Collaborative Partnerships

This section reviews—

• Address confidentiality–PA.
• Best practice guidelines–UT.
• Campus SART–NJ.
• Centers of Hope–IN.
• Community and military collaboration–NV.
• Community protocol template–OH.
• Emergency fund–OR.
• Family safety center–OK.
• Media awareness–OH.
• Military-based SART–CA.
• Military-based SART–NV.
• Protocol development–Canada.
• Public library outreach–IL.
• SART–CA.
• SART–NJ.
• SART development–FL.
• SART development–KY.
• Sexual assault task force–OH.

Address Confidentiality Program—Pennsylvania

Overview
An outgrowth of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Address Confidentiality Act, the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) provides eligible victims with a legal substitute mailing address to prevent perpetrators from using public records to locate victims.

The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the Victim Advocate, is twofold. First, it provides the substitute address for victims who have moved to a new location and want to keep it unknown to their perpetrator. Second, it provides participants with a free, first-class, confidential mail-forwarding service.

Goals
To provide an alternate, confidential mailing address for sexual assault victims to lessen the chance that offenders can use public records to find them.

Making the Idea a Reality
Victims of sexual assault, stalking, and domestic violence are particularly vulnerable to continued violence and harassment. Many times crime victims attempt to escape from actual or threatened violence by establishing new addresses, only to have the perpetrator of the violence locate them. For some victims, their only option for safety may be pulling up stakes and relocating to another town, another county, or even another state.

In 2004, Governor Rendell signed the Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Address Confidentiality Act (House Bill 1262), which led to ACP's establishment. The program is an important step toward safety and freedom for some victims who are forced to flee their home because of violence. Those who enroll in the program are provided with a legal substitute mailing address they can use whenever their residential, work, or school address is required. All first-class, certified, and registered mail is sent to a post office box in Harrisburg and ACP will forward it free of charge to the participant's actual address. By law, ACP cannot disclose a participant's actual address except in very specific and limited circumstances.

Program participants can also use the ACP substitute address whenever their residential, work, or school address is required by state and local government agencies for records such as drivers' licenses, library cards, traffic tickets, vehicle and voter registrations, employment security, school records, workers' compensation, and court petitions. This enables state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing the location of an ACP participant. Private businesses are also encouraged to accept the ACP substitute address when doing business with participants.

Benefits to Victims
Combined with other safety strategies, ACP can help a victim start a new life. Enrollment in the program is effective for 3 years. Victims must reapply if they want to remain in the program after that time period.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Victim service professionals use ACP as another tool that may be added to a victim's overall safety plan.

Lessons Learned
The Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA) has worked with Pennsylvania state agencies to ensure that they will accept substitute addresses so that domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims may enjoy their rights without jeopardizing their confidentiality. The Departments of Education, Transportation, State, and Public Welfare have worked with the office to ensure that substitute addresses are accepted for school enrollment, drivers' licenses and vehicle registration, voter registration, and other programs. Private companies such as banks or department stores are not legally required to accept the substitute address when a participant opens an account or asks for credit—although some do.

By of the end of December 2006, 95 Pennsylvanians had enrolled in the program.

Contact Information
Address Confidentiality Program
800–563–6399
877–349–1064 (TTY)

Best Practice Guidelines for SART—Utah

Overview
The Best Practice Guidelines were developed by an ad hoc committee of the Utah Council on Victims of Crime in an attempt to enhance the system's response to victims of sexual violence. The committee researched what had been done in other states, including legislative initiatives, and developed a tool for SART guidelines for each community.

Utah's Best Practice Guidelines include recommendations for developing a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), training team members individually and as a team, and revising response and callout protocols. The guidelines were printed and distributed during an Annual Crime Victims Conference in 2001.

Goals
The guidelines were developed to help communities create or enhance a SART to best serve their specific jurisdiction.

Making the Idea a Reality
In 2001, Salt Lake County formed a planning committee for SART's Best Practice Guidelines. The committee included members from a rape recovery center, Salt Lake Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, Salt Lake County Law Enforcement, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, the Office of Crime Victim Reparations, and the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. The guidelines were distributed during the Annual Crime Victims Conference in 2001. They include recommendations for developing SARTs, specialized training for team members, ideal forensic medical exam sites, activation guidelines for SARTs, suggested law enforcement protocol, and creation of a sexual assault response team task force to monitor and evaluate responses to sexual violence.

Benefits to Victims
Best Practice Guidelines for SARTs in Utah provide victims with more consistent and victim-centered responses through coordinated efforts among medical, legal, and advocacy organizations. Victims benefit from practices that have been explored and proved successful in Utah and other states.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
The guidelines provide practical tools for expanding a SART. The document also enables service providers to proactively address systems' issues and share resources and multidisciplinary expertise locally and regionally.

Contact Information
Utah Council on Victims of Crime—Subcommittee
350 East 500 South, Suite 200
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
801–238–2360

Campus Sexual Assault Response Team—New Jersey

Overview
The Montclair State University (MSU) Sexual Assault Response Team is an on-campus comprehensive service for the campus community. Modeled after the New Jersey State Standards for Survivors of Sexual Assault, initial response members consist of MSU Health Center forensic nurses, university police, and community rape care advocates. Additional support is provided by the university's Departments of Residence Life and Counseling Services and the Dean of Students. These response services are enhanced by ongoing educational/outreach programs and specialized, ongoing training for team members and "first contacts" for victims.

Goals
The overall goals of this initiative are to—

• Reduce the incidence of sexual assault through educational and outreach efforts.
• Increase the reporting of incidents of sexual assault by improving access to services.
• Provide comprehensive, victim-centered care directly on campus.
• Increase offender accountability by enforcing criminal, civil, and campus judicial board actions.

Making the Idea a Reality
MSU SART was created in 2001 in response to inadequate response services on campus and in the local community. At the time, statewide SART services had not been initiated within the local county area, and the university's response consisted of crisis intervention by campus counseling services and advocacy referral. A joint initiative was begun between the MSU Health Center Director and the Chief of University Police to develop a victim-centered comprehensive system for response with a focus on the following:

• Providing forensic examiner training to health center nurses and nurse practitioners.
• Offering specialized training in sexual assault response for all university police officers.
• Collaborating with two county rape crisis centers to establish response protocols for campus victims.
• Developing a formal protocol to facilitate a coordinated, 24/7 victim service.
• Providing victim-centered services, including the option of anonymous reporting.

As with any new initiative, funds available to support MSU SART were minimal. The Health Center obtained a U.S. Department of Justice grant from the Office on Violence Against Women to purchase forensic equipment, provide specialized training for response team members, and create new educational outreach programs.

