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Home My WebLink AboutRES 21-014RESOLUTION NO. 21-014 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT: THAT the City Manager or his designee be and they are hereby authorized to execute a Cooperative Working Agreement between the Beaumont Police Department and Rape and Suicide Crisis Center of Southeast Texas, Inc. for the collaboration between several agencies to provide continuous services as needed for sexual assault survivors and other victims of crime. Said Memorandum of Agreement is substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and made a part hereof for all purposes. The meeting at which this resolution was approved was in all things conducted in strict compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the 26th day of January, 2021. 4111 Mayor Becky y► U .- Cooperative Working Agreement 2021-2023 This working agreement is recognized as a cooperative collaboration between each agency listed below. The purpose is to provide a continuum of services as needed for sexual assault survivors and other victims of crime. Tlie signature of each agency's representatives acknowledges proof of cooperation. The DistrictAttorney's Office of jefferson, Orange, Tyler, and9fardin Counties individually agree to. • Designate a liaison to serve on the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Use Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) as witnesses during a sexual assault trial; • Provide reasonable notification of upcoming trials to the SANE who will be called to testify; • , Meet with the SANE prior to a trial to review the case; and • Maintain communication and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. The Crime Victim'sAssistance Centers of jeffersou, Orange andYfardin County agree to: • Refer sexual assault patients to the CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital SANE Team, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas SANE Team, as appropriate; • Demonstrate an average of 60 minutes response time from the time the call is received to time advocate arrives in the emergency department, on scene, or at location with victim; • Follow established protocols with CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas for advocates in the examining room; • Be available for survivors of all ages, their family members and friends, as requested; • Maintain communication and contact with involved agencies, including, but not limited to law enforcement, County or District courts, Justice of the Peace, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Garth House. • Refer victims/survivors to nearest appropriate agencies for additional services as needed. 2"he jefferson, Orange, Tyler, and9fardin County Sheriffs Offices C.T, (Police Departments of oeaum=4 Groves, Xederlanr� fortArthur, Victor, Orange, oridge City, andTort Neches individualiy agree to: • Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Refer sexual assault patients to the CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital SANE Team, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas SANE Team, as appropriate; • Follow established protocol to notify SANE team that a sexual assault survivor is being transported; • Provide a case or incident report number; • Receive forensic evidence that has been collected from the survivor and/or perpetrator; • Follow law enforcement established protocol regarding evidence collection and storage; and • Maintain communication and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. Wope aZ Suicide Ois s of Southeast Texas, Inc. agrees to. • Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Refer sexual assault survivors at CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital SANE Team, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas SANE Team, as appropriate; • Demonstrate an average 60 minute response time from time call is received to time advocate arrives in the emergency department; s Follow established protocols with CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas for advocates in the examining room; • Be available for survivors of all ages, their family members and friends; • Maintain communication and contact with SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. the Garth Yfouse agrees to. - Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Refer child survivors of sexual assault to CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital SANE Team, Child Abuse & Forensic Services , Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas SANE Team as appropriate; • Demonstrate an average 60 minute response time from time is received to time advocate arrives in the emergency department; • Follow established protocols with CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas for advocates in the examining room; • Be available for survivors of all ages, their family members and friends; • Maintain communication with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. The Texas Department of FPamiCy and ltotective Services (CU S/ATS) agrees to: • Designate a liaison for the SART to contact; • Refer child survivors of sexual assault to CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital SANE team, Child Abuse & Forensic Services, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont or the Medical Center of Southeast Texas SANE team as appropriate; • Contact Court Appointed Special Advocates liaison if child is in foster care system; • Maintain communications and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Assault Task Force Meeting. ChiCdA6use eZ Forensic Services agrees to: • Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Demonstrate an average sixty (60) minute response from the time of call received to time SANE arrives in Emergency Department; • Notify Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. that a survivor is being transported/has arrived; • Provide Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast.Texas, Inc. the opportunity to establish a relationship with the survivor(s), if survivor agrees. This includes survivors of all ages, their family members, and friends; • Provide consistency in the sexual assault