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2014-051 • Sexual Assault Advisory Committee Memorandum of Understanding The Sexual Assault Advisory Committee is made up of local agencies responsible for responding to victims of sexual assault This working agreement is recognized as a cooperative, collaborative commitment among the agencies to directly support a multi-disciplinary, coordinated response to adult victims of sexual assault; commitment is acknowledged by the signature of each agency's representative. The Sexual Assault Crisis Center agrees to: • Designate a liaison to participate actively on the Sexual Assault Advisory Committee; • Dispatch,upon request of the victim or someone calling on behalf of the victim,a trained sexual assault advocate to the hospital or law enforcement agency location within a reasonable period of time(1 hour); • Provide trained sexual assault advocates to meet with victims, family members and friends at the hospital; • Provide crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, criminal justice information and support,and court preparation and orientation for sexual assault victims, as appropnate; • Coordinate the above victim assistance services for victims, family members and friends with the local Victim/Witness Program,as appropriate; • Refer sexual assault victims to the hospital,as appropriate; • Follow established protocols set by the hospital for advocates m the examining room when requested by the victim; • Support the development and annual review of the community's guidelines; and • Participate, as appropriate, in cross training with allied professionals regarding response to sexual assault. • The local Law Enforcement Agencies agree to: • Designate a liaison to participate actively on the Sexual Assault Advisory Committee, • Refer all acute adult sexual assault victims to the hospital and/or SANE program/cnsis center for medical treatment and/or a forensic exam. • Inform sexual assault victims that they are not required to make a report or to talk to a law enforcement officer in order to have a forensic exam. • Transport or arrange for transport of sexual assault victims to the hospital and, once the forensic exam is complete,transport or arrange for transport of victims to a safe location; • Follow established protocol to notify the hospital and/or SANE program/crisis center that a sexual assault victim is being transported; • Request the assistance of a Sexual Assault Crisis Center advocate, unless refused by the victim; • Perform a suspect evidence collection kit or provide kit to SANE program to perform, as appropriate; • Receive medical/forensic evidence that has been collected from victims and/or perpetrators, • Follow Department established protocol regarding evidence collection and storage; • Maintain and revise, as appropriate, written agreements with the hospital and/ or SANE program/crisis center to delineate services to be provided; • Coordinate interview processes and/or conduct joint interviews with the hospital and/or crisis center, as local protocol and victim dictates appropriate; Allow the sexual assault advocate, unless refused by the victim, to be present during interviews and/or other communications with officers/investigators; • Promote policies and practice that increase arrest and prosecution rates for criminal sexual assault,including non-stranger sexual assault, • Support the development and annual review of the community's guidelines; and • Participate, as appropriate, in cross training with allied professionals regardmg response to sexual assault The State Attorney's Office agrees to: • Designate a liaison to participate actively on the Sexual Assault Advisory Committee, • Refer sexual assault victims, family members and friends to the Sexual Assault Crisis Center for crisis intervention,advocacy, and counselmg services,as appropriate; • Refer sexual assault victims,family members and friends to the Victim/Witness Program for information about victims' rights,assistance with filing for victims compensation,and support navigating the criminal justice,as appropriate; • Allow the sexual assault advocate, unless refused by the victim, to be present during interviews; • Promote policies and practice to increase arrest and prosecution rates for criminal sexual assault,including non-stranger sexual assault; • Use Forensic Nurse Examiners (FNEs) or Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) as witnesses during sexual assault trials,as appropriate; • Provide reasonable notification of upcoming trials to the health care provider and/or SANE/FNE who will be called to testify; • Contact the health care provider and/or SANE/FNE prior to testimony to review the case, and • Participate, as appropriate, in cross training with allied professionals regarding response to sexual assault The SANE/SART agrees to: • Designate a liaison to participate actively on the Sexual Assault Advisory Committee; • Promote a reasonable response time from the time the call is received to the time the trained health care provider and/or SANE amves at the hospital; • Conduct medical/forensic