Lessons Learned

• Campus victims reported sexual assaults in a very nontraditional manner. They entered the system "through the backdoor" by telling a peer leader or requesting a screening for sexually transmitted infections or emergency contraception. To increase access to services, those individuals viewed as a victim's "first contact" (e.g., student leaders, Student Affairs staff) received sexual assault training. MSU SART visibility was increased by marketing efforts throughout the campus community. Currently, most students who report do so with assistance from a trained first contact.
• Many students declined outside advocacy services and failed to receive support as a survivor. A simultaneous response by campus counseling services was integrated into the response process. Victims have been most responsive to this ongoing support mechanism.
• A coordinated response among all campus departments that may assist victims was necessary to provide a "best practice" response and to evaluate and improve services. The Director of the Health Center and the Chief of University Police serve as coadministrators and oversee all incidents using a case management approach to meet victim needs.

The overall response service including victim options is depicted in the diagram below:

Contact Information
Montclair State University Sexual Assault Response Team
Donna M. Barry, Director, University Health Center
Montclair, NJ 07043
973–655–7470

Greater Metropolitan Indianapolis Centers of Hope Team Meetings—Indiana

Overview
The Greater Metropolitan Indianapolis Centers of Hope consists of prosecution, law enforcement, advocate groups, and hospitals with SANE programs. The group has held team meetings every other month since January 1997.

Goals
The goals of the team meetings are to collaborate to help individuals and organizations to meet the emotional, legal, and medical needs of victims.

Making the Idea a Reality
The multidisciplinary meeting allows participants to discuss scheduling and activation issues, funding issues, interagency programmatic concerns, and professional development opportunities. Most important, the meetings provide a consistent way to address cross-agency responses in a nonpunitive, nonjudgmental manner. Team members volunteer to take the meeting's minutes and to send out reminders for upcoming meetings.

Benefits to Victims
Team meetings improve multidisciplinary responses by promoting interagency communication and systems review. The results have translated into better testimony by forensic medical examiners and a more comfortable environment for victims.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
SART has enabled hospital staff, law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocates to share their expertise as well as SART-related costs for administration and services. Professional contacts have flourished.

Lessons Learned
The SART members agree that a commitment to persevere through the challenging times has enormous dividends to both service providers and victims.

Contact Information
Caroline Fisher RN, CEN, SANE–A
Coordinator, Centers of Hope
St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers
8111 South Emerson Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46237
317–865–5440
317–865–5108 (fax)

Community and Military Collaboration—Nevada

Overview
Nellis Air Force Base's Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) works closely with Southern Nevada's community- and government-based organizations to enhance responses to sexual violence.

Goals
Military members are often overlooked as part of the local community and need to be welcomed as strong, dependable volunteers. The goal of the collaboration between Nellis Air Force Base and civilian organizations is to influence and shape the direction of community programming to meet the needs of military members and to give voice to Nellis as a SART stakeholder with 60,000 potential beneficiaries. The collaboration is designed to—

• Provide resources. The current rape crisis center provides valuable resources for the Nellis' Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and military victims.
• Promote training. Nellis' advocates network and interact with other community volunteers and form cross-training partnerships between military and civilian responses.
• Facilitate information sharing. Information sharing results in practitioners knowing about resources that can be shared for planning and coordinating activities. The process enables Nellis Air Force Base and civilian organizations to be proactive versus reactive regarding intervention and prevention initiatives for sexual violence.
• Enhance the quality of service delivery. Nellis Air Force Base relies on civilian support groups, case management, and referrals for Nellis' victims. Nellis also provides core volunteers for Southern Nevada's rape crisis center.

Making the Idea a Reality
The SARC set up a meeting with key stakeholders (e.g., the district attorney's office, hospital or mental health provider, police department, rape crisis center). The key stakeholders shared information about their organizations and discussed common goals and values. The meeting was the first step in developing a coordinated service delivery to meet military victims' needs within the community and on the Air Force base.

Benefits to Victims
When civilian and military service providers work together, they can offer a customized response to victims based on their specific needs. For example, the rape crisis center started a support group for friends and families of victims as the direct result of a military referral to the center. In another case, the center referred a military victim to the SARC because her needs were primarily for military-based services. In addition, because Nellis Air Force Base provides a core of volunteers at the rape crisis center, military victims who may be wary of obtaining services off base may more readily accept civilian services when recommended by an Air Force volunteer.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Nellis Air Force volunteers complete both the rape crisis center volunteer advocate training and the Air Force curriculum for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office victim advocates. This provides comprehensive professional development opportunities for advocates that translate into better services for victims. Additionally—

• Both the center and the Nellis Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program benefit directly from the free exchange of ideas and cooperative activities.
• Center staff train military volunteers and help with events on base, and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program has access to the center's roster of professional speakers to assist with the Air Force Base's training and public awareness initiatives.
• The collaboration has enabled Nellis' victim advocates and the SARC to work more effectively with metropolitan police, the district attorney, the health department, and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programs off base and, in turn, these entities are more comfortable with Nellis.

Evaluation Efforts
Feedback from staff at the rape crisis center confirms that Nellis victim advocates are of high quality and that their participation has improved services for victims throughout the Las Vegas community.

Lessons Learned

• The combined efforts of civilian and military victim advocates provide noticeable cost savings in resources. For example, the Nellis Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office publishes materials for both the base's SARC and the rape crisis center. However, some resources and public awareness initiatives must be published or undertaken independently by both the civilian and military organizations.
• The SARC must always be aware of the legal liability that she and the organization assume when they join forces with a community organization. The SARC must take responsibility for educating military victim advocates on their roles, goals, and loyalties when serving both programs.
• Both victim advocates and the SARC must pace their involvement in community activities because of the potential for burnout.

Contact Information
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis AFB, Nevada

Template Model for Community Protocols—Ohio

Overview
The Ohio Department of Health developed a Template Model for Community Protocols for use by communities in creating their own protocol.

Goals
The template was designed to help communities write their own protocols, ensuring that they include all the necessary elements while allowing communities to customize their protocols to reflect their local needs and priorities.

Making the Idea a Reality
An interdisciplinary planning group worked together for more than a year to develop the template model.

Benefits to Victims
The template offers ways to increase coordination among service providers and maintain consistent responses statewide.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
The template model increases coordination among service providers by providing communities with tools to develop and expand collaborative partnerships.

Lessons Learned
There are some areas—identified roadblocks or barriers—in which no clear consensus could be reached among group members. The planning group acknowledged these areas, explained the varying options, and relied on each community to determine their own position in these areas.

Contact Information
Ohio Department of Health
246 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Fund—Oregon

Overview
The Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Fund (SAVE) was established through legislative action to encourage appropriate medical care for victims of sexual assault. The fund provides a stable, confidential means of payment for sexual assault medical exams and gives victims the option of whether they want forensic evidence collected.

