1.As used in this section:
a.“Federally qualified health center” means a facility as defined in 42 U.S.C.
§1396d(1)(2)(B) that provides primary care or sexual health services. b.“Medical forensic services” include but are not limited to taking a medical history,
performing photographic documentation, performing a physical examination, assessing
a patient for evidence collection, collection of evidence using a sexual abuse evidence
collection kit, assessing a patient for drug-facilitated or alcohol-facilitated sexual assault,
providing an evaluation of and care for sexually transmitted infection and HIV, pregnancy
risk evaluation and care, and discharge and follow-up health care planning.
c.“Pediatrictreatmentfacility” means a treatment facility that provides treatment relating
to the d
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1. As used in this section:
a. “Federally qualified health center” means a facility as defined in 42 U.S.C.
§1396d(1)(2)(B) that provides primary care or sexual health services.
b. “Medical forensic services” include but are not limited to taking a medical history,
performing photographic documentation, performing a physical examination, assessing
a patient for evidence collection, collection of evidence using a sexual abuse evidence
collection kit, assessing a patient for drug-facilitated or alcohol-facilitated sexual assault,
providing an evaluation of and care for sexually transmitted infection and HIV, pregnancy
risk evaluation and care, and discharge and follow-up health care planning.
c. “Pediatrictreatmentfacility” means a treatment facility that provides treatment relating
to the development, care, and diseases of infants, children, and adolescents and that meets
the accreditation requirements described in subsection 3.
d. “Sexual assault examiner” means a medical practitioner who is trained to provide
services that include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Taking a medical history.
(2) Performing photographic documentation.
(3) Performing a physical examination.
(4) Assessing a patient for evidence collection.
(5) Collecting evidence using a sexual abuse evidence collection kit.
(6) Assessing a patient for drug-facilitated or alcohol-facilitated sexual assault.
(7) Providing an evaluation of care for sexually transmitted infection and HIV, pregnancy
risk evaluation, and care.
(8) Providing discharge follow-up health care planning.
e. “Sexual assault nurse examiner” means a registered nurse, an advanced registered
nursepractitioner, oranadvancedpracticeregisterednurse, licensedpursuanttochapter152
or152Ewhohascompletedasexualassaultforensicexaminerprogramthatmeetsthesexual
assault nurse examiner education guidelines established by the international association of
forensic nurses.
f. “Sexual assault survivor” means a person who seeks medical forensic services in
relation to injuries or trauma resulting from a sexual assault.
g. “Treatmentfacility”meansahospital,clinic,orpediatrictreatmentfacilitythatprovides
medical forensic services to sexual assault survivors who seek medical forensic services for
a sexual assault within seven days of a sexual assault, or who have disclosed a past sexual
assault by a specific person.
2. A sexual assault forensic examiner program is established within the department of
justice. The sexual assault forensic examiner program shall maintain a list of sexual assault
examiners and sexual assault nurse examiners who have completed didactic and clinical
trainingapprovedbythedepartmentofjusticeandconsistentwiththesexualassaultforensic
examinereducationguidelinesestablishedbytheinternationalassociationofforensicnurses.
3. In order to qualify as a treatment facility under this section, a pediatric treatment
facility shall meet the accreditation standards for children’s advocacy centers adopted by
the national children’s alliance including any of the following medical provider eligibility or
training requirements:
a. Child abuse pediatric sub-board eligibility or certification.
b. A minimum of sixteen hours of formal didactic training in the medical evaluation of
child sexual abuse for a physician without board certification or board eligibility in child
abuse pediatrics, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant.
c. A minimum of forty hours of coursework specific to the medical evaluation of child
sexual abuse followed by a competency-based clinical preceptorship.
d. A pediatric treatment facility shall not exclude the presence of or interfere with the
activities of a victim counselor as defined in section 915.20A.
4. a. By July 1, 2022, the sexual assault forensic examiner program shall develop and
make available to treatment facilities two hours of online sexual assault training for sexual
assault examiners and sexual assault nurse examiners. Notwithstanding any other law
regarding ongoing licensure requirements, such training shall apply toward the continuing
medical education and continuing nursing education credits for physicians, physician
assistants, registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and advanced practice
registered nurses.
b. The sexual assault forensic examiner program shall provide didactic and clinical
training opportunities consistent with the sexual assault forensic examiner education
guidelines established by the international association of forensic nurses, in collaboration
with the department of health and human services and the Iowa coalition against sexual
assault, in sufficient numbers and geographical locations across the state to assist treatment
facilities with training sexual assault examiners and sexual assault nurse examiners.
c. Sexual assault training provided under this subsection may be provided in person or
online and shall include but is not limited to information concerning all of the following:
(1) The provision of medical forensic services.
(2) The use of a sexual abuse evidence collection kit.
(3) Sexual assault epidemiology, the neurobiology of trauma, drug-facilitated sexual
assault, child sexual abuse, and Iowa sexual assault-related laws.
(4) The treatment facility’s sexual assault-related policies and procedures.
5. The sexual assault forensic examiner program, in collaboration with qualified medical
providers, the department of health and human services, and the Iowa coalition against
sexual assault, shall create uniform materials that all treatment facilities and federally
qualified health centers are required to provide to patients and non-offending parents or
legal guardians, if applicable, regarding medical forensic examination procedures, laws
regarding consent relating to medical forensic services, and the benefits and risks of
evidence collection, including recommended time frames for evidence collection pursuant
to evidence-based research. These materials shall be made available on the department of
justice’s internet site to all treatment facilities and federally qualified health centers.
6. The sexual assault forensic examiner program, in collaboration with qualified medical
providers, the department of health and human services, and the Iowa coalition against
sexual assault, shall create and update statewide sexual assault examiner and sexual assault
nurse examiner protocols, shall provide technical assistance upon request to health care
professionals, and shall provide expertise on best practices to health care professionals
relating to sexual assault forensic examinations.
7. Advisory committee.
a. The department of justice shall establish an advisory committee to support the sexual
assault forensic examiner program implemented in accordance with this section. The duties
of the committee shall include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Advising the department of justice regarding the training programs developed for the
sexual assault forensic examiner program.
(2) Reviewing the implementation and effectiveness of the sexual assault forensic
examiner program.
(3) Recommending to the department of justice changes in legislation and administrative
rules concerning the sexual assault forensic examiner program.
b. Members of the advisory committee shall include staff members of the department of
justice managing the sexual assault forensic examiner program; representatives from the
department of health and human services as determined by the director to be appropriate,
the Iowa coalition against sexual assault, the board of nursing, and other constituencies
as determined by the department of justice with an interest in sexual assault forensic
examinations; and the hospital medical staff person involved with emergency services
pursuant to section 915.82.