HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 25

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Danice Picraux

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE EFFICACY OF DEVELOPING A MODEL OF MEDICAL FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT COULD BE REPLICATED STATEWIDE.

     WHEREAS, sexual assault nurse examiner, "SANE", nurses provide immediate, compassionate, culturally sensitive and comprehensive medical treatment and forensic evaluation to victims of sexual assault; and

     WHEREAS, there are currently ten SANE units in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Albuquerque SANE nurses have been providing medical forensic examinations to victims of sexual assault in the Albuquerque metro area for twelve years; and

     WHEREAS, these services are provided free of charge to anyone regardless of gender, income or age and are available twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week; and

     WHEREAS, during 2007, four hundred fifty medical forensic examinations were provided in Albuquerque, and an estimated five hundred examinations were provided in 2008; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque SANE program is co-located with the Albuquerque family advocacy center, which provides many services for victims of domestic violence; and

     WHEREAS, law enforcement units dealing with sex crimes, homicide, crimes against children and domestic violence are also co-located with the Albuquerque family advocacy center; and

     WHEREAS, victims of domestic violence who are served by Albuquerque family advocacy services could also be afforded the opportunity to receive medical forensic evaluations by SANE nurses in this safe and nonjudgmental environment;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of health be requested to convene a task force to study the efficacy of developing a model of medical forensic examinations for victims of domestic violence in Albuquerque that could be replicated statewide; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include representation from providers of services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence from the Albuquerque family advocacy center; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SANE model be considered as the foundation of this new model of services; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the ongoing cost of operating this new model of services be identified; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings and recommendations of this task force be presented to the interim legislative health and human services committee by November 2009; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of health, the Albuquerque SANE program and the Albuquerque family advocacy center.

- 3 -