The fund includes a capped payment for optional collection of forensic evidence and costs associated with the use of an emergency room, a medical practitioner's time to conduct the exam, a urine pregnancy test, emergency contraception, and sexually transmitted disease prophylaxis. It does not cover the cost of any treatment for injuries.

Making the Idea a Reality
This fund is not supported by general tax dollars or any legislative appropriation. Since its operation began on March 1, 2004, it has been supported by donations from hospitals and grants from a victim services fund at the Oregon Department of Justice. It will bring in matching dollars from the federal Victims of Crime Act grant.

Key to establishing a program like this is having hospitals participate at the policy level. To acquaint stakeholders with the program, the Oregon Department of Justice held regional trainings for hospital staff from all hospitals in the state. Sexual assault service providers were also invited.

Benefits to Victims
Victims are provided with quality medical exams and access to emergency contraception, prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections, and collection of forensic evidence (optional) at no cost—and with confidentiality ensured. The fund can be billed even if the patient has insurance, providing another level of confidentiality. There are no eligibility criteria other than arriving at the hospital, disclosing sexual assault, and requesting an exam. Victims must fill out minimal paperwork and bills are paid promptly, eliminating any payment headaches that can add stress to a victim's situation.

Concurrent with establishing the SAVE Fund has been an ongoing effort to train and use sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) to conduct exams. This reduces cost and provides each victim with a specially trained examiner who has time to devote to more holistic assistance. The number of practicing SANEs is growing and many hospitals are now more supportive of SANE services.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
This fund helps law enforcement, which previously had an unfunded mandate for the payment of forensic evidence collection, and assures hospitals that they will receive payment in a timely manner for all the sexual assault victims they see.

Evaluation Efforts
Since it began operation on March 1, 2004, 841 victims of sexual assault have used the fund.

Lessons Learned

• Get buy-in from hospitals early, as many will need to modify their billing procedures. Be prepared to talk business and demonstrate how hospitals can benefit, even though victim advocates are looking at this from a benefit to the victim standpoint.
• This type of program is much easier to implement if it is part of a Crime Victim Compensation Program because the benefits of each sometimes overlap.
• If programs of this type depend on donations, they will need to hire an experienced person who can devote time to marketing and soliciting those donations.
• Surprisingly, 87 percent of victims requested forensic evidence collection along with their medical examination.

Contact Information
Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Fund
Oregon Department of Justice
1162 Court Street NE.
Salem, OR 97301–4096
cvsd.email@doj.state.or.us

Ann Patterson Dooley Family Safety Center—Oklahoma

Overview
The Ann Patterson Dooley Family Safety Center provides a single location where victims and survivors of intimate partner violence and their families can quickly and confidentially get information and obtain services. Disciplines represented among the center's onsite partners include advocacy, civil legal, retired senior volunteer program, prosecution, law enforcement (police and sheriff), and faith-based organizations.

Goals
To provide one location that effectively combines civil, criminal, health, and social services for victims of intimate partner violence. The single location offers confidential services based on individual needs or circumstances.

Making the Idea a Reality
In October 2003, nonprofit leaders and public officials in the Tulsa community learned of a new model, the San Diego Justice Center, for providing services to victims and survivors of intimate partner violence. On July 21, 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice, through the President's Family Justice Center Initiative, awarded more than $20 million to 15 communities across the United States to help them prevent and respond to violence against women. The City of Tulsa, through the Mayor's office, was one of these communities.

Most clients at the Ann Patterson Dooley Family Safety Center seek emergency protective orders and help with filling out paperwork and filing petitions with the court. The center offers a remote docket using a camera so judges can view and speak to victims in real time. If judges grant the order, then the center's advocates help victims file it with the court clerk and obtain their own copies. The process duplicates the courthouse process, without the client going to the courthouse.

Often, victims must bring their children with them while seeking services. The Family Safety Center provides a playroom for the children while their parents are completing paperwork and receiving services. Additionally, an onsite forensic nurse is available to check for injuries and take photographs with the victim's permission. The nurse provides medical information and informs victims of other potential health issues they need to address. Another significant service is funded by a local philanthropist—a chaplain is onsite for victims who have spiritual needs.

The center began seeing clients in late February 2005. By May 31, it had served more than 600 clients and filed almost 500 emergency protective orders.

Benefits to Victims

• Assistance with emergency protective orders.
• Assistance with law enforcement reports.
• Chaplain services.
• Children's play area.
• Civil legal assistance and advice.
• Consultation with district attorney staff.
• Counseling referral for adults.
• Forensic medical services.
• Interpretation services.
• Referral for children.
• Referral for immigration services.
• Referral to a safe, confidential emergency shelter.
• Safety and prevention education.

Benefits to Criminal Justice

• Reduces the number of intimate partner violence cases that go unreported in Tulsa County.
• Helps to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted.
• Reduces perpetrator recidivism.
• Offers resources that encourage victims to return for the full hearing.

Lessons Learned
Intimate partner violence is a public safety issue and needs to be supported in part with tax dollars. This crime knows no boundaries; victims and perpetrators may come from any age group, education level, culture, class, or socioeconomic status. The center plans to become a public trust authority, which will require city and county approval.

Contact Information
Ann Patterson Dooley Family Safety Center
3010 South Harvard, Suite 200
Tulsa, OK 74114–6124
918–742–7480
info@fsctulsa.org

Raising Awareness Through the Media—Ohio

Overview

• Used the media to raise awareness among the general public and professionals about the Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Response Team.
• Reached out to a radio program that is popular with law enforcement and other professionals, as well as the general public.
• Had approximately 30 minutes to introduce listeners to three members of the Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Response Team (an advocate, a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE), and a sergeant from emergency medical services), to explain the purpose and practices of the Cuyahoga County SART, to disseminate local and national sexual assault statistics, and to answer hosts' and listeners' questions.

Goals

• To raise the awareness of law enforcement and other professionals about the importance of SART, show where SANE programs in Cuyahoga County are located, answer questions, and provide strategies for best practices.
• To raise general public awareness of sexual assault by—

• Disseminating national and local statistics.
• Debunking rape myths.
• Providing information about why sexual assault is the most underreported crime in the country.
• Explaining the SART model.
• Highlighting the importance of SANE programs and showing where the programs are located.
• Providing information on programs and services available to victims through the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and other such organizations.

Making the Idea a Reality

• The team contacted a radio station that featured the show Call the Cops to raise public awareness about the Cuyahoga County SART. This was a perfect venue because the show has both a professional and public audience.
• SART members were interviewed on the show to explain the SART model and why it is so important for individuals and communities.
• Cuyahoga County's SART then contacted media personnel from other radio and television stations to expand outreach.
• Cuyahoga County's SART also invited media personnel to participate in SART events and some SART meetings (when appropriate).

