No one should face barriers to care after experiencing sexual assault. Senator Julie Morrison joins the Sound of the State to explain how her new law requires hospitals to put survivors first—strengthening trauma-informed care, expanding nurse examiner training, and giving the Illinois Department of Public Health more authority to ensure hospitals meet their responsibilities.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to this episode with the Sound of the State
podcast from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus in Springfield. I'm
Colby Huff, joined today on Zoom by State Senator Julie Morrison,
a longtime advocate for the rights and protections of sexual
assault survivors. In the first of a two part conversation
with Senator Morrison as well as Senator Suzi Gloriat Kilton
on efforts to protect sexual assault survivors, Senator Morrison and
(00:21):
I will be discussing Senate to Bill sixteen oh two,
which builds on Illinois's Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act,
a law that governs the healthcare that hospitals are required
to provide to survivors, how evidence is collected, and the
reimbursement procedures for those services. The bill responds to gaps
and care across the state and looks to ensure that
survivors received timely, compassionate, and trauma informed treatment. Senator Morrison,
(00:46):
talk to me a little bit about the catalyst for
introducing this legislation and how it builds on the state's
existing protections for sexual assault survivors.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You know, I have heard so many stories about survivors
have gone to hospitals and been turned away or transferred
to hospitals or facilities that are a long way from
their home, sometimes eighty miles away, when they are trying
to receive care after an assault. Care could have been
(01:15):
provided much closer to home. Illinois has really good laws
on the books, but it's clear that the trauma informed
care standards and better enforcement of them is necessary. That's
what this bill really does. It's about listening to survivors
and responding to their experiences as they're trying to navigate
this system. This legislation was the result of negotiation and
(01:41):
work with the Attorney General's office, my House sponsors, State
Representative Kelly Cassidy, several experts in this field, and I
believe that the bill that was produced goes a long
way towards our goal. It really builds on the work
of the state's task force, which is called Sexualist Medical
Forensic Services Implementation. That's a long title for a group
(02:05):
of people who've been meeting since twenty eighteen, healthcare professionals,
legal people, policy people trying to strengthen Illinois laws and
eliminate the gaps and care that we have seen there
are hospitals that are treatment hospitals. They are designated to
be a place where a sexual assault victim can go
and receive care and a forensic examination, and they are
(02:29):
staffed by people sexual assault nurse examiners who have the training.
They have extensive experience in the collection and in the
treatment and in the compassionate care of these people who
come in at a terrible time in their lives. So
we want to make sure that they are cared for
in the most appropriate and compassionate way. A transfer hospital
(02:51):
is one. If you would go to your local hospital,
they may say, we don't have that kind of treatment available,
we don't have a nurse examiner who has that training.
We are going to transfer you. We are going to
send you to another hospital. Of all the hospitals in
the state of Illinois, you are either a treatment or
a transfer hospital. This legislation is going to give the
(03:13):
Department of Public Health more authority to look at a
hospital they're transfer decisions and decide if that was really
necessary and in the best interest of the patient. This
bill really clarifies some of the consent and treatment protocols too.
For the patient. We want to make sure that there's
not a barrier to prevent survivors from getting the care
(03:34):
and the support they deserve at this very traumatic time.
At the end of the day, this bill is about
common sense, compassion and how these decisions are being made.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Take us through the key changes. This legislation, which was
recently signed into law by Governor Pritzker and taking effect
on January first, makes to how hospitals respond to instances
of sexual assaults.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
This legislation strengthens the response by the hospital to make
sure that care is centered on the needs of the
survivor and that we aren't developing policy over what is
convenient for a hospital. That includes requiring the Department of
Public Health to evaluate a hospital's decision to transfer a patient,
the available resources, the circumstances of each case, and it
(04:17):
gives the Department of Public Health to say to the hospital, no,
that's unreasonable, and to intervene if the hospitals aren't following
through with the care that they are supposed to be given.
Hospitals are also colby going to see some expanded reimbursement
eligibility and that should allow them to access funding for
medical and follow up care. The legislation also clarifies regional
(04:39):
hospital planning requirements. The state is divided into regions, and
each area of the state has a clear or should
have a clear and coordinated plan to provide local access
to care. Some of the people that have the most
difficult time are people who are living in rural areas
just because of their proximity to facilities. We have to
(05:00):
improve the state's plans and make sure facilities are able
to serve those people in nearby communities too. We're going
to build a better system for the survivors, for them,
not against them.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
We're taking steps here obviously to improve care for survivors,
but we're also looking to give medical professionals the tools
that they need in order to provide trauma informed care.
