Item 3: SARRT Presentation — original pdf
Backup
Forensic Exam Services Transition Plan Austin Police & SARRT | July 28, 2026 Presentation Overview ▪ Objective ▪ Focus Areas To provide information on forensic exam services from SAFE Alliance to Brave Alliance ▪ Context & Background ▪ Austin/Travis County SARRT Recommendation ▪ Brave Alliance Overview ▪ Brave Data (June) ▪ Advocacy Services Overview ▪ Challenges & Risks ▪ Monitoring System Integrity 2 Context & Background ▪ For over a decade SAFE’s Eloise House provided co-located forensic exam and advocacy services in Austin/Travis County ▪ Timeline of Service Cessation ▪ January 5, 2026: Letter to City officials urging them to reverse funding cuts ▪ February 23, 2026: Letter to City & State officials informing of possible service cessation on May 31, 2026 ▪ March 12, 2026: SAFE CEO presented at SARRT regarding next steps ▪ May 7, 2026: Notice sent terminating SAFE’s Sexual Assault Forensic Exam Services Agreement with the City of Austin and cease providing forensic examinations at Eloise House effective June 8, 2026 ▪ June 8, 2026: Last day of service 3 A/TC SARRT Recommendation ▪ April 3, 2026: Call to Action Letter ▪ Ensure equitable law enforcement ▪ Recognize all providers as essential. Any path forward must sustain both and any other providers who meet the Forensic Exam Requirements established by the A/TC SARRT. ▪ Establish equitable contracts with hospital networks who are legislatively mandated to provide forensic exam services, and ensure they bear an appropriate share of responsibility. contracts with all qualified providers, recognizing that forensic examinations are integral to the criminal justice process and must be resourced accordingly. ▪ Pursue a City or County owned facility, that is survivor oriented, strategically located to provide sustainable, geographically accessible coverage as a long-term infrastructure investment. 4 Brave Alliance Overview ▪ Establishment ▪ Founded 2018 ▪ A/TC SARRT Member since 2019 ▪ Staff ▪ 17 Nurses ▪ 1 Bilingual (Spanish) ▪ Contracts ▪ APD ▪ TCSO-PREA only ▪ 3 local hospital systems ▪ St. David’s ▪ Ascencion ▪ Baylor Scott & White 5 Brave Alliance Data June 1-30, 2026 July 1-15, 2026 Exams at Brave Exams at Hospital Total: 18 16 34 10 8 19* (1 Exam in jail) 6 Advocacy Services Overview ▪ Texas Government Code 420 ▪ Requires that survivors be offered the opportunity to have a confidential community advocate present during both the forensic exam and law enforcement interviews ▪ Current Providers ▪ SAFE Alliance ▪ Asian Family Support Services* (AFSSA) ▪ Hope Alliance ▪ Services Offered ▪ Hotline or chatline available 24/7 ▪ Accompany survivors to exams or interviews ▪ Explain rights to survivors 7 Challenges & Risks ▪ Public Reassurance of Forensic Exam Services ▪ Protocol Alignment (Hospitals, LE, Brave, Advocacy) ▪ Facility Location ▪ Language Access (Pre/Post Transition) ▪ Victim/Survivor Expenses if Seen at the Hospital (Pre/Post Transition) 8 Monitoring & System Integrity ▪ A/TC SARRT Metrics ▪ APD/Brave Metrics per Contract Terms ▪ APD/Brave Weekly Check-Ins ▪ Cross-Agency Bi-Monthly Advocacy Check Ins (AFSSA, APD, Brave, Hope, AFSSA, SAFE TCSO) 9 Q&A , SAFE Thank you! 11