Benefits to Victims and Victim Service Professionals

• Victims become knowledgeable about SART initiatives, where SANE programs are located, and what services and programs are available.
• Rape myths are addressed and dispelled.
• Professionals listening to the broadcast who work with victims (e.g., law enforcement, prosecutors, medical staff) will become more knowledgeable about the SART, available programs and services, and best practices.

Evaluation Efforts

• Feedback received from the radio audience was overwhelmingly positive.

Lessons Learned

• SART members have a lot more work to do to establish lasting relationships with the media. While Call the Cops and other radio and television appearances are a start, the team needs to do much more outreach and networking with the media.
• The team also needs to do a better job of promoting appearances on shows such as Call the Cops to encourage more members of the general listening public to call in and ask questions.

Contact Information
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Lindsay Fello-Sharpe, MSSA, LSW
Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Response Team Manager
1370 Ontario Street, Suite 420
Cleveland, OH 44113
216–619–6194, ext. 117

Cleveland Emergency Medical Services
Sergeant Chris Chumita
1701 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
216–664–2020, ext. 250

San Diego SART Military Program—California

Overview
The military has a large presence in San Diego, California. Due to differences in the civilian and military response to sexual violence, a specific military program was developed under San Diego's civilian Sexual Assault Response Team protocols.

Making the Idea a Reality
The military needed to train medical personnel to ensure that medical forensic examination skills were available on foreign bases and naval vessels. Initially, emergency departments and obstetric/gynecological residents were trained to conduct evidentiary exams for adult sexual assault victims. After 2 years, the military decided that this did not meet the needs of victims or law enforcement because of the competing time constraints of the medical residents. Therefore, specially trained Navy examiners were assigned to conduct evidentiary examinations at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego and provide forensic education to the medical residents.

Sexual assaults committed on military bases fall under the jurisdiction of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS), and authorized examinations are conducted at the Naval Medical Center. Sexual assaults of military personnel or dependents in San Diego proper (non-military bases) are authorized by the law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the assault occurred. These examinations may be conducted at San Diego SART facilities or the Naval Medical Center. Patient support is provided by advocates from the Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program or by community-based advocate programs.

A strong collaborative relationship between military personnel and the representatives from the San Diego sexual assault community has helped ensure a coordinated program. The following brief summary of the program is adapted from the SART Systems Review Committee Report:

• A sexual assault program was established at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego in 1994.
• The Navy expanded the program to include colposcopic exams for on-base and military dependent children.
• San Diego forensic examiners provided education for the Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program.
• San Diego advocates worked with SAVI to establish a procedure for military advocates to provide victim assistance when exams are done at adult SART facilities. This process is important to help familiarize victims with the military's sexual assault procedures.
• The San Diego SART model was presented to the Navy Surgeon General for use in the establishment of the Navy's multidisciplinary sexual assault program.
• Military forensic examiners observe and train at San Diego SART facilities to increase experience.
• The adult sexual assault naval program was temporarily discontinued in July 2000, and NCIS authorized the use of other SART facilities.

Benefits to Victims
Victims have a coordinated system of care regardless of whether they first seek services at civilian or military facilities.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Military medical personnel are trained to provide forensic medical exams before they are deployed.

Lessons Learned
Because of routine staff transitions at the base, it became difficult to maintain a designated exam site at the naval base. Most of the sexual assaults happen off base and are under the jurisdiction of local law enforcement rather than military police. The military base, the community-based advocacy agency, and local hospitals collaborated to provide forensic medical exams at the two civilian hospitals with established SARTs. Followup is still with SAVI and advocates.

Even though forensic medical exams are no longer performed on base, the nursing director at Camp Pendleton schedules SART trainings for nurses so they will be educated to respond when they are deployed.

Contact Information
San Diego Police Department
Sex Crimes Unit
1401 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101–5729
619–531–2210

Military SART—Nevada

Overview
Nellis Air Force Base has established a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) that includes commander participation from offices of the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA), Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Security Forces, Chaplain, and Mental Health.

Goals
The goal of the Nellis Air Force Base SART is to develop linkages on base that will enable service providers to deliver full support for sexual assault victims.

Making the Idea a Reality
Nellis Air Force Base's Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) met with all command chiefs. The command chiefs invited the SARC to monthly dorm council meetings to review problems and successes in the dorms regarding deterrence of sexual assault. The command chiefs also invited the SARC to the First Sergeants Council, a monthly forum at which victim response, training issues, or unit-related problems are discussed and resolved. In addition, the SARC was invited to—

• Airmen Committed to Excellence (ACE) meetings to garner support for the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office's educational programs and to solicit high-caliber volunteers.
• Professional Development Center meetings to educate newcomers, such as students in the First Term Airman Course (FTAC).

Through these networking and communication opportunities, the SARC has apprised commanders of the latest program information and alerted them to locations that are or may become high-risk areas. The SARC relies on the Staff Judge Advocate office for assistance with any questions or concerns.

Benefits to Victims
Victims benefit from having leaders who know how to prevent or respond to sexual assault. For example, after a newcomer to the FTAC was educated by a representative of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, she confided to her instructors that she thought a former boyfriend from her previous base was stalking her. The Command career counselor contacted the SARC, who brought the stalking incident to the wing's attention. Security forces were put on alert to keep the offender from entering Nellis and the victim received continued support.

The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Committee members address issues through various means to help victims. For example, the committee has developed "How to Report" fliers that are placed inside of every dorm room on base. The Command Chief of one of the installation's wings paid for permanent plastic placard holders for nearly 1,000 rooms from his wing's budget. The installation's host wing Command Chief donated funds to cover the flier's copying costs. The Command Chief of another wing agreed to distribute the fliers and host training at top-secret, geographically separated units that were not accessible to the SARC. Finally, Nellis trained three self-defense instructors and holds monthly self-defense trainings for women.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Team members stress the importance of referring victims to a competent SARC, who, in turn, will refer victims to other service providers such as mental health staff, chaplains, or AFOSI agents.

Evaluation Efforts
Various committee members have stated that the SARC has effectively responded to victims and that the SARC's leadership has ensured that Nellis Air Force Base offers useful resources.

Lessons Learned
The SARC stresses the need to show appreciation to advocates, committee members, and community members who collaborate with the SART.

Contact Information
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis AFB, Nevada

Protocol Development and Training CD–ROM—Canada

Overview
In 1999, the Halton, Canada, Sexual and Domestic Violence Collaborative (formerly known as the Sexual and Wife Assault Project) agreed that the community needed to develop a comprehensive response protocol to address sexual and domestic assault. The intent of the protocol is to provide all victims of sexual assault and domestic violence with a consistent, knowledgeable, and compassionate response from any agency in Halton.