Senator Morrison, what specifically is set out by this law
in those areas.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
This bill strengthens the whole process from the time a
survivor seeks help to the follow up care that they
will receive after the forensic examination has been completed. These
nurse examiners are absolutely critical to making sure that the
individuals who have been assaulted get trauma informed, patients centered
forensic services. The nurses are framed to reduce the re
(05:48):
traumatization of patients, to make sure that they are addressing
all the survivors' medical concerns, and how to collect evidence
in a way that can be used later in a
court of law so that it will hold up in court.
This legislation also increases access to training for these nurses.
We don't have enough sexual assault nurse examiners in the
(06:10):
state of Illinois, so this legislation also will increase access
for the training for them. There is a slightly different
protocol for these nurse examiners who care for children that examination.
That care is different as you can imagine a child
that has been assaulted. The care has to be tailored
for the age of that child and needs to be
(06:31):
really compassionate. It needs to be carefully laid out. This
bill also kind of established best practices for treating those
pediatric survivors and talked about getting informed consent before any
testing or evidence collection starts. One of the things I'm
really proud of locally is that in Lake County, the
(06:53):
Children's Advocacy Center is the first facility in the state
that houses a children's advocacy center that also now provides
forensic exams by a nurse examiner, and they've been working
with Rosalind Franklin Medical School to coordinate and develop a
program that when the child goes to the advocacy center
(07:13):
to talk about the assault that has happened, besides having
a coordinated group of experts everyone from law enforcement, state's attorney, DCFS,
social workers who hear the testimony or the story of
this child one time in a very safe, child friendly environment,
the child can then have the forensics examination. Then it
(07:36):
is in the same building, it's just down the hall.
And again, these are people who are trained and specialized
in caring for children who have gone through probably the
worst thing that will ever happen to them as a child.
I'm really proud of Lay County for establishing that by
clearly outlining the provider responsibilities and giving hospitals some of
the tools and guidance that they need, we're really making
(07:59):
sure that survive are treated with the dignity and care
and especially the respect every step of the way, regardless
of age, regardless of demographics, and regardless of where they
are located in our state.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
That state Senator Julie Morrison on the recently signed Senate
to Bill sixteen oh two responding to gaps and care
across Illinois in sexual assault cases. Be on to look
out soon for the second part of this conversation with
Senator Susie Gloiac Kilton. We'll focus on access to care
in that conversation, as well as ensuring that collected evidence
maintains court admissibility. Thanks for listening to the Sound of
(08:33):
the State podcast from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus.
Welcome to this episode with the Sound of the State
podcast from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus in Springfield. I'm
Colby Huff, joined today on Zoom by State Senator Julie Morrison,
a longtime advocate for the rights and protections of sexual
assault survivors. In the first of a two part conversation
with Senator Morrison as well as Senator Suzi Gloriat Kilton
on efforts to protect sexual assault survivors, Senator Morrison and
(00:21):
I will be discussing Senate to Bill sixteen oh two,
which builds on Illinois's Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act,
a law that governs the healthcare that hospitals are required
to provide to survivors, how evidence is collected, and the
reimbursement procedures for those services. The bill responds to gaps
and care across the state and looks to ensure that
survivors received timely, compassionate, and trauma informed treatment. Senator Morrison,
(00:46):
talk to me a little bit about the catalyst for
introducing this legislation and how it builds on the state's
existing protections for sexual assault survivors.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You know, I have heard so many stories about survivors
have gone to hospitals and been turned away or transferred
to hospitals or facilities that are a long way from
their home, sometimes eighty miles away, when they are trying
to receive care after an assault. Care could have been
(01:15):
provided much closer to home. Illinois has really good laws
on the books, but it's clear that the trauma informed
care standards and better enforcement of them is necessary. That's
what this bill really does. It's about listening to survivors
and responding to their experiences as they're trying to navigate
this system. This legislation was the result of negotiation and
(01:41):
work with the Attorney General's office, my House sponsors, State
Representative Kelly Cassidy, several experts in this field, and I
believe that the bill that was produced goes a long
way towards our goal. It really builds on the work
of the state's task force, which is called Sexualist Medical
Forensic Services Implementation. That's a long title for a group
(02:05):
of people who've been meeting since twenty eighteen, healthcare professionals,
legal people, policy people trying to strengthen Illinois laws and
eliminate the gaps and care that we have seen there
are hospitals that are treatment hospitals. They are designated to
be a place where a sexual assault victim can go
and receive care and a forensic examination, and they are
(02:29):
staffed by people sexual assault nurse examiners who have the training.