examination of survivors; • Provide consistency in the evidence collection from perpetrators; • Have sexual assault evidence collection kit available; • SANEs will provide a copy of evidence collection and/or all other documentation pertaining to sexual assault exam to law enforcement agency; • Maintain chain of forensic evidence and hand off to law enforcement agent; • Properly prepare for upcoming hearings; • Meet with District Attorney to review the case; • Maintain contact with the District Attorney's office; • Notify the District Attorney's office of address and/or telephone number changes; and • Maintain communication and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings The Sane Team of M ISTUS.7fospitafAgrees to: • Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Notify Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. that a survivor is being transported/has arrived; • Demonstrate an average sixty (60) minute response from the time of call received to time SANE arrives in Emergency Department; • If a child survivor has Court Appointed Special Advocate CHRISTUS Hospital agrees to notify Court Appointed Special Advocates of child arrival; • Provide Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. the opportunity to establish a relationship with the survivor(s), if survivor agrees. This includes survivors of all ages, their family members, and friends; • Provide consistency in the sexual assault examination of survivors; • Provide consistency in the evidence collection from perpetrators; • Have sexual assault evidence collection kit available; • CHRISTUS Hospital will provide a copy of evidence collection and/or all other documentation pertaining to sexual assault exam to law enforcement agency; • Maintain chain of forensic evidence and hand off to law enforcement agent; • Properly prepare for upcoming hearings; • Meet with District Attorney to review the case; • Maintain contact with the District Attorney's office; • Notify the District Attorney's office of address and/or telephone number changes; and • Maintain communication and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. CourtAppointedSpeciafAdvocates agree to. • Designate a liaison for the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force to contact. • Demonstrate a thirty -minute response from time of call received to time advocate arrives in emergency room. (Call is to liaison.) • Follow established protocol regarding SETX Sexual Assault Task Force for advocates in the examining room. • Be available for survivor's ages 0-17 who are already in the custody of CPS and CASA is already appointed by the courts. • The advocate arrives as soon as possible and assists the victim throughout the medical and police procedures. • With the advocate present to provide support, the forensic examiner and police will briefly confer to coordinate their questioning and reduce repetition. • Advocate will remain in the room to provide support during the exam as well, at the discretion of the patient. • The advocate will make arrangements to contact the victim for follow-up support, and legal advocacy. 11 MedicaCCentey of Southeast Texas 11 • Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Notify Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. that a survivor is being transported/has arrived; • If a child survivor has a court appointed special advocate Medical Center of Southeast Texas agrees to notify Court Appointed Special Advocates of child arrival; • Provide Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. the opportunity to establish a relationship with the survivor(s), if survivor agrees. This includes survivors of all ages, their family members, and friends; • Provide consistency in the sexual assault examination of survivors; • Provide consistency in the evidence collection from perpetrators; • Have sexual assault evidence collection kit available; • Medical Center of Southeast Texas will provide a copy of evidence collection and/or all other documentation pertaining to sexual assault exam to law enforcement agency; • Maintain chain of forensic evidence and hand off to law enforcement agent; • Properly prepare for upcoming hearings; • Meet with District Attorney to review the case; • Maintain contact with the District Attorney's office; • Notify the District Attorney's office of address and/or telephone number changes; and • Maintain communication and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. (Baptist 9fospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont • Designate a liaison to serve on the SART and to serve as the agency's contact person; • Notify Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. that a survivor is being transported/has arrived; • If a child survivor has court appointed special advocate Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont agrees to notify Court Appointed Special Advocates of child arrival; • Provide Rape & Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas, Inc. the opportunity to establish a relationship with the survivor(s), if survivor agrees. This includes survivors of all ages, their family members, and friends; • Provide consistency in the sexual assault examination of survivors; • Provide consistency in the evidence collection from perpetrators; • Have sexual assault evidence collection kit available; • Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Beaumont will provide a copy of evidence collection and/or all other documentation pertaining to sexual assault exam to law enforcement agency; • Maintain chain of forensic evidence and hand off to law enforcement agent; • Properly prepare for upcoming hearings; • Meet with District Attorney to review the case; • Maintain contact with the District Attorney's office; • Notify the District Attorney's office of address and/or telephone number changes; and • Maintain communication and contact with the SART and other involved agencies, including regular participation at the Southeast Texas Sexual Assault Task Force meetings. Cooperative Working Agreement Signature Page ® L10,9 ry illiams, ecutive irector bate Rape & Suicide C sis of S.E. Texas Jimmy Singletary, Chief of Police Beaumont Police Department Date