Goals
The Halton Sexual and Domestic Violence Collaborative will provide agencies with training to educate multidisciplinary staff on the "best practices" approach to implementing the response protocol. As a result, service providers will—

• Understand clearly the role of each agency and service in responding to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
• Be better able to meet the diverse needs of the victims by providing a responsive, sensitive approach based on best practices.
• Have an increased appreciation for the services that are offered outside their own sector and a better understanding of  the big picture in the Halton region.
• Have a clear understanding of the beliefs and principles of the protocol, as well as options available to survivors.

Making the Idea a Reality
The collaborative held community forums through which it developed the protocols and, in spring 2002, officially launched the Halton Community Response Protocols for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. The launch included an official signing ceremony and cross-disciplinary training for frontline service providers on how to use the protocols.

Following the launch, a multidisciplinary training CD-ROM was created as a cost-effective way to educate service providers about the roles each organization has in responding to victims. The CD–ROM's purpose is to enhance communication, strengthen working relationships, and alleviate historical barriers.

The CD–ROM training tool includes information on the collaborative committee's beliefs and principles, flow sheets of system access, video scenes depicting four victim scenarios, a self-assessment checklist for service providers, agency protocols, a brochure, supplemental resources, and Web site links. A printed copy of the protocol is available online.

Benefits to Victims

• Provides victims with referral information for community services.
• Reduces the risk for any victim of "falling through the cracks."
• Allows for feedback directly from victims to the service providers.
• Maintains service providers' accountability to the victims they serve and increases responsiveness.
• Alleviates barriers to service and historical misunderstandings.
• Enhances the quality of service provision.

Benefits to Victim Service Providers

• Fosters open communication and enhances working relationships.
• Increases informal problem solving with less adversarial approaches among interagency service providers.
• Encourages everyone to keep the big picture in mind.
• Generates coordinated advocacy efforts.
• Builds interagency relationships.
• Promotes a best practice approach to victims and moves agencies beyond what they are doing to what they should or could be doing.
• Educates agencies and the community at large on the issue of sexual assault.
• Serves as a quality-control mechanism for the services delivered.

Evaluation Efforts
The evaluation of this project is still in progress; however, there has been very positive anecdotal feedback on the use of the training CD–ROM.

Lessons Learned
Some lessons learned include the need for ongoing communication among the agencies to encourage using the CD–ROM to orient new staff.

Availability of appropriate technology must also be considered, as a couple of the agencies did not have the computer technology to access the video component of the CD–ROM.

The next step will be distributing the tool and pamphlet to other providers who potentially could be responding to victims (e.g., school counselors, physicians).

Contact Information
Halton Region Health Department
Linda Graydon
5353 Lakeshore Rd., Unit 2
Burlington, ON L7L 1C8
905–825–6000, ext. 4563

Outreach to Victims Through Public Libraries—Illinois

Overview 
In 2002, Illinois used a collaboration between state government agencies and victim service providers to deliver information and materials to the public through a longstanding community resource: the public library. The Illinois Court of Claims, under the direction of the Illinois Secretary of State's office, handles crime victim compensation funds in the state. In an effort to broaden outreach and knowledge of the funds, the Court developed the Assistance for Victims of Violence Program. The program used the Illinois public library system as a place to house information. The library system also fell under the Secretary of State's umbrella and therefore was easily accessible for this project. The information given to libraries included materials on victim service providers throughout the state. Both the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) joined the project so their information would also be available at the public libraries.

Goals
The Assistance for Victims of Violence Program partners with public library systems to enhance public awareness about the compensation benefits and other resources available for sexual assault victims statewide.

Making the Idea a Reality
Representatives from each of the four collaborating agencies met several times to produce material for the libraries and plot training dates. The group developed a notebook with overview information and posters for each public library and smaller brochures for patrons. The notebook was sent to each public library in the state. It included detailed information on the Court of Claims as well as the application for victim compensation and general information on domestic violence and sexual assault. It also included a complete list of centers that help victims in Illinois (e.g., centers for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence shelters). Two-hour trainings were held in each of the State Library System's nine zones as part of regular training days that librarians attended. The trainings included presentations by the Court of Claims and ICASA and ICADV representatives. Often local center representatives would attend to network with local librarians.

Benefits to Victims
Victims of violence benefited from the program through increased knowledge of victim compensation and improved access to the material about it. Also, local librarians became aware of programs that assist victims of violence and could pass the information to those in need.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals 
The program benefited victim service providers by increasing the public's awareness of their services. The library settings also provided a discreet way to disseminate materials to victims who may have been hesitant to contact sexual assault service providers directly.

Contact Information
Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault
100 North 16th Street
Springfield, IL 62703
217–753–4117

San Diego County SART—California

Overview
In 1991, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors established the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) model as the standard of care for victims of sexual assault in San Diego County. The team consists of law enforcement personnel, forensic examiners, sexual assault victim advocates, forensic laboratory staff, and representatives from the District Attorney's Office.

Goals
SART has two primary purposes: (1) to provide emotional support for victims of sexual assault and (2) to ensure accurate evidence collection to promote the apprehension and prosecution of sexual assault perpetrators.

Making the Idea a Reality
At the request of the director of the Department of Health Services, a report on the current status of sexual assault examinations in San Diego County was presented to the Board of Supervisors in November 1990. The report described a fragmented system of care for sexual assault victims, including inconsistent access, availability, timeliness, and accuracy of evidentiary examination processes. To address these problems, the San Diego Board of Supervisors and the Department of Health Services convened a multijurisdictional, multidisciplinary task force. The task force was asked to investigate the extent and nature of issues impeding consistent and appropriate processes for sexual assault response and to recommend improvements.

Since 1991, San Diego County has had a SART team, which has served more than 7,000 victims of sexual assault who had evidentiary examinations. Approximately 500 evidentiary examinations are performed per year.

Currently, the county has only two designated medical forensic exam facilities. Previously, the county had three exam facilities, but one facility closed due to low volume.

Benefits to Victims
The team response provides emotional support for victims and helps them avoid delays and repetitive and unnecessary questioning.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Once the SART system was implemented, law enforcement agencies developed contracts with designated hospitals committed to performing comprehensive examinations for victims using specially trained forensic nurse examiners and patient advocates. The coordinated response and interagency memoranda of understanding streamlined the process while ensuring that correct and consistent evidence is gathered for the apprehension and prosecution of sex offenders.

Evaluation Efforts
A confidential questionnaire, available in English and Spanish, was developed to elicit SART program feedback from victims. The questionnaire and a prestamped, preaddressed envelope are given to victims at the completion of the medical forensic examination. Responses are mailed directly to the County of San Diego's Division of Emergency Medical Services and entered into a database. The information is stored anonymously and shared with SART program personnel. The questionnaires ask victims to rate the services provided by law enforcement personnel, forensic examiners, and advocates as excellent, good, fair, or poor. Additionally, there is space to provide written comments for each agency.

