Idaho is making another big step in its effort to improve sexual assault evidence collection, after the U.S. Department of Justice awarded two grants to Idaho State Police. The funds come through the Violence Against Women Act, giving them more than $250,000 for the initiative.
Melissa Wintrow, State Representative for District 19, says the money will be set aside for the next five years to help hire a coordinator for the work, as well as giving the hospitals tools and resources and the training that they need.
Allotting $113,142 to hire that coordinator, who will train sexual assault nurse examiners and coordinate sexual assault nurse examiners and coordinate sexual assault response teams, $45,000 to provide around 250 nurses statewide the basic 40-hour training, and $100,000 to ensure all medical facilities where sexual assault kits are collected have adequate supplies.
ISP is putting a strong emphasis on ensuring Idaho has the nations best-trained nurses and best-organized communities against these crimes so that medical staff can provide the utmost of care to the victims, right here in Idaho. Whereas before, survivors had to leave the state for these services.
The ultimate goal for ISP in this initiative is to ensure the best possible medical and criminal justice resources, in order to help survivors.
