FRISCO — The Summit Medical Center Health Foundation was recently awarded a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Assistance Program at the United States Department of Justice. The grant, submitted in February 2009, was written to support the newly formed Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program in the Emergency Department at St. Anthony Summit Medical Center in Frisco. The grant is approved to support the program over a two-year period beginning October 1, 2009. Full funding was awarded to the $272,587 request. Funds will be used to support personnel, education and training, equipment, supplies and indirect costs associated with implementation and management of the program over the two year period.

Approximately 100 cases per year have occurred within the 5th Judicial District (Summit, Lake, Eagle and Clear Creek counties). The SANE program is collaborative with Advocates for Victims of Assault and local law enforcement.

Benefits of the SANE program include:

• Specially educated and trained staff

• Expert witness for trial

• An advocate for the victim

• Increased and coordinated resources for the victim

• Provides valuable community service

• Increases victim reporting rates

• Consistent, quality evidence collection

• Increases prosecution rates of perpetrators

• Provides solid, credible and neutral courtroom testimony

“This is a great win for the mountain communities. The foundation is tremendously pleased to have played a role in acquiring this grant support for the SANE Program at our hospital,” said Bill Souba, Summit Medical Center Health Foundation Board Chair.