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A major
reason for the TIP Program is to prevent what mental health
professionals call the “Second Injury.” The Second
Injury is a victim’s perspective that the emergency system
did not provide the support needed after a tragic event.
Emergency personnel simply do not have the time to provide
this support. They call TIP Volunteers who can prevent a
second injury. In parts of the country which do not
have a TIP Program, second injuries reported by victims are
common.
Three Examples of Second Injuries
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An elderly gentleman, whose wife was
hit and killed in a crosswalk, was not informed why she
was left in the street for hours. To this day, the
husband is still angry at “the system.”
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After a young man killed himself, his
family was left to clean the bloody scene on their own.
To this day, they wonder “why didn’t anyone help us with
this awful task?”
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After a mother of four died in an
emergency department, her family felt pressed by busy
hospital staff into choosing a mortuary. To this
day, the family regrets the hurried decision they made.
These are just a sample of the terrible
things that can happen to victims in the aftermath of a
tragic event. One of TIP’s main goals is to help prevent
these second injuries from happening. TIP volunteers are
trained to step in to work with staff and responders. For
example, victims are given information as to how to contact
crime scene cleanup companies and other community services.
TIP volunteers also help protect victims against
well-meaning friends who mistakenly say the wrong
things.
Read,
"Not A Compassionate Nation...Yet"
To learn more About TIP, click image to watch a
video presentation.
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