SANE Proposal 2017

November 10, 2017 Mr. Al Mueller President Excellence in Giving 201 E. Las Animas, Suite 101 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Dear Mr. Mueller, I am writing today to share a philanthropic opportunity with the potential to impact thousands of lives in the Aurora community and surrounding areas. I was invited to share this information with you by the Morgridge Family Foundation, who believes in this effort and shares our urgency around making the program a reality.

The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program is a proven model for caring for victims of sexual assault, and a model are eager to build upon at the University of Colorado Medical Campus. As you may know, CU Anschutz is a 230-acre medical city that is home to the CU School of Medicine, UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) and Children’s Hospital Colorado. The VA Hospital, slated to open in 2018, is adjacent to our campus. Our skilled doctors and providers see 2 million visits every year, serving patients and families across the lifespan.

Today, the UCH Emergency Department sees 10 victims of sexual assault monthly but lacks the resources needed to provide these patients with the comprehensive, specialized care they need and deserve. When specially trained SANE nurses are unavailable, patients are discharged to Aurora South or Denver Health for exams, and, faced with telling their stories again and again, many do not follow up.

By building on the proven SANE model we started here last spring, we will create a dedicated program that offers victims 24/7 access to skilled nursing staff who perform exams, collect evidence, provide support and serve as expert witnesses when such cases go to the trial. These programs have demonstrated success in building robust community networks and strengthening connections with police, school districts and courts, and in increasing patient reporting and offender conviction.

We believe the time to do more for victims of sexual assault is now and are ready to take action with $350,000 in philanthropic and institutional partnerships. We have secured $200,000 in private commitments and $50,000 in CU Department of Emergency Medicine funding, and write today seeking one or more leadership benefactors interested in closing the $100,000 gap to make this a reality. Our vision for the UCH SANE Program comprises building and furnishing specialized private space for SANE exams and patient care, supporting a SANE Medical Director, and training RNs in classroom, clinical and court room environments in the Aurora and Highlands Ranch areas.

We are ready to move now with your help to begin construction in the new year and open our doors to patients mid-February.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. Together, we can bring life-changing care to more victims of sexual assault who need our support.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Muscatello Senior Director of Development Office of Advancement University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus 303-724-6545 Cc: Morgridge Family Foundation

BRINGING SPECIALIZED PATIENT-CENTERED CARE TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program

When the unthinkable happens, victims of sexual assault need a safe, accessible place to get the specialized care they need. At the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, we are building that place.

Today in the United States, one in every four women is sexually assaulted, and a higher proportion of men than is reported – anywhere from one in six to one in 32. Colorado is no exception. Sexual assault is an all-too-common occurrence throughout our communities, and far too often, victims do not get the help they need. At UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, our emergency department cares for 100,000 patients annually and sees 10 victims of sexual assault monthly, yet we currently lack the resources needed to provide the very best specialty care for patients who have survived assault.

We know that we can and must do more, and the time to take action is now. We know that building a dedicated Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program is one way to improve the lives of those who have experienced assault, and we have a vision for fulfilling this unmet need for people throughout the Aurora community. At University of Colorado Hospital, we are committed to marshaling our resources, expertise and facilities to serve victims of assault, and with your help, we can make quick progress in expanding our services and our reach.

SANE Program Goals • make 24/7 comprehensive services available to victims from Aurora and the surrounding areas • increase the number of victims seeking help at University of Colorado Hospital from 10/month to 20-30/month • recruit and retain highly trained nurses who not only perform exams and collect evidence, but who also serve as expert witnesses in legal proceedings • support a SANE Medical Director to oversee the program to ensure the highest quality care • build strong community relationships, and provide resources to local schools and Buckley Air Force Base, with whom we already partner successfully on disaster training • foster a robust partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado, which shares our campus • expand into additional areas of abuse (e.g. elder abuse, domestic violence) • provide a seamless continuum of care for patients seen within our system

SANE Program Budget Leadership (partial SANE Medical Director support): $20,000

Training (initial RN sessions): $53,400 • 64 hours classroom • 24 hours clinical • 8 hours simulation lab • 8 hours court room observation • 8 hours District Attorney

SANE Program Benefits • compassionate, expert care for victims of abuse when and where they need it most • nurse advocates who provide immediate medical attention and support, and who connect victims with short- and long-term resources • increased conviction rates through earlier and more frequent reports of abuse • strong community support from local police, schools and the District Attorney’s office

Equipment & Instrumentation (specialized equipment for exams and evidence collection): $23,700

Construction & Design (electrical, exam room, interview space, victim shower, furnishings, décor): $252,900

Opportunities for Impact

With the generous support of private philanthropic partners, we can move quickly to build a comprehensive SANE Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus that will bring specialized emergency care to victims of abuse in their time of greatest need. Already established in UCHealth’s northern and southern Colorado regions, the SANE model has proven to bring more victims of sexual assault into the care system, to increase rates of conviction among offenders in our communities, and to create a network of support for victims and their families.

With your support, we will start construction in January 2018 and open our dedicated SANE space by mid-February, serving hundreds more people in Aurora and beyond who are in desperate need of skilled, comprehensive care. Investments in the SANE Program at CU Anschutz today are investments in lives changed tomorrow, and we are grateful for your consideration of how to take part.