Their house was gone—completely destroyed and reduced to ashes in a devastating fire. But the loss of their home was nothing compared to the loss of a loved one. A family member had perished in the flames.
Kristin Normadin had been working as an Advocates co-response clinician for eighteen months when she got the call that a fire had torn through a home on a cold winter morning. “The Police Department was requesting support, and the Advocates team jumped into action,” says Kristin.
Shock, Trauma, and a Horrific Loss
At the police station, “the entire family was huddled together in a private room when I arrived,” remembers Kristin. “They were wearing whatever clothing and shoes they had managed to salvage on their way out of their home. Some were still covered in soot and blood. They were in shock and had just been through a terrible trauma. Their home was gone, their belongings were gone, and their loved one was gone,” she says.
There’s no script for how to deal with this kind of scenario, notes Kristin. It is, put simply, just being there for the family. “In situations like these, there is very little to say or do. I am not there to direct or facilitate any healing in that moment. I am there to see and make room for what this family is going through,” she says.
What is the Jail Diversion Program?
Advocates’ award-winning Jail Diversion Program (JDP) is built on a simple but powerful idea: responding to crises with compassion. Embedded within local police departments, JDP co-response clinicians work alongside officers to de-escalate emergencies, act as advocates, and help people during a mental health crisis, traumatic accident, or tragedy.
As an Advocates’ Jail Diversion Program (JDP) co-response clinician, Kristin can serve as a bridge between the family and first responders. She helps facilitate communication between the police and fire departments, ensuring the family has the information they need, and answering questions when she can.
She also helps to determine when someone needs medical intervention or a crisis stabilization bed instead of forced hospitalization. “As long as you’re not in danger to yourself or others, you shouldn’t force hospitalization—maybe they just need a crisis stabilization bed,” she says.
To Bear Witness, To Hold Space
But mostly, what JDP co-response clinicians like Kristen do is to “bear witness and hold space” for the family. Sometimes that just means holding their hand. Sometimes that means getting them a drink of water. Sometimes that means sitting with them while they cry. “We’re helping these people through the worst moment in their life. We witness their grief, shock, and horror over what’s happened,” she says.
Drawing Meaning from Trauma
For Kristin, that February morning was a stark reminder of why her work matters, and why it takes a certain kind of person to do this work in the world.
“Hard days like this, as heavy as they are, are what I feel I was put on the earth to do. And I draw deep meaning from this role. In all of the turmoil of the day, I’m sure they don’t remember me. But I remember them. I admired them for the way they were coping together. Responding to crisis situations can be unpredictable, but it can also bring you great joy and peace,” says Kristin.
It’s clear that it takes a special type of person to do this kind of work. It also takes the strong support of a supervisor and the entire team. It means practicing excellent self-care, healing, and recovery. "Some of us take the day off, book an extra therapy session, or write about it in a journal. It’s so important to process it each and every time so you’re rejuvenated for the next difficult call,” she says.
