural ceremony for Kings CARES, a survivor-centered initiative that launched earlier this year to provide coordinated follow-up care beyond a patient’s initial medical treatment.
The program was created to help survivors access medical care, counseling, specialty referrals and community resources in a singular coordinated system. During its first six months, the Kings CARES clinic has cared for nearly 50 patients.
In addition to medical services, the program offers on-site social services to help survivors with safety planning, advocacy and connections to community resources through Family Justice Centers in all five boroughs. Kings CARES also assists eligible patients with insurance enrollment and navigating health coverage to reduce barriers to care.
Hospital officials said the program is designed to provide comprehensive support throughout a survivor’s recovery rather than ending services after emergency treatment.
The ceremony recognized the partners that helped establish Kings CARES, bringing together representatives from healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, the Mayor’s Office, law enforcement and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. They also highlighted the leadership of Drs. Privanka Datta, Keesandra Agenor and Elias Youssef in developing the initiative.
“Kings CARES was established to address a critical gap in services for survivors of violence by providing specialized medical and forensic follow-up care in an outpatient setting,” Dr. Datta, MD, medical director of Kings CARES and director of the clinical forensic medicine fellowship at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “By integrating medical care, forensic documentation, and connection to supportive services, Kings CARES improves access to comprehensive, trauma-informed care and reduces the burden on survivors to navigate multiple systems on their own.
Sheldon McLeod, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, said the program reflects the hospital’s commitment to extending care beyond its facilities.
“Kings CARES demonstrates our commitment to providing coordinated, patient-centered care that extends beyond the hospital walls,” McLeod said. “Together with our community partners, we are expanding access to the services survivors need to heal and thrive.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said the partnership helps ensure survivors receive the comprehensive support needed for long-term recovery.
“Survivors of intimate partner violence require holistic support that extends beyond traditional medical care to also includes follow ups, safety planning, community resources and more,” Gonzalez said. “Kings CARES’ survivor-centered and trauma-informed approach is exactly the model that allows for full recovery and long-term well bring for victims, which is also the focus of my office’s Gender Based Violence Division. We are proud to partner with this program and look forward to continue collaborating on this essential work.”
For more information on the Kings CARES program, click here.