Gail Burns-Smith Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program (SAFE) Celebrates 5th Anniversary | Event photos below
State Senator Terry Gerratana, Co-Chair of the Public Health Committee addresses the group.
More than 80 people gathered to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Gail
Burns-Smith Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners Program on Jan. 26, 2016, in
the State Capitol’s Old Judiciary Room. Speakers included Chief Court
Administrator Patrick L. Carroll III; Laura Cordes, executive director of
the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence; Linda J. Cimino, director
Office of Victim Services; Sen. Terry Gerratana, co-chair of the Public
Health Committee; Maureen Platt, state’s attorney for the Waterbury Judicial
District; and Dr. Guy Vallaro, director of the Connecticut Forensic Science
Laboratory.
The Office of Victim Services, was authorized in 2009 to
establish a program to train and make available Sexual Assault Forensic
Examiners (SAFEs) to adult and adolescent victims of sexual assault at
participating healthcare facilities. More than 900 patients have been
assisted through the program.
Participating hospitals are: Hartford Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, Windham Hospital, University of Connecticut
Student Health Services in Storrs, Midstate Medical Center, Middlesex
Hospital, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, Manchester Memorial Hospital
and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. There currently are 28
sexual assault forensic examiners, and the program has trained an additional
53 health care professionals.
Linda J. Cimino, Director of the Judicial Branch Office of Victim Services (left) and Denise Covington (front, green jacket) pose with SAFEs, Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners—nurses from various hospitals and clinics across the state.
Laura Cordes and Deb Heinrich, Director of Policy and Public Relations of Connecticut Alliance to end Sexual Violence, prepare for the festivities.
Laura Cordes, Executive Director of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence opens the 5th Anniversary program.
Judge Patrick L. Carroll, III., Chief Court Administrator of the Connecticut Judicial Branch.
State Senator Terry Gerratana, Co-Chair of the Public Health Committee, is a strong backer of SAFE.
State’s Attorney Maureen Platt of the Waterbury Judicial District, a strong proponent of the SAFE Program and Chair of the Commission on the Standardization of the Collection of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations.
Denise Covington, Program Manager of the SAFE Program and Kristin Loranger, Clinical Coordinator.
Dr. Guy Vallaro, Director of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.
Linda J. Cimino, Director of the Judicial Branch Office of Victim Services.
Denise Covington, Program Manager of the GBS SAFE Program cuts the 5th Anniversary cake.
Attorney Platt, Senator Gerratana, Laura Cordes, Joseph D. D’Alesio, Executive Director of Superior Court Operations, Judicial Branch, Linda J. Cimino, Denise Covington and Judge Elliot N. Solomon, Deputy Chief Court Administrator.
Left to right, Laura Cordes, Patti LaMonica, Executive Director of Emergency Medicine for St. Francis Hospital and a longtime member of the Commission on the Standardization of the Collection of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations, Linda J. Cimino, Denise Covington, SAFE Candida Fusco and Attorney Maureen Platt.
A comment by a victim who was aided by the SAFE Program.
Linda Cimino, center, surrounded by SAFEs, left to right Nicole Mott, Luanne Treado, Connie Gustafson and Cheryl Sheades.
Laura Cordes, Patti LaMonica, Robert G. Flade and Shawnna Scirpo of the Hartford Healthcare Corporation, Denise Covington and Linda J. Cimino.