Lessons Learned

• Communication among all disciplines is crucial. Monthly multidisciplinary meetings are a key to success. Transitions in staff have been a challenge to the collaborative effort. It takes time to develop trust and understanding.
• SARTs need funding. The San Diego SART has hosted fundraisers to help with operational costs for equipment, supplies, and so forth.
• Data collection is important. It provides a benchmark for evaluating needs and services and reveals where gaps in services exist.
  

Resources
San Diego SART Standards of Practice
San Diego SART Systems Review Committee Report  

Contact Information
San Diego County Sexual Assault Response Team
c/o Division of Emergency Medical Services
6255 Mission Gorge Road
San Diego, CA 92120
619–285–6429

Statewide SART/SANE Program—New Jersey

Overview
The Attorney General Standards for Providing Services to Victims of Sexual Assault (1998, rev. 2004) focuses on the needs and concerns of sexual assault victims in an effort to ensure the compassionate and sensitive delivery of services. By promoting a victim-centered approach to sexual assault, communities can make victim safety a top priority. These standards recognize obstacles to seeking help, respect the integrity and autonomy of each victim, protect the victim's confidentiality, and regard victim feedback as critical to an improved response.

The standards were codified in 2001. Each county is required to have SART and SANE programs. The law also established a unit within the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice to oversee and coordinate the statewide program.

The following innovations are included in the standards:

• Anonymous reporting option.
• Exams available without law enforcement approval.
• Services provided at no charge to victim.
• Medications dispensed at time of service.
• Evidence held for 90 days when victims do not immediately report to law enforcement.
• Statewide standardized Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence kits (SAFE kits) and Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault kits (DFSA kits).
• Prosecutor-based SART and SANE programs.
• County SART Advisory Boards.
• Annual countywide SART training.
• Victim can go to any participating hospital regardless of jurisdiction.

Because the programs are based in the County Prosecutor's Offices instead of a primary hospital, most counties have more than one participating hospital. Currently, 54 hospitals participate in the program, donating space, medical screening examinations, and prophylactic medications for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.

The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) coordinates basic and continuing education for nurses. In addition to working with area nursing schools that run SANE courses, DCJ developed a partnership with the College of New Jersey to offer basic and continuing SANE education.

The New Jersey Board of Nursing and DCJ developed regulations for SANE practice and certification. Upon completion of extensive didactic and clinical education, a SANE can be certified as a Forensic Nurse–Certified Sexual Assault (FN–CSA).

Statewide SART/SANE Standards

• Statewide administration and oversight. County programs are supported by the Division of Criminal Justice SART/SANE Unit. The unit consists of the deputy attorney general and a program development specialist. Funding via the Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) is administered from this office.

The attorney general appointed a SART/SANE Coordinating Council, which meets quarterly on the Statewide SART/SANE Program. DCJ hosts monthly meetings for SANE coordinators; quarterly meetings for SART coordinators; and quarterly meetings for sexual assault assistant prosecutors.

• Programs based in county prosecutors' offices. All 21 counties in New Jersey have a SART program, with SANE services available in 20 counties. The programs are housed within the county prosecutor's office. Each county is required to have a SART and SANE coordinator. Each county conducts its own annual SART training.

Each county SANE program maintains a cadre of SANEs who are, for the most part, independent contractors with the county prosecutors' offices and are paid on-call and case pay. Each SANE is required to maintain liability insurance. The county SANE coordinator holds monthly or bimonthly staff meetings and inservice trainings and is responsible for the clinical competency of the complement of SANEs.

• Participating hospitals. The county prosecutors' offices have individually entered into affiliation agreements with individual hospitals in their county. The hospitals agree to provide access to the county SANE program, space for a medical forensic examination, medical screening, and prophylaxis free of charge.
• County SART advisory boards. The programs are overseen locally by an advisory board established by the county prosecutor. The advisory board consists of the SART and SANE coordinators, the director of the local rape care program, personnel from area hospitals, and representatives from local law enforcement and the prosecutor's office. The advisory boards are required to meet monthly for the first year of operation, after which the meetings can be held either bimonthly or quarterly. Many counties continue to meet monthly after several years of operation.
• SART/SANE services. SART is victim driven. The victim is offered the services of the SART team, composed of a specially trained law enforcement officer, a rape care advocate, and a SANE. The victim is free to accept or decline any or all services provided by members of the team.

Each county has a centralized mechanism for SART activation. Some counties activate through central communications, 911, or the county sheriff's office, while others activate through the hospital emergency room. Team members must respond to the hospital within 1 hour.

Victims are offered a forensic examination up to 5 days after the assault. A participating hospital donates examination space and consumable supplies while the county prosecutors' offices or grant funds are used to purchase equipment such as alternate light sources and swab dryers. The county prosecutors' offices must supply the SAFE and DFSA kits. The prosecutors also supply hand-held cameras for photo documentation. DCJ provided colposcopes to all participating sites for visualization and documentation.

• Reporting/nonreporting. If the victim chooses to report the incident to law enforcement at the time of the medical forensic examination, law enforcement will take possession of all evidence collected. If the victim is unsure of reporting, then the evidence is held and labeled as "Jane Doe." There is no statute of limitations on reporting a sexual assault, but the law requires kits to be held for 90 days. Some counties hold kits indefinitely, while others destroy kits after a set time. Victims are notified prior to destruction of evidence.
• County victim-witness programs. The county SANE coordinator will provide the county victim-witness coordinator (who is also housed in the prosecutor's office) with the name and contact information for victims who reported to law enforcement at the time of the exam. This allows for early contact by the Victim-Witness Advocacy program.

Making the Idea a Reality
The process of implementing SART/SANE began with a 1996 amendment to New Jersey law requiring that standardized medical/forensic services be provided to victims of sexual assault. The onus of this task was placed on the state attorney general. The attorney general appointed a Sexual Assault Protocol Council, which was spearheaded by the Chief of the State Office of Victim-Witness Advocacy and consisted of county victim-witness advocates, rape care advocates, medical personnel, statewide victim service coalitions, DCJ, and the New Jersey Division on Women. In 1998, the protocol council developed and released the first Attorney General Standards for Providing Services to Victims of Sexual Assault. Statewide training was conducted by DCJ and other members of the protocol council on the new standards.

At the same time, the New Jersey State Legislature provided an appropriation to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office to begin a SANE program. In 1997–98, funding from the Violence Against Women Act was made available for two additional counties to begin a pilot SANE program. In 1999, VOCA funds were made available to all county prosecutors' offices for SART/SANE programs. In 2001, exhaustive Program Guidelines were developed and implemented.

