Commission on the Standardization of the Collection of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations
Minutes of the Meeting of September 19, 2016
Office of the Chief State's Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
In attendance: Maureen Platt, Chair, Candida Fusco, Marielle Daniels, Joy Reho, Denise Covington, Jim Kerry, Anna Fidyk, Patti LaMonica, Michelle Noehren, Laura Cordes
The meeting was called to order at 3:05 p.m.
The minutes from the June 2016 meeting were reviewed and approved.
Denise Covington gave the report from the Standing Committee on Revisions to the Technical Guidelines. She reported that the subcommittee has made substantial progress. She estimated that a draft of the proposed revisions should be complete by October so that they can be distributed and reviewed at the December 19, 2016, Commission meeting.
A motion was made and unanimously approved ( Kenney/Fusco) to allow Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFE) and health care providers the discretion to omit the collection of hairs during the forensic examination. It was decided that the Commission should send out a letter to all hospitals and SAFE’s informing them of this change.
Denise Covington also gave the SAFE report. She stated that because of the current budget situation, the SAFE program will be unable to expand into Region 2 at this time, but has expanded into Region 1. She also reported that the Fall 2016 SAFE class has been cancelled due to budget cuts.
Anna Fidyk gave the following report for the Bill Paying Subcommittee:
The expenditures for last fiscal year FY15/16 were as follows:
| Expense | Number of Patients | |
| Evidence Collection Kits Hospitals | $456,830.44 | 510 |
| Forensic Assessments evaluations (forensic interviews, forensic exams) | $564,527.66 | 941 |
| Supplies CT100, CT400 | $9,172.50 | |
| MDT Forensic interviews | $105,250.00 | |
| SAFE Program | $252,909.03 | |
| Total | $1,388,689.63 | 1,451 |
The reduced rate of hospital compensation was also discussed by Commission members. The reduced rate had already been approved by an email vote by Commission members, but it was decided to have a formal vote concerning this issue during the meeting. A motion regarding the rate was made (Kenny/Reho) and was unanimously approved reducing the maximum per patient Hospital reimbursement to $750.00 as of October 1, 2016.
Joy Reho from the Forensic Lab also reported that the Lab is rapidly running out of space to store CT 100 kits and other items seized during sexual assault investigations. It was suggested that the statute be revised to allow these items to be stored at law enforcement agencies after examination at the lab.
Laura Cordes updated the Commission about the progress in processing the older sexual assault kits that had been held by law enforcement agencies. She also stated that a system is shortly being instituted which will track every CT 100 kit from the time it is delivered to a hospital until it is brought to the state lab.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
The next Commission meeting will be held on December 12, 2016 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, 300 Corporate Place, Rocky Hill.