They have extensive experience in the collection and in the
treatment and in the compassionate care of these people who
come in at a terrible time in their lives. So
we want to make sure that they are cared for
in the most appropriate and compassionate way. A transfer hospital
(02:51):
is one. If you would go to your local hospital,
they may say, we don't have that kind of treatment available,
we don't have a nurse examiner who has that training.
We are going to transfer you. We are going to
send you to another hospital. Of all the hospitals in
the state of Illinois, you are either a treatment or
a transfer hospital. This legislation is going to give the
(03:13):
Department of Public Health more authority to look at a
hospital they're transfer decisions and decide if that was really
necessary and in the best interest of the patient. This
bill really clarifies some of the consent and treatment protocols too.
For the patient. We want to make sure that there's
not a barrier to prevent survivors from getting the care
(03:34):
and the support they deserve at this very traumatic time.
At the end of the day, this bill is about
common sense, compassion and how these decisions are being made.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Take us through the key changes. This legislation, which was
recently signed into law by Governor Pritzker and taking effect
on January first, makes to how hospitals respond to instances
of sexual assaults.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
This legislation strengthens the response by the hospital to make
sure that care is centered on the needs of the
survivor and that we aren't developing policy over what is
convenient for a hospital. That includes requiring the Department of
Public Health to evaluate a hospital's decision to transfer a patient,
the available resources, the circumstances of each case, and it
(04:17):
gives the Department of Public Health to say to the hospital, no,
that's unreasonable, and to intervene if the hospitals aren't following
through with the care that they are supposed to be given.
Hospitals are also colby going to see some expanded reimbursement
eligibility and that should allow them to access funding for
medical and follow up care. The legislation also clarifies regional
(04:39):
hospital planning requirements. The state is divided into regions, and
each area of the state has a clear or should
have a clear and coordinated plan to provide local access
to care. Some of the people that have the most
difficult time are people who are living in rural areas
just because of their proximity to facilities. We have to
(05:00):
improve the state's plans and make sure facilities are able
to serve those people in nearby communities too. We're going
to build a better system for the survivors, for them,
not against them.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
We're taking steps here obviously to improve care for survivors,
but we're also looking to give medical professionals the tools
that they need in order to provide trauma informed care.
Senator Morrison, what specifically is set out by this law
in those areas.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
This bill strengthens the whole process from the time a
survivor seeks help to the follow up care that they
will receive after the forensic examination has been completed. These
nurse examiners are absolutely critical to making sure that the
individuals who have been assaulted get trauma informed, patients centered
forensic services. The nurses are framed to reduce the re
(05:48):
traumatization of patients, to make sure that they are addressing
all the survivors' medical concerns, and how to collect evidence
in a way that can be used later in a
court of law so that it will hold up in court.
This legislation also increases access to training for these nurses.
We don't have enough sexual assault nurse examiners in the
(06:10):
state of Illinois, so this legislation also will increase access
for the training for them. There is a slightly different
protocol for these nurse examiners who care for children that examination.
That care is different as you can imagine a child
that has been assaulted. The care has to be tailored
for the age of that child and needs to be
(06:31):
really compassionate. It needs to be carefully laid out. This
bill also kind of established best practices for treating those
pediatric survivors and talked about getting informed consent before any
testing or evidence collection starts. One of the things I'm
really proud of locally is that in Lake County, the
(06:53):
Children's Advocacy Center is the first facility in the state
that houses a children's advocacy center that also now provides
forensic exams by a nurse examiner, and they've been working
with Rosalind Franklin Medical School to coordinate and develop a
program that when the child goes to the advocacy center
(07:13):
to talk about the assault that has happened, besides having
a coordinated group of experts everyone from law enforcement, state's attorney, DCFS,
social workers who hear the testimony or the story of
this child one time in a very safe, child friendly environment,
the child can then have the forensics examination. Then it
(07:36):
is in the same building, it's just down the hall.
And again, these are people who are trained and specialized
in caring for children who have gone through probably the
worst thing that will ever happen to them as a child.
I'm really proud of Lay County for establishing that by
clearly outlining the provider responsibilities and giving hospitals some of
the tools and guidance that they need, we're really making
(07:59):
sure that survive are treated with the dignity and care
and especially the respect every step of the way, regardless
of age, regardless of demographics, and regardless of where they
are located in our state.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
That state Senator Julie Morrison on the recently signed Senate
to Bill sixteen oh two responding to gaps and care
across Illinois in sexual assault cases. Be on to look
out soon for the second part of this conversation with
Senator Susie Gloiac Kilton. We'll focus on access to care
in that conversation, as well as ensuring that collected evidence
maintains court admissibility. Thanks for listening to the Sound of
(08:33):
the State podcast from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus.
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