Onsite technical assistance to the county prosecutors' offices was, and still is, provided by DCJ. By 2002, more than half of the counties in New Jersey had a SART/SANE program. In 2004, one SANE program located in a rural county was closed. The number of examinations requested was too low to allow the county to maintain a complement of competent nurses. The victims are referred to neighboring county hospitals that are less than 45 minutes away. In 2006, the last county, Essex County, will implement SART/SANE. This county is expected to have in excess of 450 requests per year for the sexual assault medical forensic examination.

Affiliation agreements with local hospitals and local rape care programs, as well as county protocols for providing SART services, are developed with the County SART Advisory Board. All affiliation agreements and protocols are reviewed biannually by DCJ to ensure compliance with the law, the standards, and the program guidelines.

Benefits to Victims
SART provides an immediate, compassionate response to sexual assault victims by trained professionals. In line with the goals of the program, SART minimizes secondary victimization and trauma. In line with quality evidence collection, which is paramount to criminal convictions, the New Jersey State Police Forensic Laboratory reports a 100-percent increase in the quality of SAFE kits with the implementation of SART.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
The County SART Advisory Boards have provided a forum through which victim service professionals can work with law enforcement, county prosecutors' offices, and hospitals in designing and implementing services for victims.

Funding for SART/SANE services is tied to compliance with the standards and the program guidelines. As such, SART has solidified the place of rape care services "at the table."

Evaluation Efforts
DCJ and the county prosecutors' offices are attempting to obtain as much information as possible about the effectiveness of the SART/SANE program. The following lists evaluation efforts:

• All victims are given an anonymous, self-addressed and stamped five-question survey to complete. The surveys are mailed to the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault and then given to DCJ.
• After each SART activation, SART members are given a survey about team interaction and hospital facilities to complete.
• The New Jersey State Police Forensic Laboratory provides a quality assurance checklist for all SAFE and DFSA kits evaluated. The results are compiled by DCJ and given to the county SANE coordinators.
• All 21 counties participate in the National Data Collection Project coordinated by Linda Ledray, RN, Ph.D., Director of the SANE-SART Resource Service in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• An extensive evaluation by DCJ of all 2004 cases is underway. Principally, this evaluation will discuss prosecutorial outcomes in SANE cases. However, much more detailed information is being compiled into a database, which will enable discussion about the population serviced and the types of assaults and related injuries suffered in order to enhance services.

Lessons Learned

• Language choices. Communication and education are paramount to a well-functioning SART program. Each discipline uses different terminology. Within the victim services field alone, disagreement exists about whether to refer to a person who was the victim of sexual assault as a "victim" or a "survivor." Across three disciplines, the language issues are even more difficult. For the SART team to work well together, its members must agree on the definitions of the words they use and understand the necessity for certain word choices.
• Problems with activations and team interaction. Problems with activations or team interaction should be addressed immediately with the SART coordinator. The SART coordinator must take prompt action on any complaints. Most often, problems are evidence of the need to reeducate a particular team member or of a glitch in the process. Less frequently, these problems are indicative of a need to reevaluate the process. The SART coordinator should provide feedback to the individual who reported the problem as well as to the entire advisory board so that similar problems in the future can be resolved quickly.

It is important for all parties to recognize that official complaints against law enforcement are taken very seriously and can jeopardize the law enforcement officer's career. As often as possible, problems involving a law enforcement officer should be handled informally.

• Funding. Although the New Jersey program is quite fortunate in receiving VOCA funding, competition for funding in New Jersey is increasing. For three consecutive years, grants to the county prosecutors' offices have been cut. These cuts have not affected the core program, but they have strained its resources. Anticipated cuts will affect services. Dedicated funding is necessary for a sustainable and healthy program and is a worthy objective for federal, state, and local governments.
• SART/SANE coordinators. DCJ funds up to 5 hours per week for a SART coordinator and 16 hours per week for a SANE coordinator. When funding was initially offered for these programs, it was the responsibility of the county prosecutor to pay for the SART/SANE coordinator position. Several counties could not afford this so grant funds were approved for these positions. Counties with more than 50 cases per year warrant a full-time SART/SANE coordinator. Counties with more than 30 cases a year need a SANE coordinator to work more than 16 hours per week. Several county prosecutors' offices have used public funds to employ a full-time SART/SANE coordinator. DCJ is working with the counties to improve this situation.
• Backup for SANE coordinators. Turnover of SANE coordinators is not high, but the resignation of a SANE coordinator can be devastating to a program. In the past, county programs have shut down when a SANE coordinator resigned. For this reason, procedures for interim acting SANE coordinators were implemented.

SANE coordinators are also training another county SANE to fill in for holidays, vacation, and sick leave. SANE coordinators also work with neighboring counties to provide backup coordinator coverage.

• Nursing shortages. New Jersey has been experiencing a severe nursing shortage for the past 5 years. As a result, hospitals and nursing agencies are paying premium hourly rates for nurses. These hourly rates, coupled with signing bonuses and other incentives, are making it difficult to retain nurses or entice existing SANEs to take more on-call time. Many county SANE coordinators are on call several hundred hours per month.

Many county programs that had set no minimum requirements for on-call time had trouble covering the schedule. Most counties are now modifying agreements to require a minimum number of on-call shifts per month plus holiday coverage.

• Emergency room physicians. Because the SANE program has been in existence in most counties for more than 2 years, problems are now arising when no SANE is on call and emergency room physicians are being called upon to conduct the medical forensic examinations. Physicians have refused outright to do the examination under the premise that they are not specially trained. Several counties are working with local hospital administrations to resolve this problem because the hospital must provide medical care and collect evidence when a sexual assault victim presents to the emergency department. Clarification of these requirements from the outset will alleviate these problems.
  

Contact Information
New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety
Division of Criminal Justice
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
25 Market Street, P.O. Box 080
Trenton, NJ 08625–0080

Coalition-Driven SART Development—Florida

Overview
The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, the state's coalition of sexual violence programs, has made SART development an agency priority. The coalition dedicates staff time and a portion of the agency's budget to assist communities in forming and developing SARTs.

SART success requires the backing of community decisionmakers and statewide leaders. Jointly, this creates a ripple effect of support that promotes ownership in the SART model and expands potential funding streams. The coalition's SART strategy is twofold: (1) engage influential partners at the statewide level in promoting SARTs and (2) reach out to individual communities to help them develop SARTs. On a statewide level, the coalition works with the Office of the Attorney General's Division of Victim Services, the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, and the Florida Department of Children and Family Services. On a local level, the coalition works closely with seven Florida counties by providing technical assistance and training on the SART model and by assisting counties with bringing collaborative partnerships together.

Goals
The goals are to hold offenders accountable and improve or increase service delivery options for victims, regardless of whether they report the assault.

