Recognizing the critical role of the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Program in providing trauma-informed forensic care to survivors of sexual assault and affirming the City's commitment to uninterrupted 24/7 access to these services.

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Program, known as PSARC, is the only dedicated facility in Philadelphia providing forensic medical examinations to survivors age sixteen and older, operating twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, and dispatching Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners to its centralized location and to Philadelphia trauma hospitals; and

WHEREAS, through WOAR’s leadership on the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Advisory Council, PSARC was developed and funded through the Drexel University School of Medicine, and began operations in May 2011; and

WHEREAS, In 2025, PSARC conducted 338 SANE examinations and provided forensic evaluation, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection prevention, court testimony, and linkage to victim advocacy, in close partnership with the Special Victims Unit, the District Attorney's Office, Philadelphia trauma hospitals, WOAR, and the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Team; and

WHEREAS, Since 2019, Drexel University's College of Nursing and Health Professions has operated PSARC, sustaining the program in the absence of any prior City contribution, and will end its operation this summer; and

WHEREAS

, PSARC relies on limited state funding that provides up to $1,000 reimbursement per patient exam, an amount insufficient to cover the full cost of care, particularly in Philadelphia where the high number of rape kits are used reflects the significant demand for services and highlights the need for financial support to sustain survivor care; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Public Health's Division of Reproductive, Adolescent, and Child Health has issued a Request for Proposals to identify a new operator beginning July 1, 2026, and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker's proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes the first-ever City contribution to PSARC; and

WHEREAS, Sustained and adequate funding is necessary to maintain uninterrupted 24/7 service, retain and grow the SANE workforce, build the clinical and administrative infrastructure required of a standalone forensic care provider, and conduct the model assessment the City's RFP requires; and

WHEREAS, Every survivor of sexual assault in Philadelphia, regardless of ability to pay, decision to report to law enforcement, or immigration status, deserves prompt, dignified, and trauma-informed care; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Recognizes the critical role of PSARC in serving survivors of sexual assault, affirms its commitment to uninterrupted services through and beyond this summer's operator transition, and urges sustained investment in a survivor-centered, trauma-informed model of care worthy of the people of Philadelphia.

End