117 S2655 IS: Ensuring Forensic Care for All Victims Act U.S. Senate 2021-08-05 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 2655IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESAugust 5, 2021Ms. Murkowski (for herself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsA BILLTo provide funding for demonstration grants to support clinical training of health care providers to administer medical forensic examinations and treatments to survivors of interpersonal violence of all ages.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Forensic Care for All Victims Act or the EFCA Act.

2.

Purpose

It is the purpose of this Act to provide eligible entities funding through demonstration grants to develop trauma informed standards of care through pilot programs that promote generalist forensic training using a module-based, conceptual learning program with competency-based activities tailored to meet health care professional and first responder needs.

3.

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Community health aide; community health practitioner

The terms community health aide and community health practitioner have the meanings given such terms for purposes of section 119 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1616l). (2)

First responder

The term first responder includes a firefighter, law enforcement officer, paramedic, emergency medical technician, or other individual (including an employee of a legally organized and recognized volunteer organization, whether compensated or not), who, in the course of his or her professional duties, responds to fire, medical, hazardous material, or other similar emergencies.(3)

Generalist forensic services

The term generalist forensic services with respect to health care providers, means enabling such providers to have expanded forensic knowledge and skills to ensure that individuals, families, and communities that have experienced interpersonal violence or trauma are provided medical forensic assessment, evidence collection, and documentation that aids in meeting the needs of patients as well as improves future law enforcement investigation and prosecution, provides needed data for research to support response and prevention of violence, and improves ability to adequately respond to patients who exhibit signs of victimization. (4)

Health care provider

The term health care provider has the meaning given such term by the Secretary, and includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, and physicians.(5)

Indian Tribes

The terms Indian Tribe and Tribal organization shall have the meanings given such terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). The term Urban Indian organization has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).(6)

Interpersonal violence

The term interpersonal violence means any form of violence which is emotional and trauma inducing for victims, families of victims, perpetrators, and communities. (7)

Program

The term program means the program established under section 101.(8)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.(9)

Standard of care

The term standard of care means evaluation and treatment that is accepted by medical experts and reflected in peer-reviewed medical literature as the appropriate medical approach for a condition, symptoms, illness, or disease and that is widely used by health care professionals.(10)

Trauma informed care

The term trauma informed care means care which trauma survivors receive that is culturally competent in accordance with professional standards of practice and accounting for patients’ experiences and preferences in order to eliminate or mitigate triggers that may cause re-traumatization of the patient.