examinations for adult sexual assault patients in accordance with all agreed-upon protocols and procedures; • Assure that the Sexual Assault Crisis Center has been notified that a victim is being transported or has arrived; • Encourage/support use of Sexual Assault Crisis Center advocates for sexual assault patients as appropnate and regardless of the patient's decision regarding contact with law enforcement; assure that the patient has given her permission before introducing the patient to a sexual assault crisis center advocate; • Maintain chain of custody of forensic evidence and transfer to a law enforcement agency or officer; • Work in collaboration with the local law enforcement agency(s) to ensure adequate supply of forensic examinations kits, • Be available to criminal justice professionals to review the case, • Maintain contact and communication with criminal justice professionals, • Support the development and annual review of the community's guidelines;and • Participate, as appropriate, in cross training with allied professionals regarding response to sexual assault. The Hospitals agree to: • Designate a team member to participate actively on the Sexual Assault Advisory Committee; • Provide trained health care providers and/or SANE to conduct medical/forensic examinations for adult sexual assault victims in accordance with all agreed-upon protocols and procedures; • Encourage and support nursing staff to obtain the education and clinical experience necessary to receive a certificate of completion of the SANE for adult examinations, • Provide time and private space for sexual assault crisis center advocates to establish relationships with the victims, the victims' family/caregivers and friends when appropriate and if the victims and family/caregivers agree; • Provide private examination rooms and supplies, including forensic exam kits necessary for the completion of the medical/forensic examinations; • Allow for SANE to educate hospital staff on procedures for caring for adult sexual assault patients; • Ensure that billing procedures for forensic exams are compliant with the policies and procedures developed by the State Attorney's Victim Assistance Fund and • Participate, as appropriate, in cross training with allied professionals regarding response to sexual assault. The Victim/Witness Advocacy Program agrees to: • Provide resource and referral to counseling and area resources, such as the Sexual Assault Crisis Center; • Provide crisis intervention, criminal justice information and support, courtroom assistance,and court preparation and orientation,as appropnate; • Coordinate the above services for victims, family members and friends with the local Sexual Assault Crisis Center,as appropriate; • Provide assistance m obtaining injunctions for protection; • Facilitate the provision of separate waiting areas for victims and witnesses of crime, • Provide assistance in the processing and filing of crime victims' compensation, m obtaining return of the victim's property when used as evidence; in obtaining restitution for economic loss, and in facilitating reimbursement for mileage and lodging for out of town witnesses,as appropriate; • Upon request of the victim, provide notifications of friends, relatives, and employers of the occurrence of the crime; intervention with employers to prevent loss of pay or other benefits resulting from the crime or participation in the criminal justice system,notices of court dates;and status of release of defendants or prisoners from custody; • Assist victims in filing a victim impact statement, which affords the survivor the opportunity to tell the court,in writing,the impact of the crime, • Ensure that victims have reasonable notification of upcoming hearing and/or trial dates; • Ensure the victim meets with a State Attorney's Victim/Witness Advocate, as appropriate,prior to hearings and/or trial; • Support the development and annual review of the community's guidelmes; and • Participate, as appropriate, in cross training with allied professionals regarding response to sexual assault. it • Mount Dora Police Department Date • Umatilla Police Department Date • Leesburg Police Department Date , r,-, / 4149 • Clermont Police Dep ent Date • Lady Lake Police Department Date Li - ore ,ub This agreement is effective on(July 2014-June 2015) and shall remain m effect until any party terminates their commitment in writing The agreement will be reviewed annually. Any modifications to the agreement must be mutually agreed upon by all parties, documented in writmg,and acknowledged by a signature of each agency's representative • Executive Director, Sexual Assault Crisis Center Date • Lake County State's Attorney's Office Date • SANE Program Coordinator,Central Florida SAFE-T Date • Emergency Department Manager,Waterman Hospital Date • Mascotte Police Department Date • Eustis Police Department Date • Lake Co I • _ riffs Office Police Department Date a 0 r. 10/�!►��j���.IP o f l i l b-O"I • • i to' ounty She I s Office Air - Date • Citrus County Sheriff's Office Date —41° 6//j/Y • Lad' Lake 'olice - .artment Date /