Making the Idea a Reality
The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence engaged state and local leaders' support for community collaboration. A SART development model, adapted from the California, Minnesota, and Oregon sexual assault coalitions, was created that was sufficiently broad to ensure that communities could tailor the process to fit their needs. Coalitions can assist communities by helping them—

• Identify an individual or agency in the community that can lead SART development.

• Meet with members of each discipline to explain the SART model and address concerns and questions.
• Set an agenda and date for a daylong training on SART.
• Strategize ways to ensure that decisionmakers from core agencies (e.g., State Attorney's Office, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, rape crisis centers) attend the training.
• Research community needs and issues (e.g., collaborative histories, politics).
• Contact representatives from medical, legal, and advocacy agencies to assess their impression of the current response to sexual violence.
• Host a daylong training on SART, which should include developing a multidisciplinary protocol, creating opportunities for participants to contribute, and discussing posttraining strategies.
• Follow up with the participants to offer assistance and resources.

Coalitions can also attend community-based SART meeting to observe progress and offer assistance.

Benefits to Victims
Communities report that SARTs provide victims with a more effective, caring response from each discipline. Additionally, SARTs promote guidelines for monitoring and evaluating practices within agencies and across disciplines. The review process enables agencies to focus on issues they may never have considered before and holds SART members to a higher standard of service. Lastly, SARTs are positioned to spot gaps and problems in specific cases quickly and to proactively address issues, which benefits victims now and in the future.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Victim service professionals list many benefits to collaboration. They find it helpful, even though sometimes uncomfortable, to bring problems out into the open. However, when communities acknowledge obstacles, they can strategize ways to overcome them.

Service providers also find that when everyone works together to improve the response to victims, solutions are more likely to be effective. For example, in Okaloosa County, the team is developing a sexual assault nurse examiner program and setting up an independent facility for exams. Miami-Dade team members are successfully working together to establish a victim advocacy program.

Evaluation Efforts
Anecdotal evidence indicates that victims are taken more seriously and that prosecution rates have increased.

Lessons Learned

• The need to tailor SARTs. The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence learned that every community is different: what works in one county may not succeed in another. Guiding communities through SART development has striking similarities to advocating for victims. Coalitions can provide resources, share experiences, and suggest best practices, but the communities decide when they will proceed and which options to use.

• Timing. The Florida Coalition worked extensively with some counties, but nothing came to fruition. A year after the coalition worked with one community, the State Attorney's Office pledged to get the SART off the ground.
• Realistic expectations. The communities organizing SARTs have overwhelmingly stated that it involves more work and takes longer than expected. Most teams believe they will agree on responsibilities and write and employ a protocol within 3 to 4 months, but later find that it can take 1 to 2 years. Some discover the real work just begins when they finish the protocol and must then implement the new practices.

• All core responders needed. Teams report that it is imperative to have all the necessary agencies and people at the table to make effective changes. One community was unable to move forward, for example, because it could never gain the prosecutor's support.
• Ability to overcome conflict. Conflict often makes collaboration difficult. People may even threaten to quit the team because of it. Spending time when the team first forms focusing on goals and guidelines may make it easier to continue working when conflicts surface.

• Committed leadership and membership. Perhaps the most important lesson learned is that success requires a committed, persistent leader who will schedule meetings, ensure that members complete assignments, and meet deadlines. In Florida, every team leader has other work responsibilities. Leaders report that when their other work priorities require their attention, SART initiatives stall. Conversely, the leader cannot do all the work of a team. Each member must take responsibility for the team's success.

SART development requires hard work across the board. By the same token, when communities dedicate themselves to this collaborative endeavor to improve the response to sexual assault victims, it brings unparalleled benefits to everyone.

Contact Information
Florida Council Against Sexual Violence
1311 North Paul Russell Road, Suite A204
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850–297–2000
888–956–7273 (toll-free)
information@fcasv.org

Developing a Sexual Assault Response Team—Kentucky

Overview
In 1999, the Kentucky Governor created a task force to address sexual assault issues. The Governor's Task Force Report mandated the development of a statewide medical protocol. In October 2000, the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP) organized a statewide SART Steering Committee to develop a statewide SART resource guide.

Making the Idea a Reality
Initially, members of the criminal justice system, victim advocacy, forensic medicine, forensic nursing, KASAP staff, and other professionals developed a medical forensic protocol, using a preliminary document developed by the Medical Examiner's Office. In 2002, the Hospital/Community Procedural Guidelines for the Forensic and Medical Examination of Adult Sexual Assault Victims in Kentucky was published and distributed throughout the state.

As information about the forensic medical exam protocol spread, the advantages of multidisciplinary SART programs became apparent. In response, KASAP and members of the statewide SART Steering Committee collaboratively developed a SART resource guide called Developing a Sexual Assault Response Team: A Resource Guide for Kentucky Communities. It was designed for rape crisis centers, health care providers, and other community agencies in Kentucky that are interested in starting SART programs, and it has been used extensively on a national level.

Benefits to Victims
Establishing SARTs can—

• Improve the quality of evidence collection.
• Reduce the re-traumatization of victims.
• Help a community meet the unique needs of specific populations.

Benefits to Victim Service Professionals
Establishing SARTs can—

• Help to improve evidence collection.
• Increase reporting and prosecution rates.
• Reduce the cost paid by each community to meet its unique needs.
• Decrease the chances for mistakes when collecting evidence and for lapses in the chain of custody—which reduces the need to defend evidence in court that may have otherwise been argued as inadmissible—because of the strict protocol guidelines used by SANEs and SARTs.

Lessons Learned

• A task force should be established before beginning to develop a SART program.
• Designating a statewide SANE/SART coordinator ensures consistency in practices throughout the state.

Contact Information
Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs
P.O. Box 4028
Frankfort, KY 40604
866–375–2727 or 502–226–2704

Sexual Assault Task Force—Ohio

Overview
A statewide task force made up of representatives from various agencies and organizations in Ohio is focusing on sexual assault crisis intervention or prevention.

Goals

• Conduct a needs assessment regarding issues related to sexual assault in Ohio.
• Develop and implement recommendations to respond to the identified needs.
• Bring organizations together to respond to sexual assault in Ohio.

Making the Idea a Reality
The Ohio Department of Health received funding for the first 2 years of the project. Volunteer efforts and staff support through the state's Rape Prevention Education program have maintained the program.

Benefits to Victims
Victims benefit from better coordination of services, greater awareness of services, and improved training of service providers in a wide variety of professions.

Benefits to Criminal Justice
The criminal justice system also benefits from increased coordination and awareness of services and improved training of service providers in a wide variety of professions.

Lessons Learned
Team building and evaluation planning at the beginning of the process was very effective. Strong committee chairs are necessary to keep the wide variety of projects on task.

Contact Information
Ohio Department of Health
246 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

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